After a four-year hiatus, HBO’s critically acclaimed drama Euphoria is set to make its much-anticipated return with a third—and likely final—season, premiering April 12, 2026, on HBO and Max. The new season promises a bold leap into the future, both narratively and visually, as the characters leave the familiar halls of East Highland High behind and grapple with adulthood’s messy realities.
According to Deadline, production for Season 3 began on February 10, 2025, in Los Angeles and wrapped in November 2025. The anticipation has been palpable, with fans and critics alike speculating about the direction creator Sam Levinson would take after the explosive events of Season 2. Levinson, who returns as writer, director, and executive producer, has orchestrated a season that both honors the show’s signature style and ventures into new thematic territory.
The new season marks a significant time jump—five years after the events of the Season 2 finale. As revealed by Levinson during an HBO Max presentation in London, the characters are now post-college, facing challenges that extend far beyond teenage angst. The official logline describes the story as following “a group of childhood friends who wrestle with the virtue of faith, the possibility of redemption, and the problem of evil.” This thematic shift is mirrored visually: for the first time, the series has been shot on both 35mm and 65mm KODAK motion picture film, a move HBO says is meant to “mirror the characters’ journeys out of high school into the wider, wilder world.”
Zendaya returns in her Emmy-winning role as Rue Bennett. The first trailer, released January 14, 2026, opens with Rue in a church pew, seeking solace in prayer. “A few years after high school, I don’t know if life was exactly what I wished. But somehow, for the first time, I was beginning to have faith,” she says, her voice tinged with both hope and uncertainty. This season, Rue finds herself in Mexico, deeply indebted to the enigmatic drug lord Laurie (Martha Kelly), and searching for innovative ways to pay off what she owes. The trailer teases a confrontation between Rue and Laurie, promising high-stakes drama and emotional turmoil.
The show’s ensemble cast remains largely intact, with Zendaya joined by Hunter Schafer (Jules), Eric Dane (Cal Jacobs), Jacob Elordi (Nate Jacobs), Sydney Sweeney (Cassie Howard), Alexa Demie (Maddy Perez), Maude Apatow (Lexi Howard), Martha Kelly (Laurie), Chloe Cherry (Faye), Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, and Toby Wallace. Recurring guest stars such as Colman Domingo, Dominic Fike, Nika King, Alanna Ubach, Sophia Rose Wilson, Melvin Bonez Estes, Daeg Faerch, Paula Marshall, Zak Steiner, and Marsha Gambles also return. New faces this season include music sensation Rosalía, NFL champion Marshawn Lynch, Kadeem Hardison, Sharon Stone, Trisha Paytas, Natasha Lyonne, Danielle Deadwyler, Eli Roth, and Sam Trammell, among others. Sharon Stone, in particular, takes on a prominent role as a showrunner to whom Lexi is an assistant. Stone told Deadline, “There is little more exciting than going to work with this team of thrilling talent. From the genius of Sam Levinson to the raw sophistication of this profoundly moving cast and tight crew. I am honored to be Euphoric.”
Notably absent are Barbie Ferreira (Kat Hernandez), who left the show in 2022 due to creative differences, and Angus Cloud (Fezco), whose untimely death in 2023 left a void in the cast and storyline. Storm Reid (Gia Bennett), Austin Abrams (Ethan Daley), Algee Smith (Chris McKay), and Nika King (Leslie Bennett) will also not return. Ferreira addressed her departure on Instagram, stating, “After four years of getting to embody the most special and enigmatic character Kat, I’m having to say a very teary-eyed goodbye. I hope many of you could see yourself in her like I did and that she brought you joy to see her journey into the character she is today. I put all my care and love into her and I hope you guys could feel it. Love you Katherine Hernandez.”
The new season’s storylines are as ambitious as its production. According to Variety and corroborated by HBO’s official press materials, the season picks up with Rue navigating her debts and sobriety in Mexico, while Cassie and Nate are now engaged and soon to be married. Cassie, attempting to reinvent herself, turns to selling intimate photos and videos online, while Nate works as a construction worker. Jules, meanwhile, is attending art school and struggling with the pressures of forging a career as a painter. “Jules is in art school, very nervous about having a career as a painter and trying to avoid responsibility at all costs,” Levinson explained during the press event. Maddy (Alexa Demie) is working in Hollywood at a talent agency, juggling side hustles and her own ambitions. Lexi (Maude Apatow) is seen in the trailer asking Rue if she’s heard from Jules, hinting at unresolved tensions and evolving friendships.
Music continues to be a central element of Euphoria’s allure. This season, Hans Zimmer joins returning composer Labrinth to score the series, a collaboration that promises to elevate the show’s already iconic soundscape. Creator Sam Levinson reportedly listened to Zimmer’s scores from Interstellar and True Romance while developing the season, aiming for a soundtrack that matches the emotional and cinematic scope of the new episodes.
Behind the scenes, the series continues to be a collaboration between Sam Levinson and production company A24, with executive producers including Kevin Turen, Ravi Nandan, Drake, Adel “Future” Nur, Zendaya, Will Greenfield, Ashley Levinson, Ron Leshem, Daphna Levin, and Hadas Mozes Lichtenstein. The crew features returning talents such as Julio C. Perez IV as supervising editor and co-producer, Marcell Rév as director of photography, Doniella Davy as makeup department head, Ryan Heffington as choreographer, and Kim Kimble as hair department head. Newcomers include Colleen Atwood as co-producer, Natasha Newman-Thomas as costume designer, and Francois Audouy as production designer.
Fans can expect eight episodes in this season, as confirmed by Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO of HBO and Max Content. While HBO Head of Drama Francesca Orsi told Deadline that Season 3 is “likely the end,” she also noted, “I don’t think anything is over until it’s over, but it’s been discussed that this is the end. I think you will be very satisfied with this season, and how we bring each of the characters’ whole narrative.”
With its ambitious storytelling, expanded visual palette, and a cast of both returning favorites and intriguing newcomers, Euphoria Season 3 is poised to deliver a memorable and satisfying conclusion. The show’s exploration of faith, redemption, and the enduring search for meaning promises to resonate with viewers old and new, marking a bold new chapter for one of television’s most talked-about dramas.
