Never in a million years did we expect a show about vacationers taking a trip in a coastal locale could be impeded by its creator and sole writer taking a trip to an island, but here we are! As we all anxiously await news on The White Lotus season 4 following the seriously earth-shattering third season, we have finally received a new update that could unfortunately lead to a major delay.
In case you hadn't heard the exciting news, The White Lotus creator Mike White will be returning to the CBS reality competition series Survivor to compete on the show's 50th season. White previously competed on season 37 in 2018 and placed second. He also competed on two seasons of The Amazing Race in 2009 and 2011. This time, his reality TV side quest could set back his hit show.
According to Deadline, Survivor 50 will begin filming in Fiji in June, and seasons of the hit competition series are known to film for about 30 days. However, the contestants are sequestered before the season begins production and after. If they're voted out early, they are sequestered until the season ends. That leaves White in full Survivor mode through at least August 2025.
Mike White on Survivor 50 could delay The White Lotus season 4
Before White heads to Fiji to compete on Survivor 50, it's unclear how much writing progress he has made on The White Lotus season 4, if any. There's not much known about the elusive follow-up season to the blockbuster season 3 aside from murmurs about White looking to branch out with the setting, potentially somewhere else in Europe. Still, nothing has been shared.
There's a chance that writing has not started on season 4 and won't until White finishes competing later this summer. While we hope that he's able to perform well, there's also the chance that if he were to be voted off the island early, he could start cracking on those season 4 scripts while secluded in sequester. That would allow for production to kick off once he's off the island.
Still, things take time and we have to account for the emotional, mental, and physical toll a season of Survivor takes on its competitors. White might not want to dive right into a rigorous seven-month production cycle of The White Lotus so soon. But pre-production work, like location scouting, writing, and casting could all still take place in the meantime. There are a lot of variables.
Honestly, it remains to be seen how much of a delay Survivor 50 will put on The White Lotus season 4 and if we will even notice a difference. We waited over two years between seasons 2 and 3 and that was well worth the wait. It's no secret that we were hoping to have a new season to deliver another round of shocking mystery in 2026, but that might not be possible anymore.
Let's cross our fingers that White has been super-inspired after the response to season 3 and writing has been secretly in progress for season 4 since the jaw-dropping season 3 finale in April. If that's not the case, then we could be looking at a wait well into 2027 for our next vacation at the White Lotus resort. Thankfully, season 3's award season circuit will soon begin to keep us company.
Stay tune for more news and updates on The White Lotus from Show Snob!