The third season of HBO’s Euphoria could be in jeopardy as the explicit teen drama faces numerous issues plaguing its return. In an exclusive report from Variety, the outlet details the problems surrounding Euphoria Season 3, including story frustrations, rewrites, scheduling conflicts, and the fact that several show stars are some of Hollywood’s most in-demand actors.
HBO delayed production for Euphoria Season 3 earlier this week after announcing a spring start for cameras to roll. “HBO and Sam Levinson remain committed to making an exceptional third season,” an HBO rep told Variety. “In the interim, we are allowing our in-demand cast to pursue other opportunities.”
A problem with releasing actors into the wild to participate in other marquee projects is scheduling. Rising stars like Zendaya (Dune: Part Two, Challengers) and Sydney Sweeney (Anyone But You, Madame Web) could become swept up in blockbuster titles, adding months to their unavailability. Other complications cast doubt on a third season of the hit drama, including significant script changes for undesirable plotlines and characters who no longer feature in the show, like Fezco, played by Angus Cloud, who sadly died of a drug overdose last year.
According to Variety, Levinson’s pitch for Euphoria Season 3 included chonky and “very compelling” arcs for stars Sydney Sweeney and Jacob Elordi. However, Zendaya, an executive producer on Euphoria, didn’t care for the story’s new direction. While Zendaya doesn’t have creative control over Levinson’s writing, the duo work closely with one another on the show, and her opinion carries significant weight. Zendaya offered input to Levinson, who is considering it. He’s already rewriting the scripts to compensate for Cloud’s death, and the sudden death of producer Kevin Turen is also a factor.
After working on the scripts, HBO put a wrench into the works by giving a thumbs down to some of Levinson’s ideas, including a new arc for Zendaya’s Rue, whose character steps into the background by becoming a private detective. To compensate, Zendaya suggested a move where a now-sober Rue becomes a pregnancy surrogate. According to insiders, that idea didn’t pass the sniff test and is getting reworked.
When HBO read the Euphoria tea leaves, they entertained a few solutions, including Levinson stepping away from the project or following Season 2 with a movie or special presentation. As the show stands, the stars are contracted for a third season and remain enthusiastic about returning to finish the story.
While Levinson continues to work on Euphoria Season 3, HBO is releasing the cast for 2024 to participate in other film or television projects. Talks will resume on October 1, with plans to shoot the third season of Euphoria in 2025. If all goes according to plan, the shoot could require the cast to block 25 weeks to shoot the six-episode season.
Are you content to wait for Euphoria Season 3? How do you think the story should end? Let’s see your ideas in the comments section below.