We're nearing the end of another season of The White Lotus, and what a ride it's been! In just a few days, The White Lotus season 3 finale will air on HBO and release on Max, and we can't wait to see how everything wraps up. We just know things are going to go out with a bang as this show has yet to deliver a season finale that isn’t shocking, dramatic, and utterly unforgettable.
Fortunately, we don’t have to worry about The White Lotus coming to an end anytime soon, as HBO has already confirmed that season 4 is in the works. Production is expected to start sometime next year, although it's still unclear where the new season will be set or who will join the cast. What we do know is that The White Lotus might sound a little different when it returns for its fourth installment. You're probably scratching your head wondering what we mean by this. Well, the show's composer, Cristobal Tapia de Veer, who earned three Emmy Awards for his scoring work on the series, will not be returning after season 3. Tapia de Veer announced his exit in a new interview with the New York Times.
What's the reason for his exit, you ask? The departure comes down to creative differences between Tapia de Veer and The White Lotus creator Mike White regarding the show’s score. The two have reportedly been at odds over this matter for the past three seasons. Tapia de Veer tells the New York Times that the creative struggle between them began with the season 1 theme song and just continued to escalate from there, resulting in him calling it quits. According to Tapia de Veer, he and White had contrasting visions for the show’s theme song, and this difference sparked tension from the very beginning.
The White Lotus theme songs for seasons 1 and 2 were a fan favorite, especially with its memorable "ooh-loo-loo-loos." So, it’s no surprise that viewers were confused and frustrated when the theme song for season 3 didn’t carry the same vibe by keeping the iconic elements. Instead, the new theme song felt significantly different, leaving many fans feeling disconnected from the familiar sound that had defined the show’s unsettling atmosphere. Fans were expecting to hear "ooh-loo-loo-loos" in the season 3 theme, but they weren't incorporated into the song. This left many fans disappointed, feeling that something integral to the show’s identity was lost.
After discovering the backlash from fans over the change in the theme, Tapia de Veer contacted the producers to see if the full version of the theme song, which included the "ooh-loo-loo-loos," could be released. While the producers were on board with the idea, White rejected it. As a result, Tapia de Veer took matters into his own hands and decided to release the full version on his YouTube page.
This is what Tapia de Veer shared with the New York Times about White’s vision for the season 3 theme song:
"He had a temp score, a song that is more like something you would listen to in Ibiza, in some clubby place with a chill, sexy vibe. And there’s literally no edge to it. It’s a good song; it’s nice music. There’s just absolutely no — whatever you find in the “White Lotus” music, the relationships with the characters — there’s none of that. It’s just nice background music.
I just stuck to what I was doing. And when I was giving versions, it was still the same thing: There were still crazy people and screaming and stuff like that. From there, it became this weird relationship of, How do I pass all this weird music into the show?"
When Tapia de Veer made his final decision to depart the series, he didn't tell White about it. He pretty much told everyone else on the show's creative team except him, which doesn't come as a surprise since they were already experiencing significant creative tension. Eventually, news of his departure reached White, but Tapia de Veer declined to share how White reacted when asked by the New York Times.
"It’s kind of weird right now because I announced to the team a few months ago that I was not coming back, that I was leaving. I didn’t tell Mike for various reasons; I wanted to tell him just at the end for the shock and whatever. Except I told the whole editorial team and music editor and producer and all that, but I didn’t think that they were going to tell him. At some point he heard about that." - Cristobal Tapia de Veer
With Tapia de Veer officially out, it'll be interesting to see what direction the show’s music takes moving forward. Stay tuned to Show Snob for more updates on The White Lotus season 4!