'Big Little Lies' Season 2 a Go as HBO Inks Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman to New Deals
Hilary Bronwyn Gayle/HBO
HBO
Big Little Lies
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Reese Witherspoon on 'Big Little Lies' Season 2 Potential: "We're Optimistic"
David E. Kelley is confirmed to return and has already penned all seven the scripts for season two, which is partially based on a story by Moriarty. HBO says season two will explore the "malignancy of lies, the durability of friendships, the fragility of marriage and, of course, the vicious ferocity of sound parenting. Relationships will fray, loyalties will erode … the potential for emotional and bodily injury shall loom."
"I’m excited to announce the return of
Big Little Lies," HBO programming president Casey Bloys said. “David Kelley wrote beautiful scripts and Reese and Nicole were, once again, a force to be reckoned with, reuniting the cast and recruiting the talented Andrea Arnold to direct. We look forward to working with this amazing group of artists."
Exec producers on season two include Kelley via his David E. Kelley Productions banner; Kidman and her Blossom Films shingle topper Per Saari, Witherspoon via Hello Sunshine, Bruna Papandrea, Arnold, Vallée, Nathan Ross and Gregg Fienberg. Moriarty will produce.
“I’m thrilled to be bringing back this talented team of artists,” said Witherspoon, who with Kidman optioned the rights to the book and originally planed to produce and star in a feature film adaptation. “It gives us the opportunity to delve deeper into the lives of these intriguing and intricate Monterey families and bring more of their stories back to the audience who embraced and championed them. I’m beyond excited to be working with talented and acclaimed director Andrea Arnold who will be at the helm. Andrea’s unique storytelling style will be a welcome addition to the filmmaking team.”
Big Little Lies earned 16 Emmy nominations and took home eight awards, including outstanding limited series, lead actress for Kidman, supporting actor for Alexander Skarsgard and supporting actress for Laura Dern.
"This is inspired by the overwhelming response by audiences around the world, conceived once again by Liane Moriarty, realized by David Kelley and now in the hands of visionary filmmaker Andrea Arnold,” Kidman said. “What a journey this has been. I’m so grateful to have this opportunity to keep exploring these female characters and make this series with my friends."
Arnold, repped by Gersh and Gochman Law Group, counts directing episodes of
Transparent and
I Love dikkamong her TV credits. On the feature side, she wrote and directed
American Honey and penned the screenplay and directed 2011's
Wuthering Heights.
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17 Execs Explain Why They Keep Renewing Limited Series
Big Little Lies becomes the latest "limited series" to earn a second season. In the Peak TV era of 500 scripted shows, cutting through the clutter has become increasingly difficult, so when a show like
Big Little Lies becomes a critical and awards favorite, it becomes an almost immediate discussion to do another cycle. THR
polled 17 execs about the trend over the summer, with Bloys noting that it made sense to turn a limited series into an ongoing franchise, "Only when everyone involved feels in their bones a potential second season is a worthy successor to the first."
Meanwhile, HBO is also looking to do a second season of limited series
The Night Of, AMC is looking to do the same with
The Night Manager and Netflix has already greenlit a second season of watercooler drama
13 Reasons Why.