Euphoria season 3: everything we know about the popular Max show’s return

Euphoria season 3 is still in development, but it is coming. The return of one of the best shows on Max in the US (it's on Sky Atlantic/Now in the UK, and Foxtel/Binge in Australia) has been hanging in a hazy limbo since its renewal in February 2022, with the hit show suffering numerous delays and setbacks that has left fans wondering when, and even if, it'll return.

Thankfully, it should see the light of day at some point in 2025 as filming is set to begin in January next year. That's welcome news, too, as the first two seasons of the tumultuous high school drama were hugely successful, even coveting the title of being one of the most tweeted about shows in the last decade (per Variety).

So, when will Euphoria, aka one of the best Max shows, return for its third season? For more on its possible release date, plus its expected cast, story speculation, and more, you'll have to read on. Full spoilers follow for Euphoria's first two entries on Max, aka one of the best streaming services.

Euphoria season 3 release date

As above, no release date has been set for Euphoria season 3 yet, though it is on the way after HBO confirmed its return in February 2022. 

Considering Euphoria season 3 has been hit with numerous delays, the lack of an official launch date isn't surprising. The Covid-19 pandemic, packed schedules of its rising stars, last year's Hollywood strikes, and the shock passing of Angus Cloud, known for his role of Fez, have all impacted its development. Heck, there was even a rumor that it would be canceled (per World of Reel) earlier this year. 

Despite the ongoing discourse around whether Euphoria season 3 will ever be released, HBO says it's committed to making a third installment. Speaking to Variety, a HBO spokesperson said: "HBO and [showrunner] Sam Levinson remain committed to making an exceptional third season", while HBO boss Casey Bloys shared during a press event in November 2023 (per Variety) that we’ll have to wait until 2025 at the very earliest for its arrival.

It looks like that might be more like late 2025 now after HBO's drama head Francesca Orsi told The Hollywood Reporter on July 15 that it's ready to begin production on Euphoria season 3 in January. This also means that if production isn't beginning until early 2025 then a release date before at least late 2025 is unlikely.

Speaking on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in January, Jacob Elordi jokingly addressed rumors that the gap between seasons would need to be mirrored with a jump forward in Euphoria’s timeline. "I hope it’s soon," he said, "Or they’re going to have to Benjamin Button me or something. I’m going to have a bad back walking down the hallway, you know?" We’d hope, sincerely, that season 3 won’t take that long.

Zendaya, who plays protagonist Rue, has also expressed her keenness to get back on set during an interview with Vogue Australia. “I’m a firm believer that the right thing will happen at the right time," she said. "Things are meant to be the way they’re meant to be. I can’t speed things up, slow things down. I haven’t been working, honey. That’s been really tough for me because I’m so used to it. That’s all I know how to do, and it’s all I’ve ever done."

Euphoria season 3 cast

Possible spoilers follow for Euphoria seasons 1 and 2.

Here’s who we can expect to see in Euphoria season 3:

• Zendaya as Rue Bennett
• Hunter Schafer as Jules Vaughn
• Jacob Elordi as Nate Jacobs
• Sydney Sweeney as Cassie Howard
• Maude Apatow as Lexi Howard
• Alexa Demie as Maddy Perez
• Dominic Fike as Elliot
• Eric Dane as Cal Jacobs
• Nika King as Leslie Bennett
• Storm Reid as Gia Bennett

While we assume most of the main cast will reprise their roles, the only actor who's certain to be involved is Zendaya. Her return was confirmed when HBO executive and Euphoria producer Casey Bloys spoke to TVLine about the possibility of a Euphoria without her, saying "she’s going to be in season 3".

Bloys did concede that HBO has considered the possibility of Zendaya departing the series, but he stopped short of saying it would mean the end of Euphoria. "It’s hard to imagine doing the show without her," he admitted. "But, again, that would be something for her and Sam [Levinson] to discuss."

One cast member who sadly won't return is Angus Cloud, who played Fezco 'Fez O’Neill. As the BBC reported last July, he died following an accidental drug overdose, aged 25. Following Cloud's passing, it's likely that HBO will honor his performance by retiring the character altogether. Indeed, we'd be very surprised if they make the surreal and slightly uncomfortable decision to recast the role.

Elsewhere, Barbie Ferreira, who played Kat Hernandez in the first two seasons, is won't be back. Speaking with Dax Sherpard on the Armchair Expert podcast, Barbie said her departure from the show was "mutual", despite rumors of drama on set between her and Sam Levinson. "I would have played her for as long as I was asked to, depending on what the material was," she said. "It obviously hurts because I love Kat and she was so important to me and a lot of people." 

Euphoria season 3 story speculation

Major spoilers for Euphoria seasons 1 and 2 follow.

Let's recap Euphoria's basic premise before speculating on season 3's plot. Based on the Israeli series of the same name, Levinson's series follows a group of high school students as they (attempt to) navigate friendships, relationships, trauma, and addiction in suburban Los Angeles. 

Largely, events follow Zendaya’s Rue, a recovering drug addict who struggles to readjust to her life and friendships after returning from rehab. We’re slowly introduced to her circle of friends and the intertwining of their lives, which is constantly played out in a state of high drama. Along the way, we meet Maude Apatow's Lexi Howard, Rue's childhood best friend, and budding playwright 'Fez' (Cloud), a strangely kind-hearted drug dealer who has a complex relationship with Rue. Hunter Schafer's Jules Vaughn, a transgender girl who enters an up and down relationship with Rue after moving into their high school, is introduced early on, too.

Irrespective of whether Euphoria season 3 picks up immediately after the events of season 2's finale, or sometime afterwards, the most pressing issue to resolve concerns the ongoing love triangle between Jacob Elordi's Nate, Sydney Sweeney's Cassie, and Alexa Demie's Maddy.   

