Over the span of just two seasons, HBO’s hit teen drama Euphoria has cemented itself as one of TV’s most talked-about series. (Who can forget the delightful chaos of Euphoria Sundays on Twitter?) The show that won Zendaya her first Emmy and launched a thousand think pieces is slated to return for a third installment—but when?
There have been conflicting reports about the third season’s premiere date, with rumors swirling that the series is on indefinite hiatus. But HBO head Casey Bloys insists we’re on track for another year with the kids of East Highland High School. Read on for everything we know about Euphoria season three so far:
Spoilers for season two of Euphoria ahead.
Which cast members won’t be returning?
Storm Reid is the latest cast member to exit Euphoria. Reid played Rue’s younger sister, Gia, with her storyline largely revolving around witnessing Rue’s increasingly dire struggle with substance abuse. Rotten Tomatoes shared a video interview with Reid at the 2024 Governors Awards, in which she shared that she would not be returning to the series: “I’m very excited for season three,” she said. “Unfortunately, Gia’s not returning...I’m so glad that [Euphoria] is a part of my legacy and that I was a part of such a cultural phenomenon.”
The first main character to drop out was Kat Hernandez, played by Barbie Ferreira. Kat’s character sparked tons of discourse, given her treatment as the show’s sole plus-size character, in addition to endless rumors about behind-the-scenes drama between Ferreira and Levinson.
On August 24, 2022, Ferreira announced with an Instagram Story post that she would not return to Euphoria season three. “After four years of getting to embody the most special and enigmatic character Kat, I’m having to say a very teary-eyed goodbye," she wrote. "I hope many of you could see yourself in her like I did and that she brought you joy to see her journey into the character she is today. I put all my care and love into her and I hope you guys could feel it. Love you Katherine Hernandez."
Angus Cloud’s tragic death at the age of 25 on July 31, 2023 also means that the character of Fezco will not be returning. Given that his sidekick, Ashtray (played by Javon “Wanna” Walton) seemed to have been killed in the season two finale, it’s unlikely he’ll return either—but you never know.
Which cast members will return?
HBO has confirmed that the entire main cast will return for season three. This should include Zendaya as Rue Bennet, Sydney Sweeney as Cassie Howard, Alexa Demie as Maddy Perez, Hunter Schafer as Jules Vaughn, Maude Apatow as Lexi Howard, Jacob Elordi as Nate, and Colman Domingo as Rue’s sponsor Ali.
In February 2022, season two breakout Dominic Fike told Jimmy Fallon that his character, the moody, guitar-playing drug addict Elliot, would “absolutely” be part of season three.
Actor Eric Dane, who plays Nate Jacob’s duplicitous father Cal, has also confirmed his return. At the end of season two, Cal was arrested after Nate turned him into the police with damaging evidence of his underage relationships. Speaking to Variety, Dane addressed his character’s possible arc: “There's gonna be redemption. That's the trajectory he's on. I can't imagine Cal's life from solitary confinement. It's tough to work Cal into the storyline when he's behind bars.”
Has Euphoria season 3 started filming?
After years of uncertainty (more on that below), production is finally confirmed to begin in January of 2025. That means shooting for season three will begin almost three years after the premiere of season two.
What’s been the hold-up with the season?
The delay between seasons is due to multiple factors, including the double writers’ and actors’ strikes of 2023, the principal cast (think: Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, Jacob Elordi, Hunter Schafer and Colman Domingo) becoming booked and busy due to a rise in all of their public profiles, the death of Cloud and the show’s producer Kevin Turen, and series creator Sam Levinson’s insistence on writing the show himself, with no writer’s room to take on some of the work.
There were also reportedly some creative issues, specifically with the scripts. Variety reported Levinson turned in a first pass of the season in late 2023 with a time jump five years into the future, with “meaty arcs” for Sweeney and Elordi that were “very compelling.” However, Zendaya wasn’t a fan of Rue’s proposed storyline, which featured the now-sober character working as a private detective and relegated largely to the background.
Zendaya proposed her own storyline, where Rue would be a pregnancy surrogate, but according to Variety sources, the new scripts “didn’t feel like the show tonally.”
As of November 2024, though, Bloys said, “I have read the scripts. We’re happy. We’re moving ahead.”
Given that many of the series’ stars have since become major movie fixtures, there have also reportedly been some scheduling conflicts. Bloys said, “I know the show gets a lot of attention now because, you know, it has created some genuine movie stars, and they have various projects that are working on, but we are shooting this season, so nothing has changed.”
One of those stars is Sweeney, who was relatively unknown when she first stepped into Cassie’s high heels but has gone on to become one of the highest-paid actresses of her generation. In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Sweeney described how she’s handled juggling multiple projects, including the show that first made her famous.
“There were definitely a few projects that I had to pass on because I was supposed to be going back to Euphoria,” she said. “But because I am producing now, I was able to say, ‘You know what? I don’t think this is happening. I’m going to put some of my own projects on the slate.’ That’s how Anyone But You happened. Euphoria was supposed to start filming, and I had another film that I was supposed to do, but we couldn’t get cleared and after a few weeks, I realized, This is not happening. So I put in full gear to make Anyone but You.”
Schafer has also seen her star rise meteorically since playing Jules on Euphoria—which was her first official acting gig. In September, she talked to W about the uncertainty of waiting to find out if the series would officially return, saying, “It’s so wild because we’ve been in this limbo for a couple years now of, like, ‘I don’t know if we’re going to get a season 3.’ It was taking so long, and everyone is growing up and getting busy. The further you get away from it, the more out of reach it feels. It’s really surreal. I’m still processing, honestly.”
Schafer also touched on the losses the cast experienced with the deaths of Cloud and Turen. “I think people’s absence will be felt, and I’m a bit…I’m nervous for that,” she added. “But I think, in another sense, it’s a beautiful opportunity to spend time in the world where you got to know and love those people.”
As for whether she has any hesitations about continuing to play a teenager, should the show stay in that timeline, Schafer told W, “I feel like a lot of adults are still anxious teenagers in their head, with that sense that hovers over your teenage years where, even if nothing is really wrong, the littlest things can seem like life or death, or that sense of loneliness—those are universal feelings. I think that’s just what it means to be a person.”
Is there a trailer for Euphoria season 3 yet?
There’s no trailer for Euphoria season three yet; stay tuned for updates.
When is the release date for the third season of Euphoria?
There is no release date yet—but 2026 is looking likely.
How many episodes will season three of Euphoria be?
Like seasons one and two, season three of Euphoria will have eight hour-long episodes.
Will Euphoria’s season three be its last?
It’s unconfirmed that season three will be Euphoria’s last, but given the major delays, it’s likely.
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