Euphoria Season 3 will bring back many of the show’s beloved characters alongside each of their complicated stories.
Euphoria made its debut on HBO on June 16, 2019. The show was then renewed for a second season in July 2019, with its sophomore effort premiering on the network on January 9, 2022.
Euphoria Season 2 ended on a massive cliffhanger, thus building anticipation for its third season.
When Is Euphoria Season 3 Releasing?
In February 2022, HBO, via Variety, renewed Euphoria for a third season before Season 2's finale aired on the network.
Executive Vice President of HBO Programming Francesca Orsi confirmed the renewal in an official statement:
“Sam, Zendaya, and the entire cast and crew of ‘Euphoria’ have taken Season 2 to extraordinary heights, challenging narrative convention and form, while maintaining its heart. We couldn’t be more honored to work with this gifted, wildly talented team or more excited to continue our journey with them into Season 3.“
After the COVID-19 pandemic delayed Season 2's release, HBO has yet to confirm when exactly Season 3 will premiere.
Despite that, Euphoria star Maude Apatow confirmed in an interview with Vogue in February 2023 that filming for Season 3 won't start until the latter half of this year.
Euphoria Season 2 was filmed for seven months, taking place between April and November 2021. The sophomore season then premiered on HBO in January 2022.
Considering that trend, it's possible that filming for Season 3 could have the same timeframe. If production would begin in September (at the earliest), then it could realistically wrap around March 2024.
As a result, Euphoria Season 3 could premiere in late 2024.
However, in July 2023, Variety shared that Season 3 has been delayed to 2025 due to the ongoing writers' and actors' strikes.
This update meant that filming won't start anytime soon. This new release window also indicated that the gap between Seasons 2 and 3 will now be three years at least.
HBO and Max content chairman Jason Boys told Variety in January 2024 that Euphoria creator Sam Levinson is in "the thick of writing Season 3" while also opening up if the upcoming batch of episodes will be the show's last:
“Obviously the cast have all become stars, which you love to see — and Zendaya is obviously a big movie star. So, there is a practical reality to that. But it also depends on the stories Sam wants to tell. He’s in the thick of writing Season 3 right now and we’ll leave it up to him and have those conversations about what he wants to do.”
Was Euphoria Season 3 Delayed?
While filming has yet to commence for Euphoria Season 3, a delay might be imminent.
In May 2023, HBO & Max Content Chairman and CEO Casey Bloys sat down with Deadline to discuss the show's highly anticipated third season.
Bloys revealed that factors like Sam Levinson's commitment to The Idol, Zendaya's busy schedule, and the writers' strike by the Writers Guild of America contributed to the show's delay.
The high-ranking executive said that the show could "ideally" be released in 2025:
“'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, who at this point is all pencils down and just finishing posts on Idol.”
Who's Cast in Euphoria Season 3?
Euphoria Season 3 is expected to feature a good chunk of the show's mainstays from previous seasons.
Here's every cast member who is set to return in Season 3:
Zendaya - Rue Bennett
Zendaya's Rue is on a path to redemption in Season 3. Given that she broke up with Jules, it's possible that they could reconcile in the new batch of episodes.
Acting as the show's protagonist, there is likely a redemption arc in store for Rue.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight in February 2022, Zendaya agrees that such redemption is important for the character's road to recovery:
"I think that's what we need. I think that's what the world needs. So, if you can hold onto that if you can bear with her through those painful moments, if you can still root for her, then maybe there is some hope at the end."
Sydney Sweeney - Cassie Howard
Sydney Sweeney's Cassie took a dark turn in Season 2 when she became a more selfish and obsessed person.
Season 3 could further explore Cassie's turn to the dark side while also trying to mend her relationship with her sister, Lexi, and her best friend, Maddy.
In May 2023, Sweeney told E! that she wants to see more of "crazy Cassie" in Season 3:
"I know that the fans need her to somehow figure out how to get her s--t together, but I really hope for a while that I can enjoy crazy Cassie."
It looks like Sweeney wants Cassie to embrace her crazy side in Season 3.
Hunter Schafer - Jules
It remains to be seen if Hunter Schafer's Jules will look to get together again with Rue after a peaceful yet heartbreaking breakup in Season 2.
Given the rumored time jump, Jules could be pursuing her passion somewhere else while still having rue in the back of her mind.
Jacob Elordi - Nate Jacobs
Jacob Elordi's Nate managed to send his dad to jail in Season 2's finale and the ramifications of that decision will be felt in the upcoming season.
This is on top of his unhealthy relationship with both Maddy and Cassie.
In April 2022, Elordi spoke with Deadline about his expectations for Nate in Season 3, pointing out his hopes of not seeing his character "silently" walk down a high school hallway:
“My only hope is maybe I don’t have to walk silently down a high school hallway again. I’m aging.”
Alexa Demie - Maddy Perez
Alexa Demie's Maddy had a falling out with her best friend, Cassie, in Season 2, and it took a major turn in the finale.
Aside from her issue with Cassie, it looks like her ongoing conflict with Nate will be revisited again in Season 3.
Some fans have theorized that Maddy won't appear in Season 3, considering that the character told Theo (the kid who she babysits in Season 2) that she might be leaving town.
It's possible that Maddy will indeed be leaving town, but the rumored time jump opens an opportunity for her to come back and resolve her lingering issues.
Algee Smith - Chris McKay
Algee Smith's Chris McKay had a brief role in Season 2 after being prominently featured as Cassie's boyfriend in Season 1.