After Rue angrily revealed that Nate and Cassie had been seeing each other behind Maddy's back, it seemed like their relationship was doomed. However, after a tension-filled late night visit where Nate finally ended his on-again/off-again relationship with Maddy, he invited Cassie to live with him for a while, suggesting the pair would become an item. 

But, after the events of Lexi's play – where she decided to air everyone's dirty laundry live on-stage – Nate stormed out and ended things with Cassie, who stormed the stage herself, taking shots at her sisters and her friends. While Cassie and Maddy didn't end the season on such angry terms, you'd imagine this storyline is going to run and run in Euphoria season 3.

Indeed, Cassie is likely to continue to bear the brunt of the turmoil following the aftermath of her break-up with Nate during the messy conclusion of Lexi’s play in episode 7 of Euphoria season 2. Despite this, Sydney Sweeney says she’s “excited” to step back into her character. In an interview with People Magazine on September 2, Sweeney stated that she’s “very excited to jump back into Cassie”, adding that “she (Cassie) is definitely one of the most special characters for me and I love my Euphoria family, so I look forward to it”. 

The outcomes for Cassie’s character development in season 3 could go either way, however it’s the rampant and destructive side of her character that Sweeney appears to be the most thrilled about stepping back into, disclosing “I love crazy Cassie, so the crazier, the better for me”. Therefore, it poses the question as to whether Cassie will have matured over the course of the time jump that’s set to take place. While Sweeney did not disclose any further information about season 3’s plot, her statements about wanting to step back into Cassie’s darker side could open the door to the possibility of her self-destructive tendencies making a comeback in the next installment.  

Elsewhere, Nate is dealing with the sexual promiscuity of his father Cal (Eric Dane). At the beginning of season 1, we saw Nate discovering his father's collection of homemade videos featuring him having sex with young gay men. Subsequently, he discovered his father's most recent video, which features Schafer's Jules, who he knows to be underage. 

Eventually, after a lot of back and forth, Cal came out to his family and left them to start a new life. But Nate, who has always been angry about his father's behavior and the impact it has had on their family, wasn't prepared to let sleeping dogs lie. Knowing former girlfriend Maddy had a copy of his father's tape with Jules, he tracked it down and took it back, eventually returning it to Jules. 

At the end of season 2, we saw Nate confront his father with a gun and a flash drive containing all of Cal’s explicit activity. After revealing his trauma from viewing the videos at a young age, we learned that he has decided to turn Cal in and the police come to arrest him. The end of the matter? Not by a long shot. This saga and its effect on Nate's family will likely be a key part of the Euphoria season 3 narrative. 

Then there's the small matter of Jules and Rue. After spending much of season 2 together, Jules discovered that Rue had relapsed and told her family, leaving Rue to cut ties during a bitter intervention. As Rue recovered, she and Jules remained on icy terms, but, during the finale, Jules sat next to Rue in the audience for Lexi's play, telling her that she loves and misses her. Rue kissed her on the forehead before walking away, leaving us with some hope for the future. Can the two reconcile? And what will become of Dominic Fike's Elliot, Rue's former drug partner and Jules' sometime lover? 

Finally, season 2's curtain came down in a bullet-laden stand-off that ended with Cloud's Fez being shot in the stomach and arrested for two murders. Ash, his long-time business partner, was shot dead in the drama by police, leaving Fez truly alone. Following Angus Cloud's passing, Fez will not return for Euphoria season 3, so the story may need to play out differently.

As for whether there'll be a time jump in season 3, an agency insider told TheWrap that "script issues" are holding up production as Levinson wrestles with the idea of moving the Euphoria storyline "away from high school [and] into early adulthood". Euphoria season 2 ended with Rue saying she "stayed clean for the rest of the school year", which hints at a jump forward to the following year. How far they might take it for season 3, though, remains a mystery.

In short, then, there's plenty of narrative ground for Euphoria season 3 to cover. While we wait for more news, we think there are three big questions that Euphoria season 3 needs to answer before it's released. See if you agree with our thoughts on what needs addressing.

Euphoria season 3 trailer speculation

A trailer for Euphoria season 3 has not been released. That's not surprising, given the show doesn't have a return date. We'll add a trailer in here once once is released.

Will Euphoria return for a fourth season?

As is the nature of a show like Euphoria – which is built around a group of high-schoolers and their adolescent antics – things can’t go on forever (certainly not with the same cast, anyway). 

Speaking about the show's age-related restrictions to TVLine, HBO boss Casey Bloys admitted it has a very definite shelf-life: "Well, [the characters] are in high school, so there are only so many seasons it can go. There’s a time limit". Bloys was quick to point out, though, that he's happy for Levinson to figure out the show’s natural end, adding: "We’ll follow [Sam’s] lead on that. There is no set plan. But I don’t think you want 30-year-olds playing [high school students]."

Those quotes date back to HBO green-lighting the show’s second season in July 2019, when Euphoria wasn’t quite the TV juggernaut it is now. However, interviewed recently, again by TVLine, Bloys stuck to his word when asked about the show’s planned third season, saying: "I will let Sam and Zendaya talk about that. I’m very excited about what they’ve got planned [for season 3]. So I will leave that to them. I will say, generally speaking, we trust where they want to take these characters. So we’ll let the creative team lead the way."

Everyone, HBO included, seems to accept that the show can’t run for seven or eight seasons – but, with no end date in sight (until we hear otherwise), we'd anticipate at least one more season of Euphoria before it ends for good. 

For more Max-based coverage, read our guides on House of the Dragon season 2, The Last of Us season 2, best Max movies, and new Max movies.