The Long, Agonizing Road to ‘Euphoria’ Season 3

February 2022: Euphoria season three gets the green light 

At the height of the cultural chokehold that was Euphoria season two, HBO officially renewed the show for a third season. The announcement came as little surprise, since season two was pulling massive ratings, dominating social media, and cementing the series as one of HBO’s most talked-about modern hits. What no one could have predicted then was just how long and complicated the road to season three would become.

August 2022: Barbie Ferreira announces she’s leaving Euphoria

In August 2022, Barbie Ferreira announced that she would not be returning to Euphoria for season three. Ferreira, who played Kat Hernandez in the show’s first two seasons, shared the news on her Instagram stories.

“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 said. "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.”

The announcement followed months of public speculation about behind-the-scenes tension and Kat’s reduced storyline in season two.

September 2022: HBO signals Euphoria isn’t ending anytime soon

In September 2022, HBO CEO Casey Bloys seemingly shut down any notion that Euphoria was nearing its end. Bloys said the series was not expected to conclude with season three and could potentially run beyond four seasons, depending on where creator Sam Levinson wanted to take the story. 

September 2022: Zendaya wins at the Emmys

In 2022, Zendaya made history by winning her second Emmy for Lead Actress in a Drama Series for Euphoria, becoming the youngest two-time winner in the category. 

January 2023: Zendaya wins at the Golden Globes

Zendaya career milestones didn’t stop at the Emmys. On Jan. 10, 2023, she won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Television Series – Drama for Euphoria. She wasn’t there to accept for award, but made an Instagram post about the win the next day. 

April 2023: A summer shoot is promised

Before everything ground to a halt, there was optimism and a clear plan. In early 2023, Euphoria’s longtime costume designer Heidi Bivens appeared on The Run-Through with Vogue, where she offered an update that season three was set to begin filming in June 2023. 

“It starts shooting in June, so prep in May, so very, very soon… in Los Angeles,” Bivens said.

May 2023: Hollywood hits pause amid historic labor strikes

On May 2, 2023, the Writers Guild of America went on strike after negotiations with studios collapsed over pay, staffing minimums, and protections against AI, pushing any plans of production to start in June. Nearly two and a half months later, on July 14, SAG-AFTRA joined the fight. The dual shutdown brought much of the entertainment industry to a standstill. Sets went dark, scripts were frozen, and promotional work was effectively banned. While the WGA strike ended on Sept. 27, 2023, SAG-AFTRA didn’t reach a deal until November 9, pushing countless productions, including Euphoria, off their timelines entirely. By the time the dust settled, December production plans were no longer realistic, and the show’s already-lengthy hiatus stretched even longer.

May 2023: Sydney Sweeney stars in Reality

Sydney Sweeney took a sharp left turn with Reality, a dialogue-driven HBO film that premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival before debuting on the channel. Based entirely on real FBI interrogation transcripts, the film cast Sweeney as Reality Winner, the former intelligence contractor charged with leaking classified information. The role stripped away any lingering “Euphoria girl” expectations and showcased Sweeney’s range in a brutally restrained performance that relied on stillness rather than spectacle. Critics praised the film—and Sweeney—for proving she could carry a project on her own, further cementing her evolution from breakout TV star to serious, risk-taking actress during Euphoria’s prolonged hiatus.

June 2023: Sam Levinson detours with The Idol

In 2023, Euphoria creator Sam Levinson shifted focus to The Idol, another glossy, scandal-plagued HBO series starring The Weeknd. It premiered in June 2023. What was meant to be HBO’s next edgy hit was not it. Reports of chaotic rewrites, creative overhauls, and troubling on-set dynamics dominated coverage in the months leading up to its release. The show was widely panned by critics before being effectively shelved after one season.

July 2023: Angus Cloud dies

On July 31, 2023, news broke that Angus Cloud, who played Fezco on Euphoria, had died at 25. His family confirmed his death in a statement, noting that he had recently lost his father and had been “struggling immensely” with grief, while emphasizing the importance of mental health awareness. 

“It is with the heaviest heart that we had to say goodbye to an incredible human today,” the statement read. “As an artist, a friend, a brother and a son, Angus was special to all of us in so many ways.”

“The only comfort we have is knowing Angus is now reunited with his dad, who was his best friend. Angus was open about his battle with mental health and we hope that his passing can be a reminder to others that they are not alone and should not fight this on their own in silence. We hope the world remembers him for his humor, laughter and love for everyone.” 

Zendaya, the show’s lead, wrote that Cloud was her “brother.” 

