EuphoriaSeason 3: All About the HBO Drama's Long-Awaited Return

Mar. 15, 2025

Zendaya inEuphoria.Photo: Eddy Chen/HBO

HBO’s hit showEuphoriais returning for season 3.

Rue’s struggle with drugs is far from over, but Zendaya hopes season 3 brings “a little bit of happiness and a little bit of joy” after a tumultuous second season.

“I would like toexplore Rue’s sobrietyand that journey for her,” she toldExtra. “We see her in the midst of it. It would be nice to see her closer to the other side.”

WhileEuphoriawasrenewed for a third seasonin February 2022, new episodes won’t be released until late 2025 or 2026. Filming was originally slated to begin in the first half of 2024, but ultimately, production didn’tkick off until February 2025.

“We shoot these episodes in like a month each. It takes a while,” said Colman Domingo, who plays Rue’s NA sponsor, Ali Mohammed, during his own interview withExtra. “It takes so long because there are a lot of frames. If you look at the show, there are a lot of tiny, tiny scenes. [Creator] Sam [Levinson] is very meticulous in such a gorgeous way. It’sgonna be worth the wait.”

From the returning cast to potential storylines, here’s everything we know aboutEuphoriaseason 3.

How didEuphoriaseason 2 end?

Eddy Chen/HBO

Fans were left witha lotof cliffhangers at the end of season 2. Here’s a quick recap:

After going through a painful detox, Rue goes on an apology tour — hoping to make amends with her sponsor, Ali, and her friends Lexi Howard (Maude Apatow) and Elliot (Dominic Fike). Rue also had a brief but silent interaction with Jules Vaughn (Hunter Schafer) in the auditorium that gave viewers hope for their relationship.

In the final two episodes of season 2, Lexi’s play upsets a lot of people — more specifically, her sister, Cassie Howard (Sydney Sweeney), who is depicted as a self-centered teenager, and her boyfriend Nate Jacobs (Jacob Elordi). Halfway through the play, Cassie confronts her sister on stage. It goes from bad to worse when Maddy Perez (Alexa Demie) steps in.

While Cassie is having a mental breakdown in front of the entire school, Maddy decides it’s the perfect time to punish her former best friend for hooking up with her ex-boyfriend, Nate. An inevitable physical altercation ensues between Cassie and Maddy.

Nate, who stormed out of Lexi’s play and seemingly broke up with Cassie in the process, makes a shocking decision to turn his dad, Cal Jacobs (Eric Dane), over to the police. Cal was likely arrested for secretly filming his sexual encounters.

The most devastating part of the final episode had to be the fatal gunfight between the police and Fezco’s adopted brother, Ashtray (Javon Walton). All dressed up and ready to attend his crush Lexi’s play, Fez (Angus Cloud) discovers that the police have flipped his friend Custer and are going to storm through the door at any moment. Ashtray makes the rash decision to stick a knife in Custer’s neck — and all hell breaks loose. Despite Fez’s best efforts to intervene, the police raid results in Ash’s death.

What isEuphoriaseason 3 about?

HBO

Additionally, several cast members have openly shared their hopes for the show following the conclusion of season 2.

During an appearance onChicks in the Office, Storm Reid, who plays Rue’s sister, Gia Bennett, said she wants season 3 to have a “bit more light and joy.”

Reid added, “I [really want] the Bennett family to be able to go and get some ice cream and not scream and yell at each other for once.”

Apatow iseager to see Lexi’s relationship with Fez blossom. She toldExtrathat she hopes he’s not in jail following the police shootout.

“If he is in jail, I hope they’re still talking,” she said.

As for Domingo, he has a sense that his character, Ali, will be fleshed out in season 3.

“I’ve had some small conversations with Sam [Levinson], and I know that he’s going to take some big swings because he’s that kind of an artist. The moment you’re comfortable with the show, he’s got to pull the rug out from under you just a little bit,” he shared withEntertainment Tonight. “I think he really wants to unpack Ali. Show some backstory.”

The actor said he wouldn’t be against Ali hooking up with Rue’s mom either. “Maybe that mess could be interesting,” Domingo told the outlet.

Which cast members are returning forEuphoriaseason 3?

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

During aEuphoriacast Q&A in December 2022, Schafer shared that Jules will likely continue to seek a relationship with Rue.

“She’s looking for closeness with other people and [to feel] affirmed in that closeness,” Schafer said, perThe Hollywood Reporter. “She knows it’s there with Rue.”

Dominic Fike, who plays Elliot and isdating Schafer in real life, is slated to return. Viewers can also expect to see more of Eric Dane, who portrays Cal Jacobs.

“There’s gonna be redemption,” Dane toldVariety, referring to Cal’s explicit activities. “I mean, that’s the trajectory he’s on. I can’t imagine Cal’s life from solitary confinement. It’s tough to work Cal into the storyline when he’s behind bars.”

Though she wouldn’t say whether or not she’s seen a script for the upcoming episodes, she did say that she was looking forward to filming again. “I always feel like I go home,” she said. “It’s like home when I go back to it. I like it.”

Despite feeling “too old” to play a high school character, Jacob Elordi is on board for another season.

“I’d like to see [Nate] come of age,” he toldVarietyin April 2022. “I fear I’m growing too old for high school.”

In a separate interview with Deadline, Elordi shared that creator Sam Levinson is often an unpredictable writer, adding that he’s unsure what Nate’s trajectory will be in season 3.

“I trust Sam. He’s a bit of a mad genius. Wherever he takes it, I’m happy to go,” he said.

Which cast members are not returning forEuphoriaseason 3?

For those wondering if Ash is really dead after his encounter with the police, the answer is “yes.”

“I do think Ash is dead,” he said. “As much as I lovedEuphoria,I’ve moved on.”

When willEuphoriaseason 3 be released?

Euphoriaseason 3 was set to begin filming in the spring or early summer of 2024. However, due to the writers’ and actors’ strikes and script delays,production was unable to begin until early 2025. In apost on Xshared on Feb. 10, 2025, HBO confirmed that the show was officially in production.

HBO has not released a premiere date for season 3.

source: people.com