HBO’s Emmy-Winning Show Season 3 Finally Moves Forward with New Showrunner

HBO’s hit series Big Little Lies is finally moving forward with its long-awaited third season. Francesca Sloane, co-creator of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, has been brought on to write the first episode and will serve as executive producer alongside series creator David E. Kelley and stars Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman.

According to Deadline, Sloane’s work on the show is part of a two-year overall deal she has signed with HBO.

Sloane joins HBO after leaving Amazon MGM Studios, where she had been under an overall deal since 2020 and co-created Mr. & Mrs. Smith with Donald Glover.

She served as executive producer and showrunner on the series, which had previously faced delays. Her hiring signals that Season 3 is finally gaining momentum after years of uncertainty.

Casey Bloys, HBO and HBO Max’s Chairman and CEO of Content, had previously said that the network was waiting for Liane Moriarty’s sequel book before moving forward on a third season. With Sloane now on board, production plans appear to be progressing.

Big Little Lies first aired on HBO from 2017 to 2019 and is based on Liane Moriarty’s 2014 novel. The series, created by David E. Kelley, was originally billed as a miniseries but spanned two seasons and 14 episodes. Jean-Marc Vallée directed Season 1, while Andrea Arnold directed Season 2. Nicole Kidman confirmed in 2023 that a third season is planned.

The series has faced challenges behind the scenes. Reports from IndieWire in 2019 stated that Andrea Arnold lost creative control during Season 2’s post-production, with Vallée stepping in to edit and unify the episodes’ style.

HBO programming president Casey Bloys clarified the situation, saying, “There’s a lot of misinformation around that subject. The director typically does not have final creative control.” He added that Vallée returned to hone the episodes after being asked by the producing team, which included Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman.

With Francesca Sloane now attached to write and executive produce, Big Little Lies fans have reason to be hopeful about the upcoming season. It looks like the show is finally on track to return.

What do you think about Francesca Sloane joining the team? Are you excited for Season 3? Share your thoughts in the comments.