“I know people use this expression often when talking about folks they love…‘they could light up any room they entered’ but boy let me tell you, he was the best at it. I’d like to remember him that way,” she wrote. 

Sydney Sweeney, Barbie Ferreira, Hunter Schafer, Colman Domingo, and many more castmates also paid tribute to him. 

November 2023: Jacob Elordi stars in Priscilla

In late 2023, Jacob Elordi further distanced himself from his Euphoria image with Priscilla, a minimalist biographical film written, directed, and produced by legendary Sofia Coppola. The film had a wide theatrical release in November. Based on Priscilla Presley’s 1985 memoir, Elvis and Me, the film centers Priscilla (played by Cailee Spaeny) and her imbalanced, emotionally fraught relationship with Elvis Presley, portrayed by Elordi. His unsettling take on Elvis drew praise from critics and marked another clear step in Elordi’s career while the HBO series remained stalled offscreen.

November 2023: Executive producer Kevin Turen dies

Angus Cloud’s death wasn’t the only devastating loss to shape Euphoria’s long hiatus. On Nov. 11, 2023, Kevin Turen, an executive producer on Euphoria, died suddenly at age 44. Turen was a major behind-the-scenes force on the show, helping shepherd it from buzzy idea to full-blown HBO phenomenon, and working closely with creator Sam Levinson on both the series and its ambitious scope.

“Despite his many achievements in Hollywood, Kevin’s greatest passion was his family and friends,” Jay Penske, CEO of PMC, said in a statement. “He was so proud of his children. He and his wife, Evelina, were resolved that their children grow up with great values and ensured they make a difference in the broader world. Our collective heart breaks for them, and we all feel such a profound sense of loss. We will miss Kevin so much, and this town lost one of its brightest rising stars.”

November–December 2023: Jacob Elordi goes viral with Saltburn

Just weeks after Priscilla hit theaters, Jacob Elordi doubled down on his post-Euphoria reinvention with Saltburn, Emerald Fennell’s dark, decadent thriller that premiered at Telluride in late August 2023 before receiving a theatrical release on Nov. 17, 2023. The film reached an entirely new level of ubiquity once it began streaming on Amazon Prime Video on Dec. 22, where it quickly became everyone’s fixation. Elordi’s performance as Felix, a dangerously charming aristocrat, helped fuel endless discourse, memes, and think pieces, but it was that bathtub scene that pushed the movie into virality. 

December 2023: Sydney Sweeney scores a box-office hit with Anyone But You

By December 2023, Sydney Sweeney starred opposite Glen Powell in Anyone But You, which hit theaters on Dec. 22, 2023. Initially underestimated, the modern, R-rated riff on Much Ado About Nothing quickly became a word-of-mouth success, pulling in strong holiday box-office numbers and dominating social media discourse thanks to its chemistry-driven press tour.

December 2023: Production on Euphoria “begins”

There are multiple reports that production on season three starts.

February 2024: Sydney Sweeney enters and exits the superhero chat with Madame Web

Sydney Sweeney stepped into the superhero arena with Madame Web, which arrived in theaters on Feb. 14, 2024. The film was met with overwhelmingly negative reviews and underperformed at the box office, quickly becoming more of a punchline than a franchise launcher. (I didn’t think it was thaaaat bad, though).

February 2024: Colman Domingo addresses the delay

As frustration around Euphoria’s stalled return continued to build, Colman Domingo offered rare insight into what was happening behind the scenes. In a February 2024 interview with British GQ, Domingo, who plays Ali, said the delay was less about dysfunction and more about creative obsession.

“[Sam is] a person who writes and rewrites and writes and rewrites again, because I think he’s wrestling with what’s important,” he said. “He’s responding immediately to what the ills of the world are. I know that the one thing I can tell you is that he’s very much interested in the existential question of who we are right now. Our souls. That’s what he wants to figure out with season three.”

March 2024: Deadline reports shooting is actually delayed

We’re lowkey getting whiplash here. Just as optimism started to creep back in, reality set in. In March 2024, Deadline reported that Euphoria was not actually moving into production anytime soon, despite recent cast hints suggesting otherwise.

“HBO and Sam Levinson remain committed to making an exceptional third season,” the network said in a statement. “In the interim, we are allowing our in-demand cast to pursue other opportunities.”

March 2024: Zendaya returns to the spotlight with Dune: Part Two

In March 2024, Zendaya experienced the exact opposite of a career detour with Dune: Part Two, which opened in US theaters on March 1. After a limited presence in the first film, Zendaya’s expanded role as Chani became one of the sequel’s most talked-about elements, earning her widespread praise. The film was both a critical and commercial smash, pulling in hundreds of millions worldwide.

