A major HBO production, believed to be the fourth season of "The White Lotus," has decided not to film in Norway after receiving a lower-than-expected tax incentive offer from the Norwegian Film Institute (NFI).
The production, operating under the code name "Secret Garden," had planned to spend approximately 800 million Norwegian kroner (roughly $76 million) in Norway on filming, visual effects, and post-production work. However, the project withdrew after being offered only 88 million kroner in tax incentives, far below their requested 200 million kroner.
"We were effectively offered 11% of the production budget, which is too little given the competition in Europe," said Tor Arne Øvrebø, the responsible applicant and producer at Truenorth, who declined to confirm whether the production was indeed "The White Lotus."
The project was set to be written and directed by Mike White, with Mark Kamine and David Bernard as producers - all of whom have previously worked on HBO's hit series "The White Lotus." The satirical show, known for its portrayal of wealthy guests at luxury resorts worldwide, has garnered critical acclaim across its previous seasons.
Following the production's withdrawal, the NFI has reallocated its 2025 incentive funds to other projects, including the feature film "Mile Zero" and the drama series "Mord i Sogn." The institute has now committed a total of 66.8 million kroner in incentives to seven different film and television productions planning to shoot in Norway.
This development marks a missed opportunity for Norway's film industry, which has previously hosted major international productions like "Succession," which filmed in Møre og Romsdal in 2022.