*Warning: This article contains Euphoria season one and two spoilers*
Euphoria season two came to a sweet and bitter end in early 2022, and, two years on, it's still living rent-free in our heads.
As of February 28 2022, episode one of Euphoria season two had approached 19 million viewers in the US, and an average of 16.3 million viewers tuned in to watch the second series’ episodes. In February 2022 fans of the show tuned in to watch the finale of the eight-part season.
In the same month Variety reported that Euphoria was the most-tweeted about show of the decade (to date) in the US with 34 million tweets.
HBO also deemed it the channel's second-most watched show since 2004 behind Game of Thrones, so it will come as welcome news to learn that season three of the show has been confirmed.
On February 4 2022, the Euphoria Instagram account shared a short clip to Instagram to announce that season two wouldn’t be the end for Jules, Maddy, Nate, Cassie and co. ‘#EUPHORIA has been renewed for season 3,’ the channel captioned the clip.
In an official statement, Francesca Orsi, Vice President of HBO programming added: ‘Sam, Zendaya, and the entire cast and crew of Euphoria have taken season two to extraordinary heights, challenging narrative convention and form, while maintaining its heart.
‘We couldn't be more honoured to work with this gifted, wildly talented team or more excited to continue our journey with them into season three.’
But the season keeps being pushed back, leaving fans confused about the release date.
Here’s everything you need to know about Euphoria season three:
When will Euphoria season three be released?
First of all, Euphoria airs on HBO in the US and on Now and Sky Atlantic in the UK, so you’ll want to keep your ear to the ground for updates on the show’s release dates on the viewing platforms.
Covid-19 delayed Euphoria season two’s release, and we hoped, without these issues, season three would arrive as early as 2023 but alas, that has not come to pass.
Following the writer's strike and various other setbacks, the new season of the HBO drama is confirmed to have been pushed back multiple times and is now likely to air in 2025 at the earliest.
'We can't start shooting,' Orsi explained. 'So the delivery of that show — ideally in 2025 — will be determined on when we can pick back up with Sam, who at this point is [not writing] and just finishing on The Idol.'
Orsi also revealed that though writing on the third season had started, the team did not yet 'have countless scripts,' owing to the strikes. Given the fact that Levinson is the only episode writer on the show and that the WGA strike only ended at the end of September 2023, it’s safe to say that writing on Euphoria won’t be completed for a while.
Compounding matters further is the fact that Kevin Turen, who founded Little Lamb Productions with Sam and Ashley Levinson, which produced both The Idol and Euphoria, died suddenly in 2023 at the age of 44. It is thought that this could also further delay production on the series.
While there appear to be conflicting rumours on when filming on the series will actually commence, in a recent interview, Sydney Sweeney, who plays Cassie Howard, confirmed that filming would begin shortly. In an interview with MTV to promote her new film Immaculate, Sweeney was asked about her plans once the press tour is over.
'You’re going to take a little time off after all this madness?' the host asked, to which Sydney quickly responded: 'I go into Euphoria.'
In another interview with GQ just a matter of days after, which confirmed that the third season will begin filming in either April and May 2024, Sweeney elaborated further. 'People will be really amazed with what season three becomes,' she told the outlet, confirming that the upcoming season marks a change for the show. 'I think that’s good because seasons one and two were so different,' she said.
But now, it's been announced that season three will be pushed back even further, partly because of the ongoing success of its stars, including Zendaya, Jacob Elordi and Sweeney herself. ‘HBO and Sam Levinson remain committed to making an exceptional third season,’ an HBO spokesperson told Variety. ‘In the interim, we are allowing our in-demand cast to pursue other opportunities.’
This comes after rumours that the season had been scrapped – but, for now at least, it's still in the works.
In March 2024, Storm Reid, who plays Gia Bennett (the younger sister to Zendaya's Rue) commented on the situation. Reid voiced her rational perspective in a recent interview with Variety. 'We would all hope to be able to go back tomorrow, but there are logistics that have to be figured out,' she said. 'So even though I’m a little disappointed, I’m not surprised.'
The actor also gave a positive spin on the various delays to the show. 'I would hope the viewers, the audience, will be able to finish the show,' she added. 'I think we should handle the show with care. We’ve put our hearts and souls into it.'
As of April 2024, Hunter Schafer has said she's eagerly awaiting the day she and her co-stars are reunited for the third season. 'I just really miss everybody. Everyone is doing very well in their careers right now,' Schafer told Variety. 'Everyone’s kind of blown up, and so with that comes people travelling a lot. Whatever happens, I’m just excited to get back together once it’s time and catch up and hang out.'