March 2024: Sydney Sweeney promotes Immaculate and hints that Euphoria could be starting “soon”

During an interview with MTV while promoting her movie Immaculate, Sweeney suggested that season three might be gearing up to film, hinting that production could start sooner than fans expected. While she stopped short of offering a firm date, the comment was one of the first on-the-record acknowledgments from the cast that momentum could be building again after years of delays, strikes, and side projects.

April 2024: Angus Cloud appears posthumously in Abigail

When Abigail hit US theaters on April 19, 2024, it marked Angus Cloud’s final onscreen appearance. In the pulpy vampire thriller, Cloud played Dean, a laid-back, impulsive member of a group of criminals tasked with kidnapping a young ballerina, who turns out to be something far more dangerous. The role leaned into Cloud’s signature mix of charm and menace, offering flashes of the same rizz that made Fezco such a fan favorite on Euphoria. 

April 2024: Zendaya tests her range with Challengers

Later that month, Zendaya made a sharp pivot from the blockbusters spectacle to the adult dramas with Challengers. Directed by Luca Guadagnino, the film opened on April 26. Zendaya played Tashi Duncan, a former tennis prodigy turned coach entangled in a tense, sexually charged love triangle. The role was a deliberate departure from the blockbusters she’d been in, like Dune and the Spider-Man movies. Challengers served as a litmus test for whether Zendaya could carry a mid-budget, character-driven film on star power alone. She passed. Critics praised her command of the screen, and the film made its money back and more.

June 2024: Alexa Demie pops up in a surprise Fantasmas cameo

Alexa Demie, arguably the most low-key member of the Euphoria cast, delighted fans with an unexpected cameo in Fantasmas. She appeared in episode two, titled “Valued Customer,” playing Becca, a deadpan customer service representative at an insurance company. The role was a sharp contrast to her turn as Maddy Perez, leaning into dry humor and absurdity. 

July 2024: Key Euphoria cast members are confirmed to return

After months of uncertainty, July 2024 finally brought a tangible sign of stability. Reports confirmed that several key cast members were officially set to return for season three, including Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, Jacob Elordi, and Hunter Schafer. 

“I am thrilled that we are ready to begin production on Euphoria in January," Francesca Orsi, EVP of HBO programming and head of HBO drama series and films, told Deadline. "We could not be happier with our creative partnership with Sam and this incredible cast. We look forward to bringing this new season of Euphoria to life for the fans.”

July 2024: Colman Domingo brings Sing Sing to theaters

In July 2024, Colman Domingo Sing Sing hit theaters. The film, which centers around an incarcerated man participating in a prison theater program, quickly became a critical standout, with Domingo’s performance drawing widespread acclaim and early Oscar buzz.

July 2024: The Hollywood Reporter asks, “What’s Ailing Euphoria?”

In a widely read feature titled “What’s Ailing ‘Euphoria’? Tragedy and Trauma Inside TV’s Buzziest Show,” The Hollywood Reporter examined the mounting delays, creative turbulence, and real-life losses that had colored the series’ prolonged absence. The story detailed how the deaths of Angus Cloud and executive producer Kevin Turen, combined with a labor strikes, ballooning schedules, and Sam Levinson’s demanding creative process and tension with Zendaya, left the show at an inflection point.

August 2024: Hunter Schafer admits that even the cast is in the dark

During an appearance on Call Her Daddy, Hunter Schafer told host Alex Cooper exactly how unclear things still were behind the scenes. 

“The real tea is I have no fucking idea what’s going on, and you can ask literally all of the cast,” Schafer said. 

“I think everyone feels a certain sense of anticipation for if we are supposed to do season three,” Schafer said. “Obviously, I’m still coming to qualms about what’s happened and losing people that we really loved and were a part of this family and everything. If we do go back, that’s going to be tough.”

“I think there’s a world in which we can channel that into making it a beautiful season three if it is supposed to happen, but I think that shit really threw everyone for a loop,” Schafer said. “And then there’s all these industry whatever political things that go into whether or not this is happening, but that’s emotionally … a big part of what’s happening, too.”

October 2024: Zendaya Confirms a time jump for season three

Zendaya finally offered a concrete creative clue about where Euphoria was headed. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly on The Awardist podcast, Zendaya confirmed that season three would include a time jump.

“It’s important because there’s only so much high school drama you can deal with,” she said. “And then she cheats on her boyfriend again!’”

“I don’t actually know much about what is happening,” she continued. “I don’t quite know exactly what the season is going to look like, but I do know that the time jump is happening. It will be fascinating to see and understand these characters outside of the context of high school and how all the stuff that we saw when they were kids and they were in high school affects the adulthood they have and who they become in a much bigger world. I’ll be interested to see what happens too.”