It's possible that he will return in Season 3 to help Cassie deal with her demons.
Maude Apatow - Lexi Howard
At the end of Season 2, Maude Apatow's Lexi was able to successfully present her play, but the ongoing riff between her and Cassie presented a major setback for the character.
While the riff between Cassie and Lexi could still carry over in Season 3, some have theorized that the latter could be the one who ultimately helps the former to get over the hump.
Storm Reid - Gia Bennett
Storm Reid's Gia had a major fight with her sister, Rue, in Season 2, but it was never fully resolved.
The sisters' relationship could be tested once again in Season 3.
Considering Zendaya's comments about Rue's path to recovery, there's a good chance that one of the factors leading up to that is making amends with Gia.
In January 2023, Reid told Collider about her hopes for Gia in Season 3, noting that the character needs to be "more vocal about how she is feeling:"
"Hopefully, in season three, we get to really see her become a young person who has emotions, who has feelings, who is more vocal about how she is feeling."
Nika King - Leslie Bennett
Nika King's Leslie Bennett, the mother of Rue and Gia, is expected to return in Season 3, and she has the huge responsibility of being the mediator between her two daughters.
While Leslie has mostly been in the background, there's a chance that the character will take the spotlight in Season 3 by being involved with a potential romantic side plot.
Austin Abrams - Ethan Daley
It is unknown how Austin Abrams' Ethan Daley will fit in Season 3, especially after Barbie Ferreira announced her departure from the series. Ethan served as Kat's love interest in the first two seasons.
It's possible that Ethan will be the one to break the news to the core group that Kat already left town.
Colman Domingo - Ali Muhammed
Colman Domingo's Ali Muhammed will also make a comeback in Season 3 as Rue's friend from the support group who's recovering from narcotics addiction. After reconciling in Season 2, Ali is poised to have a major role in Rue's redemption arc.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight in September 2022, Domingo teased that Euphoria creator Sam Levinson "really wants to unpack Ali" and this could happen in Season 3:
"I've had some small conversations with Sam [Levinson], and I know that he's going to take some big swings because he's that kind of an artist. The moment you're comfortable with the show, he's got to pull the rug out from under you just a little bit. I think he really wants to unpack Ali. Show some backstory."
Dominic Fike - Elliot
Dominic Fike's Elliot made an impactful debut in Season 2 as Rue and Jules' new friend and his major role is expected to carry over in Season 3.
In July 2023, Fike spoke with Los Angeles Times to talk about his return in Season 3, admitting that it "feels like moving backward:"
“You know how sometimes when you want to change, you need to refresh your whole friend group? Feels like moving backward on that front.”
Fike had a significant role as Elliot in Season 2, and he shared many scenes with Hunter Schafer's Jules and Zendaya's Rue. Could he be the key to bringing the pair back together again in Season 3? There's a strong possibility.
Eric Dane - Cal Jacobs
Cal was sent to prison by his own son in Season 2, but Eric Dane already confirmed his return in Season 3 in an interview with Variety in February 2022. It looks like he is poised to seek revenge against his family.
Barbara Ferreira confirmed on Instagram in August 2022, via Variety, that she will not return as Kat in Euphoria Season 3, noting that it is a "very teary-eyed goodbye:"
"After four years of getting to embody the most special and enigmatic character Kat, I’m having to say a very teary-eyed goodbye. 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.”
Javon Walton's Ash Tray will not return as well after dying during the Season 2 finale.
Angus Cloud, who plays Fez, sadly passed away in July 2023.
What Will Happen in Euphoria Season 3?
Euphoria Season 3 is set to tie up loose ends and reunite characters to resolve their conflicts. However, a twist is in order.
In April 2023, Euphoria costume designer Heidi Biven teased that she heard that Season 3 could include a five-year time jump, hinting that the main cast is "not in high school anymore:"
"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."
A time jump allows many exciting storytelling opportunities for Euphoria as it heads into a pivotal third season.
If a time jump occurs or not, many story threads from Season 2 are still expected to be explored.
Rue and Jules' reconciliation and possible closure could be pushed to the forefront. However, Elliot's inclusion could present another complication, especially after Jules kissed him in Season 2.
On a side note, Elliot's song could finally be unveiled in Season 3.
As for Cassie, Sydney Sweeney told Variety in April 2022 that she wants to tackle more of the character's dark side in Season 3:
“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. 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,”
After Nate sends his dad to prison in Season 2, Jacob Elordi's Euphoria character could still pursue Maddy or go back to Cassie in Season 3. However, the question remains of whether or not the pair wants him back.
As for Cal's current situation, actor Eric Dane teased in a past interview with Variety that "there's gonna be redemption" for the character after his time in prison:
"There’s gonna be redemption. I mean, 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."
Lexi's sort of happy ending in Season 2 after her play was successfully staged appears to be the perfect swan song for the character.
However, Lexi's possible romance with Fez could no longer be explored due to Angus Cloud's passing, meaning that the character could have a new love interest in Season 3.
Lexi and Rue's friendship could also be explored, especially after the latter's falling out with Jules. There's a chance that Lexi and Rue could be the new best friends by the start of Season 3.
Another plot thread that is worth exploring is the unresolved story about Laurie, the drug dealer who was introduced in Season 2's first episode. Although Rue appears to be clean and in rehab from drugs, Laurie may be the one to force her back into the life of drugs in Season 3.
The first two seasons of Euphoria are streaming on Max.