Schafer also said that she hoped her character in the show, Jules, manages to have a 'break' during the time that elapses between the second and third series. 'The past two seasons have been pretty rough on Jules,' she said with a laugh. 'So I just hope she’s gotten to chill out and be a regular teenage girl.'
Later in April 2024, Zendaya became the latest start to comment on the return of Euphoria, while speaking to Variety at the LA premiere of Challengers. When asked if the show would be coming back for a third season of the show, she replied: 'I don't know! I am not in charge.' As for whether she 'wants' it to come back? 'Of course, I – if it's right for the characters and everything turns out the way it should, of course,' she said. 'But it's beyond me.'
Who will make up the Euphoria season three cast?
You'll be happy to know that Zendaya will return as Rue, and Sweeney will return as Cassie. She will star alongside Hunter Schafer (Jules), Jacob Elordi (Nate), Alexa Demie (Maddy), Algee Smith (Chris), Maude Apatow (Lexi), Storm Reid (Gia), Nika King (Leslie), Austin Abrams (Ethan) and Colman Domingo (Ali).
In January 2024, DeuxMoi shared a blind item, which claimed that actors in Los Angeles had been auditioning for the third season, suggesting that casting is very much underway for the new season.
While appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in January 2024, Elordi shared his fears that he's aging out of playing Nate, though, as filming has yet to actually commence on the third season. 'I hope [filming is] soon, otherwise they're going to have to Benjamin Button me or something,' he joked. 'I'm going to have, like, a bad back, walking down the hallway.'
New recruit to the sophomoric season, Dominic Fike, who plays Elliot, recently echoed Elordi's sentiments. Speaking at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2024, per Variety, Fike said he was unsure whether or not Elliot will return for Euphoria's third season. He said rejoining the show 'would be dope,' but noted: 'I don’t really talk to them anymore.'
Nika King, who played Leslie Bennett, the mother of Rue, in the series, has also shared her frustrations at the show's hiatus. During an improvised comedy set that has since been shared to her TikTok account, King urged fans to stop asking her about the show’s return.
'Season three is coming out... I don't fucking know,' she said in the clip. 'Don't ask me. I don't know.’
‘People are like, “We need Season 3!” and I’m like, “Bitch, I need Season 3!”’she said before giving some insight into her financial situation as a result of the show’s hiatus. ‘I haven’t paid my rent in six months, and Zendaya’s over in Paris at Fashion Week, and I’m like, “Bitch, come home! I need you!”’
Elsewhere in the Euphoria sphere, much to her fans' dismay, Barbie Ferreira, who plays Kat, in August 2022 said that she wouldn't be returning to the show for its third season.
Taking to her Instagram story, the model and actor - who's been part of the show for four years - wrote: 'After four years of getting to embody the most special and enigmatic character kat, I'm having to say a very teary eyed goodbye [sic].'
Her message was accompanied by 'fan art' of her character made by her co-star Schafer.
She added: '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 [sic].'
It's unknown whether the actor's character will be written off the show or if a new actor will fill her shoes for season three.
During an interview with Entertainment Tonight in April, Ferreira spoke about why her character wasn't featured as much in season two.
'There's a huge cast,' she told the outlet at the time. 'So, we'll see everyone. Everyone gets their time.'
Ahead of season two airing, she also addressed rumours of tension between her and Levinson on the set of the show. Alleged incidents include the pair 'butting heads', according to The Daily Beast, while a February 2022 cover story with The Cut touched on Ferreira and Levinson 'arguing'.
According to the actor, however, rumours of problems have been exaggerated. 'What's interesting about this season is there are so many more eyes on it that even the news cycle has been so interesting to see,' she told Insider. 'I've seen so many different things, and a lot of it is untrue, and some of it's kind of like mundane little things.
'Sometimes, things take on a life of their own, and they're not rooted in the truth, but it's OK because I know it's just out of passion and out of curiosity and all that good stuff. And I signed up for it. So, I'll take it. I'll take the good and the bad.'
Sweeney previously opened up about the fact she thought her character was going to be killed off in season two.
'I thought that [series creator Sam Levinson] was killing me,' she told Entertainment Weekly. 'I thought that I was going to get killed.'
