'White Lotus' returns: New season premieres in February

LONDON: The third season of HBO's hit TV series "The White Lotus" will premiere in February, followed months later by the second instalment of "The Last of Us", Warner Bros. Discovery said Thursday.

Unveiling its upcoming global programming slate, HBO and Max streaming service CEO Casey Bloys also confirmed the much-anticipated "Game of Thrones" prequel, "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms", is set for release later next year.

Beyond that, the first "Harry Potter" television series - announced last year and currently in casting - is scheduled to start filming in mid-2025 at Warner Bros.'s Leavesden studios in the UK, Bloys said.

With the mega-selling books' author JK Rowling among its executive producers, it is envisaged as "a decade-long series" featuring a new cast from the films.

"Succession" director and executive producer Mark Mylod revealed at the London announcement event that the casting team were currently reviewing 32,000 submissions for kids' roles.

"We will watch every one," Mylod said, adding the team were currently reviewing between 500 and 1,000 tapes daily. They then hope to "workshop with some of our shortlisted candidates" in January.

He noted they took following the "extraordinary actors" from the films "incredibly seriously".

"But we do follow the ethos of the films in searching out the cream of British acting talent, not necessarily the biggest stars," he added.

Rowling has faced accusations of transphobia in recent years for putting an emphasis on biological sex over gender identity in comments about trans women. She denies the accusation.

Asked if he was worried her involvement in the production could prove problematic, Bloys said he was "not concerned".

'Resonate'

Award-winning dark comedy "The White Lotus" is this time set in Thailand, with singer Lisa of megastar K-pop girl group BLACKPINK among the cast, alongside veteran Hollywood star Scott Glenn.

Meanwhile post-apocalyptic drama "The Last of Us", starring Pedro Pascal, picks up where the acclaimed first season released last year ended.

Joined by actor-turned-executive producer Salma Hayek, Bloys also announced that Max has commissioned a second season of HBO's current Spanish-language hit "Like Water for Chocolate".

Based on the best-selling 1989 novel of the same name by Mexican author Laura Esquivel, it has been among the most-watched series on the platform following its release last month.

"It's been incredible to see such an important Mexican story resonate with audiences around the world," Hayek said.

"We are thrilled to confirm a second season of 'Like Water for Chocolate' and are looking forward to giving closure to such a strong and powerful story."

Bloys said Max was moving beyond what some have called "patchy" programming across the industry following the Hollywood strikes and Covid-19 pandemic.

"I believe we're past all of that, starting in (20)25 for the next two years, we've got a very robust slate," he added.

Max, which streams its own original shows and big-budget HBO titles as well as Warner Bros. films and other content, is available in the United States, some Latin American and European countries and parts of Asia.

It is set to expand to other countries, including the UK and Australia, in the coming years, with a focus on original local programming.

Following the recent success of its first scripted series in France, "The Confidante", it will launch several new French-language shows on the platform next year.

They include a reimagining of "Dangerous Liaisons", Pierre Choderlos de Laclos's classic novel, which will be called "The Seduction" outside of France and stars Diane Kruger.

"It was time for a re-telling," she said during a brief appearance at the London event. "It's an interesting take on the story."