It was recently announced that Euphoria Season 3 would be delayed because of showrunner Sam Levinson’s dedication to perfectionism. The news didn’t come as a shock to many, as development updates for the upcoming season seemed few and far between. Following this announcement, rumors swirled about what could be really behind the delays, with some suggesting Zendaya could be holding things back. Now some reports are suggesting that Season 3 will probably be the end for Euphoria, which ultimately could make the most sense for the high school-centered drama.
When Euphoria hit the scene in 2019, the entire cast had something to gain from the hot new HBO series. The high school students were mostly played by unknown or up and coming actors looking to make their mark. Zendaya was the exception, as she had already been a star in her own right playing opposite Tom Holland in the MCU Spider-Man movies, and had a child acting career behind her. The cast was just old enough to participate in the racy, adult content within Euphoria, while also being believable as high school students. The circumstances around Euphoria have changed over the last five years, and the Page Six rumors suggesting the third season will be the last could be for the best.
Since its premiere, the Euphoria cast has gotten significantly more famous. While Zendaya was able to use Euphoria as a launching pad for more adult roles, she is now widely considered one of our young best actresses, starring in serious films like the Dune movies, Malcolm and Marie, and the upcoming film Challengers. Jacob Elordi and Sydney Sweeney are two of the breakout stars from the show, and both had massive years in 2023. Elordi was the star of buzzy titles Saltburn and Priscilla, and Sweeney’s rom-com Anyone But You was a smash success. In general, the cast has become full of actors who are in high demand, and likely would not be keen on returning season after season, which would prevent them from taking other opportunities.
In addition, the delays faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Hollywood strikes that took place last year have made the breaks between Euphoria seasons very wide. While the actors were passable high school students when they were first cast, most are now in their mid-to-late twenties, and no longer realistically can portray high school age. Levinson has stated a five year time jump in Euphoria Season 3 will account for its aging cast, but a time jump likely won’t be able to sustain multiple seasons without losing the original premise of the show.
While these are the biggest assumed reasons for Euphoria soon reaching its end, other aspects like the tragic passing of Angus Cloud, the controversies surrounding Levinson’s approach to the series, and the departure of Barbie Ferreira all are arguments against the series continuing past the upcoming season. If Season 3 truly is the end as the rumors suggest, it doesn’t bother me that Euphoria is being delayed in order to get the series finale right. The show is beloved by many, and a series finale can make or break a show's legacy. Hopefully Levinson and the rest of the creative team will be able to stick the landing.
With the Season 3 delay being indefinite, fans can expect to wait a while until we see Euphoria back for another, and potentially final, season. In the meantime, you can revisit the first two seasons of Euphoria now with a Max subscription. For more information on other exciting titles available on the service, make sure to check out our feature on the best shows streaming on Max right now.
