HBO’s hit teen drama starring Zendaya wrapped up season 2 in February 2022, and one year later Euphoria season 3 news is trickling in. After first premiering in 2019, Euphoria season 2 was a long time coming with over two years between the first and second seasons (save for two bottle episodes focused on Zendaya’s character Rue and Hunter Schafer’s character Jules). Euphoria season 2 proved to be controversial even as its popularity skyrocketed, promoting fervent discussions of the show on social media about both behind-the-scenes drama and some of the creative decisions made throughout its run.
Euphoria season 2 picks up sometime after the events of the season 1 finale, with Rue having relapsed and still estranged from her (now ex-) girlfriend Jules after she left her at the train station. Jules is unaware that Rue has relapsed (and severely so) despite the fact that it’s instantly clear that not all is right with Zendaya’s character. Where Euphoria goes from here remains unclear as the season 2 ending doesn’t paint the clearest picture of what the show’s future could look like. Despite these flaws, though, the confidence with which the show operates indicates that Euphoria season 3 could top its predecessor in ways that are both good and bad.
The Latest Euphoria Season 3 News
Unfortunately, the most recent Euphoria season 3 news isn’t great, as Francesca Orsi, HBO’s head of drama revealed that the season might not be released until 2025, and even that sounds optimistic. Euphoria season 3 is significantly delayed, and if season 3 arrives in 2022 at the very earliest, it’ll have been over three years since the release of season 2. The executive explains that Sam Levinson, who created Euphoria is hard at work on his other HBO show, Idol, and that he’s “pencils down” due to the WGA writers’ strike.
Not only that but Euphoria producer Jeremy O. Harris gave a blunt update about the Euphoria season 3 delay, discussing the writers’ strike. Harris even called out the Warner Bros. Discovery CEO, stating, “All I’ll say is Sam Levinson is not a scab. He’s not a scab. David Zaslav, make a deal. That’s what I’ll say about Season 3 of Euphoria. Make a deal, David. It’s easy. Just come to that table.” When Harris says Levinson isn’t a scab, he means that the writer won’t go against the WGA by writing for HBO before the WGA and the AMPTP have reached a deal.
There had been some Euphoria season 3 news that cast member Tatiana Hullender wanted to see a happier third season of the show. With the drama, depression, and tragedy in the first two seasons, that might have been a little too much to ask. That came in an interview with Screen Rant, where the young Storm Reid actor said that she wanted her character to smile more and have a happier tone in the next season. “My overarching hope for season 3 is just more levity, more joy, more grace,” she said in the interview.
Hullender made some good points, saying she wanted to see “more levity, more joy, more grace” in the series, but that might change the tone a little too much for fans who have watched for the heart-wrenching storylines that involve traumatic and disturbing content. Euphoria is different from other teen series because it does bring out bleak storylines that pull at the emotions of the viewers, and it isn’t afraid to refuse to hold back to make people more comfortable.
Euphoria Season 3 Is Confirmed
After the massive increase in viewership that season 2 experienced, Euphoria season 3 has officially been renewed at HBO, as was announced via Instagram. There’s no word yet on how many episodes the season will feature, although it can be assumed that it will run for eight, just like the first two. Euphoria season 3 news revealed the pickup just a few weeks into its second season run, making it clear that HBO is banking on the show as one of its biggest hits. The wait between seasons should not be as long as the one between the first two, since that experienced delays during Hollywood’s shutdown in 2020.
Euphoria Season 3 Release Date Prediction
Unfortunately, even though Euphoria season 3 news confirms the season has been greenlit by HBO, that doesn’t mean it’ll be released any time soon. After the premiere of the finale, rumors began surfacing online that the show wouldn’t return until 2024, and while that was disappointing, that’s now optimistic. HBO has already started initial promotion for Euphoria season 3, which indicates it’s a priority for the studio. However, it was also reported in February 2023 that Euphoria season 3 faced new filming delays, pushing production back to later in the year. Now it has been said by HBO executives that Euphoria season 3 likely won’t surface until 2025.
There were two and a half years between Euphoria season 1 and season 2, which is already an unusually long gap between seasons, but the gap between season 2 and season 3 will be even longer due to both the WGA writers’ strike and Levinson’s duties on Idol. Francesca Orsi explained, “Euphoria is one of those that we had begun writing in tandem with post-production on Idol but at this point, we don’t have countless scripts. We can’t start shooting, so the delivery of that show — ideally in 2025 — will be determined on when we can pick back up with Sam.” There were are least two specials to fill the gap between the first two seasons of Euphoria, but it doesn’t look like that will happen again.
Euphoria Season 3 Cast
While there has been no official Euphoria season 3 news about casting announcements from the cast or creator Sam Levinson, two returns have already seemingly been confirmed. Dominic Fike, who debuted in Euphoria season 2 as Elliot, a new friend of Rue’s, recently revealed that he will “absolutely” return in season 3 (via NME). HBO executive Casey Bloys also confirmed that Zendaya will return as Rue in Euphoria season 3 after doubts the megastar wouldn’t return to focus on other projects. This is good news because, without Zendaya, Euphoria wouldn’t be nearly the same.
As for the rest of the cast, it seems like they’ll return, including Angus Cloud as Fez, Alexa Demie as Maddy, Sydney Sweeney as Cassie, Jacob Elordi as Nate, Hunter Schafer as Jules, and Maude Apatow as Lexi. The only one in question was Barbie Ferreira as Kat Hernandez, who reportedly walked off the set of Euphoria season 2 multiple times due to creative differences with Sam Levinson. This is rumored to have led to a severe cut in her character’s arc this season. Ferreira finally announced she was leaving the show because she didn’t like where her character was headed. The actress finally revealed why she left (via Cinema Blend).
“I think my character, who I love so dearly, I don’t think there was a place for her to go. … I think there were places she could have gone. I just don’t think it would have fit into the show. I just don’t know if it was going to do her justice.”
Euphoria Season 3 Story Details
Despite a controversial run and a somewhat confounding finale, Euphoria season 2’s ending sets up numerous possibilities for season 3. While it’s unclear where some characters are headed – Rue seems to be on a path of redemption, but there is also a hint that she might relapse – there are relationships that need following up on. From Fez’s downfall and his response to the death of Ashtray to Cassie and Maddy’s relationship (and the former’s romance with Nate), there’s plenty to mine for Euphoria season 3. After other characters like Kat, Jules, and Elliot were sidelined, though, it’s unclear what’s in store for them in the upcoming season.
