The hotly-anticipated third season of Euphoria has been delayed due to the schedules of the show’s in-demand cast members.
The acclaimed HBO show, which has made movie stars out of its actors Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney and Jacob Elordi, had been hit by claims its third season had been axed – but a spokesman has confirmed the network is committed to forging ahead with the show.
The scripts for season three are currently being written.
A HBO spokesman told Variety: ‘HBO and Sam Levinson remain committed to making an exceptional third season.
‘In the interim, we are allowing our in-demand cast to pursue other opportunities.’
The first two seasons of showrunner Levinson’s racy series also starred Hunter Schafer, Maude Apatow, Alexa Demie, the late Angus Cloud, Barbie Ferreira and Dominic Fike.
Euphoria’s second season premiered in 2022 to critical and commercial acclaim. It was confirmed that a third season had been greenlit in February 2022 – with HBO announcing last year that the third and final season would air in 2025.
Production on the third season was delayed due to the now-resolved WGA strike and the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike. Creator Sam Levinson’s and Zendaya’s packed schedules also contributed to the lag.
Zendaya has starred as the drug-addled teen Rue since Euphoria debuted on HBO in 2019.
The first season of the program ran for eight episodes and was followed by a pair of specials released in 2020 and 2021.
Eric Dane, Storm Reid, Colman Domingo, Javon Walton, Austin Abrams and Nika King are also stars of the drama.
In the interim the show’s stars have become huge stars in the movie world. Zendaya has recently starred in the hit film Dune 2 alongside Timothee Chalamet, while Elordi has helmed films Priscilla and Saltburn.
Sweeney – who plays Cassie – has starred in box office smash Anyone But You as well as panned Madame Webb and new film Immaculate.
Back in August, Levinson teased limited details about the upcoming installment in an interview with Elle.
The director offered insight into what would happen to Zendaya’s character Rue during the show’s new run of episodes, revealing that her role would be to ‘explore what it means to be an individual with principles in a corrupt world.’
He additionally noted that he envisions the show leaning into ‘film noir.’
Levinson also praised Zendaya’s work ethic and her dedication to pushing herself as a performer.
‘She’s the most competitive person I know, in a good way. She’s constantly growing as an artist and always seeking a challenge. She’s never complacent,’ he said.
In April, Barbie revealed she had quit the show because did not want to ‘portray a fat best friend.’
It came amid rumors of tension between her and showrunner Sam.
The actress, 26, who played Kat Hernandez in two seasons of the show, told Dax Shepard while appearing on his podcast that storylines for the character would not have ‘done her justice’ and that Levinson didn’t bond with Kat.
Ferreira shocked the world last year when she announced to her 5.8 million social media followers that she would not be reprising her role, but insisted it was a mutual decision.
She told Shepard: ‘I don’t think there was a place for her to go. I think there were places she could have gone. 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 [Levinson and I] knew that I really wanted to be able to not be the fat best friend.’
The star added it was a ‘struggle’ to find storylines for her character in season two, leading to a much-decreased presence in the show.
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