November 2024: Storm Reid confirms she won’t return for season three

In November 2024, Storm Reid confirmed that she would not be returning for its third season. Reid, who played Rue’s younger sister Gia, explained in interviews that she was moving on from the show after two seasons.

“I’m very excited for season three,” Reid said on the Governors Awards red carpet. “Unfortunately, Gia’s not returning to the third season, but I am so so indebted to the cast and the crew of that show, to HBO. Euphoria’s a really special thing and I’m so glad that that’s a part of my legacy and that I was a part of such a cultural phenomenon … I can’t wait to see what season three has in store.”

January 2025: Zendaya-Tom Holland engagement confirmed

In January 2025, Zendaya set the internet spiraling after stepping out with a diamond ring widely interpreted as confirmation that she was engaged to longtime partner Tom Holland. The moment landed during awards-season appearances, where Zendaya never made a formal announcement, letting the ring speak for itself. 

January 2025: Maude Apatow pops up in One of Them Days

In January 2025, Maude Apatow appeared in One of Them Days, the buzzy buddy comedy starring Keke Palmer and SZA, which hit US theaters on Jan. 17. Apatow played Bethany, a friendly neighbor who represents the rapidly changing apartment complex.

February 2025: Euphoria finally enters production

Euphoria officially began production in February 2025. They made the announcement via Instagram post with a picture of Zendaya.

February 2025: New cast members are announced

As production officially ramped up, the show made its biggest forward move yet in February 2025 with the announcement of several new cast members joining season three. Headlining the additions were Rosalía, Marshawn Lynch, and Kadeem Hardison. The season also added Darrell Britt-Gibson, Priscilla Delgado, James Landry Hébert, and Anna Van Patten in notable guest roles. 

February 2025: Sharon Stone joins cast

“There is little more exciting than going to work with this team of thrilling talent,” Stone shared in a statement to Deadline. “From the genius of Sam Levinson to the raw sophistication of this profoundly moving cast and tight crew. I am honored to be Euphoric.”

February 2025: HBO Promises a “satisfying” season that will probably be the show’s last

HBO’s head of drama Francesca Orsi opened up about people returning to set.

“I wanted to give them their first week to themselves to settle in. They have beautifully,” she told  Deadline. “I talked to Sam this morning at like, 6:30 in the morning on his way to set. Everyone’s so happy to be back, and I’m relieved we’re finally here.”

She continued: “We’ve talked about it, I don’t think anything is over until it’s over, but it’s been discussed that this is the end,” she added. "I think you will be very satisfied with this season, and how we bring each of the characters’ whole narrative.”

Spring 2025: Paparazzi capture Euphoria back on set

Once season three officially entered production, it didn’t take long for images from the set to leak. In the spring, paparazzi photos from the Los Angeles set began circulating online, offering fans their first visual confirmation that the show was truly back in motion. People immediately began speculating about tone, aesthetics, and the much-discussed time jump, with viewers dissecting wardrobe choices, character pairings, and even body language.

May 2025: Rosalía talks about her role at the Met Gala

While attending the Met Gala, new cast member Rosalía spoke candidly about joining the show.

“This is my first job, eh? Well, I’m learning, I’m figuring it out,” she said. “I’m trying not to forget my lines, but it’s been really inspiring being beside these amazing actors and actresses. My first time, figuring it out, trying to have fun with it, play around, improvise.”

August 2025: Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle ad sparks backlash

In August 2025, Sydney Sweeney found herself at the center of a sudden online firestorm after starring in an American Eagle denim campaign built around the conceit of “great jeans.” Some viewers accused the campaign of veering into “genetics” and beauty-standard messaging, especially given Sweeney’s blond hair and blue eyes. The discourse spread fast. Within days, Sweeney was exposed as a republican and even the President Donald Trump added his two cents to the conversation.

October 2025:  With a massive cast locked in, more pictures drop

Euphoria’s third season has too many faces fr. Among the newly revealed additions were Danielle Deadwyler, Natasha Lyonne, Trisha Paytas, Sharon Stone, Eli Roth, and Rebecca Pidgeon, alongside Bella Podaras, Bill Bodner, Cailyn Rice, Colleen Camp, Gideon Adlon, Hemky Madera, Homer Gere, Jack Topalian, Jessica Blair Herman, Kwame Patterson, Madison Thompson, Matthew Willig, and Sam Trammell. 

