Euphoria creator Sam Levinson has given fans two special episodes to ease the pain of not getting season two of the series in a timely manner due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The two episodes, one centered on Rue (Zendaya) and the other on Jules (Hunter Schafer), are greatly appreciated by fans like myself but it also makes us eager to see where the show and these characters will be headed when season two finally arrives. Levinson spoke with "IndieWire" about when season two may arrive and he's optimistic that we'll get a proper second season by the end of 2021.
Levinson was speaking on the "IndieWire's Filmmaker Toolkit" podcast and he revealed that he has every intention to begin shooting Euphoria season two in March 2021. If that timeline holds, the second season would begin filming exactly one year after it was originally intended to. In addition to shooting season two this year, Levinson hopes to release episodes this year. Levinson may be optimistic but he was careful to say "hopefully" in his comments which is all we can really hope for as productions navigate properly getting back to work as the pandemic rages on.
If anyone can get this done, it's undoubtedly Sam Levinson. The creative mind behind the series went all-in on pandemic filmmaking in 2020 as he shot both special episodes of Euphoria under strict COVID-19 safety protocols and he also collaborated with Zendaya again during the global health crisis on Malcolm & Marie, a film shot in Carmel, California during a time most productions were scrambling trying to figure out how exactly to get back to work. Malcolm & Marie is generating some Oscar buzz heading into a very different Awards season and the two Euphoria episodes have been well-received by critics and fans. That being said, the special episodes of Euphoria were very self-contained and a full season requires a full cast and intricate filmmaking styles. I would prefer that Levinson takes as much time as he needs to have the necessary space and creative freedom to make season two the best it can be. Fans are all-in at this point and I think it'll be worth the wait once they can all safely go back to work.
Euphoria is a look at life for a group of high school students as they grapple with issues of drugs, sex, and violence. It's loosely based on the Israeli series of the same name and create Sam Levinson based the series on his own experiences as a teenager, including his struggles with depression, anxiety, and drug addiction. While some critics were critical of the show's depiction of teenage drug use, sex, and violence, most of them praised the show for its honest performances, visual style, and its unflinching portrayal of subject matter involving teens that most would ignore or sugarcoat. Zendaya, who leads the series, took home the Best Actress in a Drama Series Emmy for her gripping portrayal of Rue Bennett on the show. The series also stars Maude Apatow, Sydney Sweeney, Angus Cloud, Eric Dane, Alexa Demie, Jacob Elordi, and Storm Reid.
Are YOU excited for Euphoria season two?