Euphoria continues to see ratings gains for HBO and HBO Max, even hitting a series high last Sunday against heavy competition from the Super Bowl. The series has already been renewed for a third season but is there a future for the show without Zendaya’s Rue? HBO’s Chief Content Officer, Casey Bloys, weighs in on the topic.
Bloys was recently asked by TVLine if Euphoria could exist without Zendaya, should she decide to pursue her film career full-time. Bloys went on to say, “it’s hard to imagine doing [the] show without her, But, again, that would be something for her and [creator] Sam [Levinson] to discuss.”
Bloys did want to reassure fans that Zendaya’s future in terms of season three is very solid. According to the HBO Boss, “She’s going to be in season 3” but beyond that will be up to Zendaya and Sam Levinson, who is the creator and executive producer of the series.
HBO is also aware that a high school drama does have a relatively short shelf life. Even though the show is hitting highs creatively and with viewers, Bloys did admit that “I don’t think you want 30-year-olds playing teenagers.” That being said, this will also be determined by the creative minds behind the show:
“I will let [exec producer] Sam [Levinson] 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.”
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 creator 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 a subject matter involving teens that most would ignore or sugarcoat.
Do YOU think Euphoria could go on without Zendaya?