Looks like a season 2 of Big Little Lies is happening! Reports are stating that filming on the second season will start next year, but that original director Jean-Marc Vallee will not return (he has previously been clear that he would not return):

Big Little Lies Eyes Spring 2018 Production Start for Season 2

It’s amazing how a crate full of Emmys can hasten the development process. Case in point: A second season of Big Little Lies is poised to become a reality (much) sooner than later.

Sources confirm to TVLine exclusively that HBO is eyeing a Spring 2018 production start for the female-driven phenom, which snagged eight Emmy statues in September, including for Outstanding Limited Series and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series for Nicole Kidman. As recently as two weeks ago, Big Little Lies EP/writer David E. Kelley strongly intimated to TVLine that a second season was nearing the scheduling stage.

“We’re kicking around ideas and trying to lasso the talent [and] get the band back together,” he shared. “It’s just a lot of logistical things. But I’m optimistic because everyone wants to do it. We feel we still have storytelling to do. No decision has been made yet, but we’re hopeful. Where we left it, I felt like it did open the opportunity for a lot more storytelling.”

An HBO rep declined to confirm anything about a potential second season.

Even before Big Little Lies triumphed at the Emmys, HBO asked Liane Moriarty — whose novel the miniseries was based on — to “take a crack at” coming with with a story for a potential second season. Kidman and fellow leading lady/EP Reese Witherspoon both expressed interest in keeping the franchise going, and director Jean-Marc Vallée — who initially balked at doing a sequel — now wants in. “It’d be great to reunite the team and to do it,” Vallée said backstage at the Emmys. “Are we going to be able to do it, altogether? I wish. We’ll see.”

(TV Line)

Big Little Lies: Who’s Not Returning?

Big Little Lies is looking to add some additional girl power behind-the-scenes in Season 2.

Sources confirm that Season 1 helmer/EP Jean-Marc Vallée — who picked up two Emmys in September for his work on the HBO “limited” series (one for producing, one for directing) — will be stepping away from the director’s chair in Season 2 due to scheduling conflicts. Rumor has it the search is on for a female director to succeed him.

An HBO rep declined to confirm anything about a potential second season of Big Little Lies.

Vallée was initially against the idea of sequel, telling Vulture last April, “No, no, this is the perfect ending. There is no way; there’s no reason to make a Season 2. That was meant to be a one-time deal, and it’s finishing in a way where it’s for the audience to imagine what can happen. If we do a season two, we’ll break that beautiful thing and spoil it.” However, the auteur changed his tune after BLL swept the Emmys. “It’d be great to reunite the team and to do it,” he said backstage. “Are we going to be able to do it, altogether? I wish. We’ll see.”

As TVLine first reported, HBO is eyeing a Spring 2018 production start for the female-driven phenom.

(TV Line)