The impending return of Euphoria has been a topic of conversation since the last season of the once-popular HBO show aired in January 2022. More than two years later, we finally have word that production on a third season will begin in January 2025. The only question remaining is, do we care?
To say a lot has changed since that second season would be an understatement. Despite the stratospheric success of the show’s stars, off-screen challenges, from the death of a beloved cast member to the swift about-face on the show’s creator, Sam Levinson, our collective desire for more Euphoria has certainly waned.
It would be difficult to pinpoint the exact moment fans started to turn on the series. Controversy began simmering during the season two run, with a production battling COVID delays and restrictions, and fans questioning some treatment of the characters. In particular, they wondered why Cassie (played by Sydney Sweeney) became a hollow villain, and why Barbie Ferreira’s character Kat was barely on screen. In August 2022, the actress announced that she would not be returning for season three. Given ongoing rumours of creative differences between Ferreira and Levinson, fans were quick to assume this was the reason why.
This was only the beginning of Levinson’s troubles.
View this post on Instagram
In 2023, the Euphoria creator, writer and director released the controversial series, The Idol, in collaboration with musician The Weeknd (aka Abel Tesfaye). Despite premiering at Cannes to a five-minute standing ovation the series was, well, loathed. Not only did critics find it both gratuitously sexual and boring, a leading music publication published an explosive behind-the-scenes feature, in which it quoted cast and crew calling the series “torture porn” and a “rape fantasy”. While The Idol stars were quick to defend the series and its creators, the controversy only added to a looming question mark over whether similar character treatments in Euphoria were not really groundbreaking but actually a bridge too far.
View this post on Instagram
The fallout from The Idol was ongoing when tragedy really struck. Angus Cloud, the actor who played Euphoria fan favourite Fezco, died suddenly at the age of 25 from an accidental drug overdose. Cloud’s death was felt deeply among the cast and fans of the show, who mourned not only Cloud but his Euphoria character. Effectively, Cloud’s death spelt the end of season two’s biggest cliffhanger. Where could Levinson and the team possibly take it from here? Not only that, but could he respectfully take it anywhere?
While Cloud’s death, on top of the changing sentiment towards the show itself, casts a very sombre shadow over Euphoria season three, the most significant disruption to the show’s return was ironically not likely to be either of these things.
View this post on Instagram
Of course, writers’ and actors’ strikes held up a number of continuing productions in 2023, but there have also been major shifts in the star power of Euphoria’s stars. While the profile of everyone involved in Euphoria received a massive boost from the show, three of the key stars are now among the most bankable names in Hollywood. While Zendaya (who plays Rue) has been working in the industry since she was a wee Disney star, in 2024, she is the biggest actress of the year, starring in both Challengers and Dune 2. Alongside Margot Robbie and Emma Stone, she might be one of the most significant stars of the decade. (It’s even rumoured Zendaya’s season three salary could top $1 million per episode.) Sydney Sweeney, meanwhile, not only starred in but produced 2023’s leading rom-com Anyone But You, and has been busily traversing a variety of roles, including upcoming Oscar-bait in which she plays female boxer Christy Martin. Finally, Jacob Elordi has been in back-to-back blockbusters over the past two years including Saltburn, Priscilla and soon, Guillermo Del Toro’s highly anticipated Frankenstein.
View this post on Instagram
The schedules of Euphoria’s stars, as well as its writer/director, were a major force in shaping its future. To accommodate the no-longer teenage actors—and perhaps to solve some of the other problems with productions— we now know Levinson will pick up Euphoria season three sometime in the future. While we don’t have many clues on what the new season will entail, who exactly will return—and if the vibes will translate—we do know our major ensemble will no longer be in high school. Whether or not this will make the show—and its many problems—better or worse, is yet to be seen.
Check out the Original Article At ELLE Australia.
