'Euphoria' Season 3 to begin filming in January 2025. Here's what the show's stars have been working on amid series delay.
Zendaya, Jacob Elordi and Sydney Sweeney are among the series stars. They're also some of Hollywood's most in-demand actors.
Euphoria fans can breathe a sigh of relief: Production on Season 3 of the HBO hit series will start in January 2025 with the main cast returning.
It's unclear whether the third season will be the show's last, but Deadline reported that viewers should expect a time jump between the last season and the new one.
“I am thrilled that we are ready to begin production on Euphoria in January. We could not be happier with our creative partnership with [series creator and writer] Sam [Levinson] and this incredible cast," Francesca Orsi, head of HBO drama series and films, said in a July 12 statement obtained by multiple outlets. "We look forward to bringing this new season of Euphoria to life for the fans."
The first season premiered in 2019. It's been more than two years since the final episode of the second season aired, with the cast seemingly unsure about whether the show would continue. The cast and crew had to contend with holdups from the SAG-AFTRA strike in 2023, as well as the unexpected deaths of co-star Angus Cloud and executive producer Kevin Turen.
Despite the delays, the cast has been busy with projects of their own. Here's what they've been up to since they walked the halls of East Highland High School.
Jacob Elordi
Age: 27
As seen on Euphoria: Elordi plays popular star quarterback Nate Jacobs. He struggles with major issues at home, which leads him to create abusive and covert relationships with those around him.
What high-profile projects he's been in: Elordi was in two of 2023’s buzziest movies. He played Elvis in Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla and made waves with some bathwater in Saltburn opposite Barry Keoghan. His latest film, Oh, Canada, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May.
What he’s said about Season 3: Elordi appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in January and said he didn’t know when production would resume again on the series.
“I hope it’s soon, or they’re going to have to 'Benjamin-Button-me' or something,” he told Fallon. “I’m going to have a bad back walking down the hallway, you know? Yeah, I'm assuming we'll have to go forward, otherwise it's going to seem like a weird bit.”
What’s next: He’s set to star in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, an adaptation of the Mary Shelley novel. He recently finished production on Prime Video's upcoming miniseries, The Narrow Road to the Deep North, in which his performance has been called "brilliant."
Zendaya
Age: 27
As seen on Euphoria: The show is built around Zendaya’s character, Rue Bennett. Rue is fresh out of rehab but doesn’t stay sober for long and struggles with growing up.
What high-profile projects she's been in: She reprised her role as Chani in Dune: Part Two opposite Timothée Chalamet and starred in Luca Guadagnino's buzzy movie Challengers, which made $94 million at the box office worldwide.
What she’s said about Season 3: In an April interview with Variety, Zendaya, who is also an executive producer on the series, said she was open to returning to the show under the right creative direction.
"If it's right for the characters and everything turns out the way it should, of course," she said about returning to the series. "But it's beyond me."
What’s next: Zendaya does not have any upcoming projects, according to her IMDb page, but is featured in a high-profile campaign for sportswear brand On.
Sydney Sweeney
Age: 26
As seen on Euphoria: Sweeney’s character, Cassie Howard, is as sweet as they come and popular to boot, but finds herself in drama as she navigates bad dating decisions and self-worth.
What high-profile projects she's been in: She made her comic-book movie debut in Madame Web and tried a Shakespeare-inspired rom-com on for size opposite Glen Powell in Anyone But You. Sweeney starred and produced the horror movie Immaculate, which came out in March.
What she’s said about Season 3: Sweeney told Who What Wear in March that Cassie’s story for the upcoming season is "going to be very, very wild.”
Unlike Elordi, she said the time gap between seasons doesn’t bother her. "I actually like it because there's so much room for growth for both me as a person and also Cassie as a character," she said.
What’s next: Sweeney is starring as American boxer Christy Martin in an upcoming biopic, writing on her Instagram in May that she's honored to tell the powerful story. The movie Eden, which she co-stars in with Ana de Armas and Vanessa Kirby, will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September.
Hunter Schafer
Age: 25
As seen on Euphoria: Hunter plays Jules Vaughn, who becomes Rue’s best friend after she moves to the same suburban town following her parents’ divorce.
What high-profile projects she's been in: She played Tigris in 2023’s The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. She also appeared in Kinds of Kindness, Yorgos Lanthimos's "triptych fable."
What she’s said about Season 3: In a February interview with Variety, Schafer was candid. “I don’t know what I’m allowed to say, but I think it’s pretty clear we haven’t started production,” she told the outlet.
What’s next: She stars in the mystery-horror film Cuckoo, which debuts in theaters Aug. 9. She's also in the upcoming A24 film, Mother Mary, which co-stars Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel. She joined the cast of Prime Video's upcoming Blade Runner 2099 TV series alongside Michelle Yeoh.
Sam Levinson
Age: 39
As seen on Euphoria: Levinson is the series creator and writer.
What high-profile projects he's been in: His much-talked-about and controversial show The Idol, which starred the Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp, ended early and was canceled by HBO.
What he’s said about Season 3: Levinson’s team declined to comment to Variety about the series’ future, pointing to HBO’s comment about how the network and the creator “remain committed to making an exceptional third season.”
In Elle’s August 2023 profile of Zendaya, Levinson said he saw Season 3 as a “film noir” and that through the actress’ portrayal of Rue, he wanted to “explore what it means to be an individual with principles in a corrupt world.”
What’s next: He has no upcoming projects listed on IMDb other than Euphoria.
This story was originally published on April 1, 2024, and has been updated on July 11.