'The hanging out the window, actually, was just me hanging out the window,' she added, recalling a car scene in season two in which her character sticks her torso out of the car window during a high speed journey with Nate. 'It was just random and very in the moment. But when I read it, I thought that Cassie was getting killed off. And I was really bummed. But then it turned into this weirdly sensual, dangerous connection between these two characters. And it became what it became.'
On what fans might see from her character in season three, Sweeney noted that she'd like to explore Cassie's dark side.
'There was a bit of Cassie that I got to play with when she started saying that she's crazier than Maddy in a scene with Nate,' Sweeney previously told Variety. 'She kind of got a little more evil and dark and serious, and not so frantic. I would love to play with more of that streak within herself.'
In February, Elordi also told Variety: 'Whilst you shouldn’t suffer, to me there’s great value in working hard...And they just [take] care of us. That’s my family. If I’m working long hours, Sam’s working twice as long, Zendaya’s working three times as long. We’re all in it together.'
HBO released its own statement in which it defended Levinson's set: 'The well-being of cast and crew on our productions is always a top priority. The production was in full compliance with all safety guidelines and guild protocols. It’s not uncommon for drama series to have complex shoots, and COVID protocols add an additional layer. We maintain an open line of communication with all the guilds, including SAG-AFTRA. There were never any formal inquiries raised.'
While Zendaya’s role in the show raised question marks given there were rumours her character might be killed off at the end of season two, Casey Bloys, Chief Content Officer at HBO, told to TVLine that the Emmy-award winner is ‘going to be in season three – it's hard to imagine doing [the] show without her’. We couldn’t agree more.
The season two finale saw Cal's son Nate arrive at the warehouse he'd been hiding in with a loaded gun and a USB containing Cal's underage sex tapes. Nate later revealed he called the police, and Cal was arrested.
Following Cal's arrest, his fate in the show had been questioned, but actor Dane confirmed we hadn't seen the last of him yet. Asked by Variety about his return to the show, he assured: 'Oh, of course.'
Addressing how his role will develop and the possibility of redemption, he told the outlet: '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.'
Referring to a possible reconciliation between him and his son Nate, Dane said: 'I hope [reparation is possible]. That's, in a weird way, what was happening in that scene.
'When I said what I said in the foyer, you notice Nate didn't say anything. He got a real chance to express himself with how he felt, even with the gun. The gun was his kind of way of saying: "I f**king hate you, Dad, for what you did to me."
'He even says, "I've always protected you and you f**king hated me for it." Because Cal felt like a piece of sh*t. He resented his son for that. But Nate gets a real opportunity to do what I did in the foyer.'
Emmy-nominated actor Colman Domingo, who plays Ali in the show, previously opened up to Out about what he'd like to see from his character in season three.
'I don't know what he's gonna do, but I know that Sam [Levinson] has some really big ideas about season three,' Domingo told Out. 'I think Sam is the guy who I know, once you think you know what the show is, he's gonna pull the rug out from under you. So, I know that that's what he's interested in doing. So we'll see what happens.
'I personally hope to see more of Ali outside of Euphoria, outside of the Rue story and all that. I wanna see how he operates. What is his work life like? What is his dating life like, to get a full sense of this human being? What's his backstory like? I know that Sam gives a backstory once in a while as a little gem. So I'm waiting for Ali, because I think that'll be pretty dope.'
The sudden death of actor Angus Cloud, who portrayed Fezco O'Neill, at the age of 25 in July 2023, will also reconfigure season three's storyline. Fez was arrested at the end of season two after being accidentally shot by his younger brother Ashtray (Javon Walton). Fans of the show will remember that Ashtray met his untimely demise at the end of season two after shooting at the police, as Fez attempted to take the blame for his crime.
Speaking to Vanity Fair, Colman Domingo said the loss of Cloud had been 'absolutely terrible' in the new interview and revealed he believed it would undoubtedly affect the storyline of season 3. 'I’m sure it affected the creation of season 3 because [Angus] was going to be a very strong part of it, but it’s…I don’t know,' Domingo said. 'We came together as a cast many times to grieve, to mourn, to laugh, and enjoy all the things we know about Angus.'
'He was a wild one,' the actor continued. 'I love him. He was a wild little brother. He was just sweet and funny and warm and odd at the same time. And I love people like that. If you’re not a little off, I have no business with you. You got to be a little off to be up in my life. He was all those things.'
Chloe Cherry, whose character was arrested when police raided Fez's house, might not return for the third season. She opened up the same news outlet about what she'd like to see for her character if she returns to the show.