At the same time, HBO confirmed the return of multiple OG cast members, including Zendaya, Hunter Schafer, Jacob Elordi, Sydney Sweeney, Alexa Demie, Maude Apatow, Colman Domingo, Eric Dane, and Dominic Fike, along with Nika King, Martha Kelly, Chloe Cherry, Alanna Ubach, and others. They joined previously announced season three additions like Rosalía, Marshawn Lynch, Kadeem Hardison, and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje. WHEW.

November 2025: Sweeney finally addresses the conversation (loosely)

Sweeney’s first comments on the American Eagle ad came via GQ’s Men of the Year issue, and they read more like a sidestep than anything. She essentially framed it as, “It was a jean ad, I love jeans,” and suggested she wasn’t plugged into the uproar because she was busy working. She finally spoke more directly in a People interview published Dec. 5. 

"I was honestly surprised by the reaction," Sweeney said. "I did it because I love the jeans and love the brand. I don’t support the views some people chose to connect to the campaign. Many have assigned motives and labels to me that just aren’t true."

"Anyone who knows me knows that I’m always trying to bring people together. I’m against hate and divisiveness," she added. “In the past my stance has been to never respond to negative or positive press but recently I have come to realize that my silence regarding this issue has only widened the divide, not closed it. So I hope this new year brings more focus on what connects us instead of what divides us.”

November 2025: Sydney Sweeney’s Christy flops hard at the box office

In November 2025, Sydney Sweeney hit a rare career speed bump with Christy, the boxing drama centered on trailblazing fighter Christy Martin. The film opened in US theaters on Nov. 7 and struggled almost immediately, posting a weak debut and quickly disappearing from the box-office conversation. Critical reception was mixed. While several reviews praised Sweeney’s physical commitment and willingness to shed glamour, others argued the film itself felt conventional and emotionally uneven. 

November 2025: Jacob Elordi triumphs in Frankenstein

By late 2025, Jacob Elordi turned into Frankenstein, a dark, prestige-level adaptation that hit theaters before streaming on Netflix. The film drew strong critical praise, with particular attention paid to Elordi’s physical and emotional overhaul. In January 2026, Elordi won a Critics Choice Award for his performance.

December 2025: Sam Levinson teases season three storylines

Creator Sam Levinson offered the clearest picture yet of what the third season of Euphoria will actually look like. Speaking at the London Content Showcase, Levinson confirmed a five-year time jump, firmly closing the door on any return to high school. 

“The one thing we all agreed on is we can’t go back to high school,” he said. “Five years felt like a natural place [to jump], because if they had gone to college, they’d be out of college at that time.”

The season would see the lead characters “out of the safety net of school,” and “figuring out who you are in the world,” he explained, adding that “the stakes are a bit higher than they were in the past as the consequences are real.”

Rue’s in Mexico, indebted to drug dealer Laurie (played by Martha Kelly), and “trying to come up with some very innovative ways to pay it off.” Cassie and Nate are engaged and eventually married. 

“I promise that it will be an unforgettable night,” Levinson teased. Cassie is also now living in the suburbs with Nate, “very addicted to social media and envious of what appears to be the big lives that all of her high school classmates are living.”

Elsewhere Jules is in art school. Maddy is working at a Hollywood talent agency while juggling “her own side hustles,” and Lexi’s an assistant to a showrunner. 

December 2025: The Housemaid becomes the reset Sydney Sweeney needed

After a year defined by viral backlash and a box-office disappointment after disappointment, Sydney Sweeney finally landed a clear win with The Housemaid. When the twisty thriller hit theaters Dec. 19., it connected immediately with audiences, emerging as a bona fide hit and recentering the conversation around Sweeney’s strengths rather than the noise surrounding her public image.

November 2025: Euphoria wraps season three

By November 2025, Euphoria had officially wrapped production, closing out a grueling nine-month shoot that began in February. The update came via Sydney Sweeney, who confirmed the milestone while promoting her film Christy. “You know I can’t say anything, I can’t say anything at all,” she said, before adding, “I wrapped last week, though. It’s very exciting. We filmed since February.”

December 2025: HBO drops more character photos

In December 2025, HBO kept the momentum going by dropping a new batch of official character photos from season three.

January 2026: HBO releases the trailer and locks in the season three premiere date

In January 2026, HBO officially ended the guessing game. Along with the first full trailer for season three, the network confirmed the show will return on April 12, 2026, putting an exact date on a comeback fans already knew was coming “sometime in April,” but had waited years to circle in ink. 

Rue appears in deeper trouble than ever. Cassie is an OnlyFans content creator. Nate is as combustible as fans feared. Jules, Maddy, and Lexi surface in fragmented but telling moments, seemingly chasing ambition, escape, or control, with varying degrees of success.