After nearly seven years since its initial release, Euphoria is set to make a return with its eagerly awaited third season.
HBO Max unveiled a two-and-a-half-minute trailer on Wednesday (January 14) that gives fans a glimpse into the return of the Emmy-winning show, scheduled for the coming months.
The story picks up five years after the dramatic events at East Highland High School, catching up with beloved characters as they navigate life in the ‘real world’.
Audiences can anticipate more intense storylines involving Zendaya’s Rue Bennett, Sydney Sweeney’s Cassie Howard, Jacob Elordi’s Nate Jacobs, and Hunter Schafer’s Jules Vaughn.
Rue appears to be entangled with drug dealers, while Cassie, now working as a cam girl, marries Nate despite their tumultuous breakup in season two. Meanwhile, Jules explores the sugar baby lifestyle.
The season also sees the return of cast members Alexa Demie, Chloe Cherry, and Maude Apatow, with new additions including Rosalía, Natasha Lyonne, and Sharon Stone.
The official logline for season three describes it as: “A group of childhood friends wrestle with the virtue of faith, the possibility of redemption, and the problem of evil.”
The Sam Levinson-created drama initially gained worldwide recognition for its vibrant cinematography and candid portrayal of addiction. However, the announcement of a five-year time jump for the new season has left fans with mixed emotions.
“I feel like I don’t even gotta rewatch s1 or s2 bc this is a new show entirely,” one fan commented on YouTube.
“See what happens when you take too long to release the third season? It turns to a whole different show!” another viewer lamented.
“So… I take it none of them went to college?” another joked.
With Euphoria’s characters and audience maturing, what are the new expectations they hold?
The show’s production encountered several hurdles, including the passing of actor Angus Cloud and producer Kevin Turen in 2023, the Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strikes, and cast members’ involvement in other major projects, following the show’s massive success.
Some have compared the upcoming season, filled with themes of sex, drugs, and violence, to ‘Grand Theft Auto the TV show.’
“This s**t went from high school drama to GTA,” one fan noted, while another added: “It’s GTA the show before we get GTA 6.”
The highly anticipated Rockstar game is slated for release on November 19, following a delay from its original late-2025 timeline to May 26, 2026.
Meanwhile, on Reddit, some fans are showing a more optimistic attitude toward the new season.
“No one has seen the show yet but everyone is complaining. Maybe we just wait and see and don’t judge from some screenshots?” one user suggested in response to an image of Cassie in a provocative dog costume for her cam girl role.
“If you watched season one and two then you know damn well what the show is about. Season three is a time jump and all the characters are adults now so expect even more ‘craziness’ and if u don’t like it u could just not watch the show,” another commenter noted.
I, for one, am eagerly anticipating the premiere.
Euphoria is set to debut on Sunday, April 12 on HBO Max, with new episodes available weekly.