'Faye has a story of addiction to tell, as Rue does. Even though it’s different, they could learn something from each other,' she said.
'Rue is a non-judgmental character, and that is all Faye needs. If they got closer, they would get along because they have these shared experiences and they are both chill girls in spite of it.'
Astray's return seems even unlikelier as his character died off-screen, though we didn't see a body.
Kathrine Narducci, who portrayed Fezco's grandmother early on in season two, was a hit with viewers.
She told our sister site ELLE US: 'First of all, my niece called me up. [She] is obsessed with the show and knew about it before I did the show. And she goes: "Oh my God, you have a million hits on TikTok." I was like: "What?"'
Narducci said she hoped to reprise her role, enthusing: 'I hope I go back. I got to come out of that dang coma. I told [director] Sam [Levinson] I want to come out of the coma, and go after Laurie... She's going to come after Zendaya. Zendaya needs a little help.'
As per Collider, returning actor Reid said of her character Gia: 'I don’t think I had really any expectations for her. I knew she was kind of gonna be in the background not doing as much as her sister is — obviously, thank god.
'She’s a little sister, but she depicts somebody who is affected by a family member who is struggling with addiction and mental challenges so beautifully, and I’m so glad I get to play her. Hopefully, in season three, we get to really see her become a young person that has emotions, that has feelings, that is more vocal about how she is feeling.'
Following speculation Tom Holland – Zendaya’s boyfriend – made a cameo in season two (read more here), and has expressed his desire to star in the series, it’s still unknown whether the Spider-Man star will actually nab a role in the upcoming series.
According to Buzzfeed News, the actor hung out on set during the filming of season two, and Zendaya previously told Entertainment Tonight that his cameo has been discussed.
But Billie Eilish, who was rumoured to be joining the series as Nate's possible love interest, shut down speculation on n Vanity Fair's Time Capsule series.
'Oh, that I'm in the third season of Euphoria? That's not true,' she said.
Billie added: 'I'd like to be! Euphoria is f**kin' fire.'
What will happen in Euphoria season three?
After that soul-crushing season two finale, we’re left with so many questions. If you need a recap: Nate calls the police on his father, Cal, and reveals he has a USB disc of all the footage from his father’s sexual relationships, Cassie and Maddy had a massive fight during Lexi’s hilarious play at school, but seemingly might be able to repair their friendship, and Rue appears to have forgiven Jules for telling her mother about her drug addiction. How these situations will pan out in season three is anyone’s guess (surely Cassie won’t get over Lexi’s play, right?), but one thing we’re curious to learn is if Nate’s brother (who appears in family portraits in the series) will finally make an appearance.
Likewise, we are curious to learn whether we’ll ever find out what happened to Cal’s relationship with his friend/love interest Derek. That is, if Cal returns in season three...
Colman Domingo, who recently won the Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series Emmy in September 2022, teased what to expect from season three of the show, revealing that it will involve some 'big swings'.
'[Creator] Sam Levinson and I had some really deep conversations as of last weekend actually,' he told Deadline. 'Here he’s talking about the arcs of all the characters and what he wants to do to expand that, to actually re-examine at times.
'It’s an organism and he wants it to keep shifting it in many ways and I think he’s going to take some really big swings actually with season three.
'He’s someone who, once there’s an expectation of the show, he wants to smash that expectation because he truly is a consummate artist and he wants to make sure he’s telling some really compelling storytelling.'
In April 2022 Sweeney, whose character got darker in season two, shared her hopes for that to continue.
'There was a bit of Cassie that I got to play with when she started saying she's crazier than Maddy in a scene with Nate. And she kind of got a little more evil and dark and serious, and not so frantic. I would love to play with more of that streak within herself,' she said.
'I like playing characters that are complex and have multiple layers — and people wonder if they're evil or good, and pure or not. I like playing characters that make people think and make me think.
'Cassie, especially in the beginning, I never thought of her as scary. I just think of her as a really fragile, damaged girl.'
Reid said she hoped season three leads to 'a little less heartbreaking' for her character Gia.
Speaking to ScreenRant, she said: 'I hope you get to laugh. I hope you get some ice cream or something! No, I hope we get to see Gia [smile] more, but my overarching hope for season three is just more levity, more joy, more grace.
'We have covered the entire spectrum of emotions in Euphoria over the last two seasons, so hopefully season three is a little less heartbreaking.'
Walton gave his view on whether his character Astray could return in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. He said: 'We're not 100 percent if he's dead, because you saw absolutely no blood, right?'
