TV

Euphoria season 3 is in the works. But what will it actually look like?

Sam Levinson is “busy writing” scripts for the third season – but it'll likely feel like a different show
Euphoria season 3 Plot cast and release date

Euphoria has always been divisive. During its first and second seasons, which aired in 2019 and 2022 respectively, Sam Levinson’s glitter-laced coming-of-age “no thoughts, only vibes” smash hit became the ultimate example of water cooler telly that people couldn't decide if they loved, hated or loved to hate.

Now, all eyes are on season 3, which looks as though it'll be going ahead, with HBO and Max Content CEO Casey Bloys confirming that Levinson is “busy writing” scripts for the third season, three of which Bloys has now read. “Sam is an incredibly talented writer,” he told Deadline, “He’s got a lot in store for these characters, and I’m excited.”

But what would a season 3 of Euphoria possibly look like? With Angus Cloud's (who played kind-hearted drug dealer Fezco) tragic passing, it certainly won't feel the same. Meanwhile, Barbie Ferreira, who plays Kat, has already announced that she's leaving, while Dominic Fike, who plays Elliot, has said of the crew: “I don’t really talk to them anymore.” Plus, with the likes of Jacob Elordi, Sydney Sweeney and Zendaya being booked and busy, when could this actually come together? Here's everything we know so far.

Who'll be in the cast for season 3?

We know that there will be no Barbie Ferreira, who played smut writer and cam girl Kat. After being a major character in season 1, Kat was confusingly sidelined throughout season 2, existing to either react to the foibles of her friends or be a bit of a dick to boyfriend Ethan. Then, in an Instagram post back in 2022, Ferreira announced that she'd be leaving, saying “After four years of getting to embody the most special and enigmatic character Kat, I’m having to say a very teary-eyed goodbye.”

According to an interview with Variety, the choice was mutual. “I don’t think there was a place for [Kat] to go,” she said. “I just don’t think it would have fit into the show. I don’t know if it was going to do her justice, and I think both parties knew that. I really wanted to be able to not be the fat best friend. I don’t want to play that, and I think they didn’t want that either.”

Meanwhile, Dominic Fike, who was introduced in season 2 as Elliot, a boy Zendaya's Rue meets and takes drugs with, recently criticised the way the production handled his sobriety. "We had nothing in common,” Fike said about the sober coach he was given on set. “We didn’t come from the same places or the same problems. It was hard to take advice from someone like that or give a shit.” When asked whether he'd be back for the third season, he responded that it'd be “dope” but that he didn't know and “I don’t really talk to them anymore.”

What about the Euphoria cast members who've become huge stars?

When Euphoria first launched, Zendaya was already an enormous star. However, since the show's finale, the cast's roster of projects has exploded. Jacob Elordi, who plays Nate, The Worst™, is settling into the status of the most employed new hunk in Hollywood, coming off the steamy success of Saltburn and starring as Elvis in Sofia Coppola's Priscilla. Meanwhile, Sydney Sweeney (Cassie), who appeared in White Lotus and also had a recent hit with romcom Anyone But You, will soon be entering the Marvel universe with her role in the Spider-Man spin-off story Madame Web. Hunter Schafer (Jules) is set to appear in A24's upcoming melodrama Mother Mary. As for Zendaya, well, she's always booked and busy (when will we finally get to see Challengers?!).

When asked recently about the status of season 3, Elordi joked "I hope it’s soon or they’re going to have to Benjamin Button me or something. I’m going to have a bad back walking down the hallway.”

Either way, it's clear that Euphoria's lingering third season will eventually cause some scheduling nightmares when it comes to other projects. Whether it's the one that has to fall by the wayside remains to be seen.

When will Euphoria season 3 be released?

Originally, the third series of Euphoria was set to release in 2023. Clearly, that didn't happen – between the Hollywood strikes and the cast's steady rise in fame, the season felt more like a pipe dream than a reality. But now, with confirmation that it's in the works, we can expect it to actually materialise.

Considering it's only just being written by Levinson, we'll probably be looking at a 2025 release at the earliest. But hey, at least the cast will get to join the grand ol' tradition laid by the likes of The OC and Gossip Girl of actors in their late twenties pretending to be teenagers on primetime telly.