‘Big Little Lies’ Season 2: HBO Confirms The Monterey Moms Are Coming Back

Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, and the other Monterey moms are teaming up with David E. Kelley again for another installment of HBO’s limited series Big Little Lies.

“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, 50, said in a statement. “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.”

Kidman and Witherspoon are set to star and executive produce the miniseries with most of the Emmy winning cast set to return.

“I’m thrilled to be bringing back this talented team of artists,” said Witherspoon, 41, who recently dropped out of Noah Hawley’s Fox Searchlight film Pale Blue Dot in order to shoot the second installment of Big Little Lies.  “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.”

Witherspoon was set to star in and produce the film which follows a female astronaut whose life begins to unravel upon returning home from space. Pale Blue Dot explores a theory which states that astronauts that spend long periods of time staring at Earth struggle with their sense of reality when they return home. Despite being attached to the film since 2015, Witherspoon chose to leave the project due to conflicting schedules with Big Little Lies Season 2.

HBO promises that the return of Big Little Lies will explore the “malignancy of lies, the durability of friendships, the fragility of marriage and, of course, the vicious ferocity of sound parenting.” The premium cable provider also teased that “relationship will fray, loyalties will erode [and] the potential for emotional and bodily injury shall loom.”

Kelley, 61, will write all seven scripts, taking inspiration from Liane Moriarty’s novel of the same name.  Kelley, Kidman, Witherspoon, and Moriarty are set to executively produce the series alongside Per Saari, Bruna Papandrea, Jean-Marc Vallée, Nathan Ross, Gregg Fienberg, and Andrea Arnold. Arnold, an Academy Award and three-time Cannes winner is also set to direct the second installment.

Big Little Lies premiered on HBO in early 2017 and received eight Primetime Emmy Awards including Outstanding Limited Series or TV Movie, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie (Kidman), Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie (Alexander Skarsgard), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie (Laura Dern), Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Dramatic Special (Jean-Marc Vallee), Outstanding Costumes for a Contemporary Series, Limited Series, or Movie (Alix Friedberg), and Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited Series, Movie, or Special (Sue Jacobs).