'And you didn't see him fall. You did hear the bullet, but you didn't see him get shot. So, there's little things that could potentially bring him back for another season.'
Of his hope for his character, Walton said: 'I hope he realises drugs isn't the right path for him. He needs to focus on himself 'cause he's given another chance at life if he is back.
'He needs to make the most of it. He's a 13-year-old boy in the show, he has a lot to live for.'
Zendaya has said: 'Rue wants to be here and it's up to her now. I really hope we can explore her life in the future, closer to the other side and her sobriety journey.
'We carried her all the way to hopefully what is rock bottom and a dark moment, and hopefully by the end, [we] leave with a sense of happiness and joy that there is hope for her.'
She later told The Hollywood Reporter: 'It'll be exciting to explore the characters out of high school.'
Costume designer Heidi Bivens teased that potential leap in time. As per Vogue, she said: 'I’ll do everything I can to make the third season of the show successful.
'I’m really excited to read the scripts. There is talk of it being approximately five years in the future, and that they’re not in high school anymore.'
'Dorothy's not in Kansas anymore. I mean, it might be a total trip. Who can say? But knowing Sam's brain, it’s gonna be exciting, and he will challenge all of us, because he won’t want to repeat himself. It’ll be something new for the audience to discover.'
Zendaya also spoke of her plans to develop her behind-the-scenes work on the series, at which point she highlighted 'Sam Levinson and I had some really deep conversations'.
She explained: 'He's someone who, once there's an expectation of the show, wants to smash that because he truly is a consummate artist and wants to make sure he’s telling some compelling storytelling.
'And just because we had some successes before with this season, he said: "Let's not rely on that. Let's move forward. I'm going to go deeper with these characters. I'm going to really peel away the layers of them and just get to the human heart."'
Is there a Euphoria season three trailer?
No, and don’t expect to see one for quite some time. We have a feeling that if season three is (hopefully) released in 2024, we won’t be seeing a trailer until late 2023.
However, if you’re in need of your Euphoria fix, watch our Ask Me Anything video with Sydney Sweeney at the top of this article. You’re welcome!
Will there be a Euphoria season 4?
Nothing has been confirmed yet, but Zendaya's comments about wanting to see the show's characters in the future suggest there could be (and even more seasons).
When Sweeney was asked by GQ about the potential of a season four, she didn't rule it out completely. 'That one I honestly don’t know. I think that if there’s more story to tell with Cassie then, yes, because I do love that role and I love the community, but it’s whatever does the story justice,' she told the outlet.
How many award nominations and wins has Euphoria season two received?
Zendaya might have been unable to attend the 2023 Golden Globes due to work commitments, but she hit a career milestone, winning her first-ever award for Best Actress in a Drama Series.
She later took to Instagram to share a heartfelt message about her win alongside a shot from the set of Euphoria, writing:
I’m so sorry I wasn’t able to be there tonight, but I just wanted to say thank you to @goldenglobes for this incredible honour. To my fellow nominees, it is a privilege to be named beside you, I admire you all deeply. Thank you to my Euphoria family, without you, none of this is possible. Lastly, thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who has allowed Rue into theirs. I think everyone knows how much she means to me, but the fact that she can mean something to someone else is a gift. I’m honestly at a loss for words as I type this, all I can say is thank you thank you thank you. Goodnight.
Zendaya received four Emmy nominations for the series - a quarter of the show's total 16 - in 2022, and made history in September 2022 by becoming the youngest two-time Emmy award winner for Lead Actress in a Drama Series and the first Black woman to win the Emmy for lead actress in a drama series - twice.
'My greatest wish for ‘Euphoria’ was that it could help heal people, and I just want to say thank you to everyone who shared their story with me,' she said following her win. 'I want you to know that anyone who has loved a Rue or feels like you are a Rue, I’m so grateful for your stories and I carry them with me and carry them with her. Thank you so much.'
'It’s absolutely insane,' the actor told Vanity Fair after learning of her nominations earlier this year. 'The show obviously means so much to me and so much to everyone who makes it. People put their absolute heart and soul into this, and I am so lucky to share this with all of them. I’ve already talked to so many people on FaceTime, and I have a lot more texts to send out. But I am so proud of our team and the work we do together. I’m very, very proud.'
We will continue to update this article as more information comes in.
Euphoria is available to view on HBO in the US and on NOW and Sky Atlantic in the UK.
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