Filming for the highly anticipated Season 3 of HBO’s “Big Little Lies” began this week – sort of. The series was filmed Thursday at the Ranch Lot at Warner Bros. Studios. Burbank; among those in front of the camera was recurring star Merrin Dungey, who has played Detective Adrienne Quinlan on the series since its launch and appeared in the show’s first two seasons.
Full production on “Big Little Lies” Season 3 isn’t expected to begin until next year, but no date has been set yet. Insiders said this week’s main filming day took place so the series could maintain its California state tax credit, which has already been approved. (Under California tax incentive rules, principal photography must begin within 180 calendar days of the date of the conditional allocation letter — or 240 calendar days for projects with an eligible spending budget of $100 million or more. It’s unclear when “Big Little Lies” Season 3 received its CAL.)
The director has not yet been confirmed for Season 3, but inside sources said the director on set this week was someone already involved with “Big Little Lies” and who has been approved by the DGA. HBO, which has yet to officially announce the production’s return, declined to comment.
Executive producer David E. Kelley has been a strong supporter of keeping production in California, and the first two seasons of “Big Little Lies” were also filmed in the state, even without previous tax incentives for the series. Season 1 of “Big Little Lies” aired in 2017 and the series returned for season 2 in 2019.
“Big Little Lies” stars Nicole Kidman (Celeste), Reese Witherspoon (Madeline) and Laura Dern (Renata) as friends in Monterey, California, whose children also attend the same school. They befriend Shailene Woodley’s character, Jane, whose child is new to the school. Soon, they uncover a dark secret, which ultimately leads to a homicide investigation. Zoë Kravitz, Alexander Skarsgård, Adam Scott, James Tupper and Jeffrey Nordling also star in supporting roles, while Meryl Streep joined the cast in season 2.
HBO
Dungey’s character, Det. Quinlan investigates the murder at the heart of the series and harbors deep suspicions about the “Monterey 5” (Celeste, Madeline, Renata, Jane and Kravitz’s character, Bonnie).
Speculation that “Big Little Lies” could return for season 3 after a long hiatus gained momentum after Kidman revealed in November 2023 that it could happen. Then, in September 2025, Francesca Sloane (“Mr. and Mrs. Smith”) joined the project to write the first episode and executive produce the third season with Kelley, Kidman and Witherspoon.
In August, “Big Little Lies” author Liane Moriarty released her new novel in this universe, “Big Little Truths,” which continues the story of Madeline, Celeste, Jane, Renata and Bonnie. The new book moves the action forward a decade and is expected to serve as the backbone of the Season 3 storyline.
As for Dungey, her long list of credits is a reminder that she truly has been seen #everywhere; his most recent credits include “Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair,” “Chicago Med,” “The Lincoln Lawyer,” “SWAT” and “Shining Vale.” She is also known for “Alias”, “The King of Queens”, “Once Upon a Time” and much more.
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