Euphoria Season 3: A Dark and Mysterious Journey in Film Noir Style

Euphoria, HBO’s hit drama series, has officially started production for its third season after many delays. With the return of the main cast and the participation of new faces, season 3 promises to bring many surprises to the audience.
Production kicks off and first image:

In February 2025, HBO confirmed that production on season 3 of Euphoria had begun, sharing the first image of Zendaya as Rue Bennett. This image quickly attracted the attention of fans, marking her long-awaited return.

Changes in the cast:
Season 3 will see the participation of Spanish singer Rosalía, who expressed her excitement to be a part of this project. In addition, the main actors such as Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, Hunter Schafer and Jacob Elordi will all return. However, the departure of Angus Cloud (who played Fezco) in July 2023 left a big void, and it’s unclear how the show will address his absence.

Hunter Schafer, Jacob Elordi, Nika King, Eric Dane, the late Angus Cloud, Algee Smith, Sydney Sweeney, Alexa Demie, Barbie Ferreira, Maude Apatow, Javon Walton, Dominic Fike, Storm Reid, and Austin Abrams starred as series regulars last season.

Both Reid, who played Rue’s younger sister Gia, and Ferreira, who played fellow student Kat Hernandez, have confirmed they would not return for season 3. Cloud, who played the beloved Fezco, died July 2023 at the age of 25 from an accidental drug overdose. It’s unclear how or if the season will address the absence.

As for the synopsis, series creator Sam Levinson previously described season 3 as a “film noir,” and, through Rue, would “explore what it means to be an individual with principles in a corrupt world.” Zendaya also confirmed to Entertainment Weekly last year that it will feature a time jump. “It’s important because there’s only so much high school drama you can deal with,” she said.

“It will be fascinating to see and understand these characters outside of the context of high school, and how all the stuff that we saw when they were kids affecting the adulthood they have and who they become in a much bigger world,” added the star and executive producer, who at the time said she was also in the dark in terms of plot. “I’ll be interested to see what happens too.”====

New content orientation:
Director Sam Levinson revealed that season 3 will have a “film noir” style, focusing on Rue’s journey as she faces new challenges. The show will jump five years in time, taking the characters out of their familiar high school environment and into more mature and complex stories.

“Film Noir” in Euphoria Season 3
Director Sam Levinson has revealed that season 3 of Euphoria will be heavily influenced by the film noir genre, a classic cinematic style characterized by dark tones, mysterious atmospheres, and characters torn by complex inner turmoil. While the first two seasons of Euphoria focused on teenage issues, season 3 will place Rue Bennett (Zendaya) in a world filled with mystery, guilt, and the challenges of adulthood.

The noir style often revolves around protagonists caught in the shadow of fate, often facing difficult situations and ambiguous moral choices. This fits well with Rue’s story—a girl who has struggled with drug addiction, depression, and traumatic relationships. Season 3 will likely delve deeper into the consequences of past mistakes, isolation, internal struggles, and life-or-death decisions.

Five-Year Time Jump – A New World, New Challenges
One of the most notable changes to Euphoria season 3 is that the setting will jump 5 years after season 2, taking Rue and the other characters out of their familiar high school environment. This opens up a series of important questions:

What has Rue been up to in the past five years? Is she truly sober or is she still caught up in the dark spiral?
What will happen to Rue and Jules (Hunter Schafer)? After all the separation and heartbreak, will they be able to find each other again?
How will the other characters develop? Some characters may have found success or fallen deeper into personal tragedy.

Leaving the high school framework helps Euphoria expand its worldview and explore more social aspects, from the pressures of adult life to the complexities of family, love and career. If the first two seasons were a colorful picture of youth, season 3 could be a deeper story about consequences, maturity and the dark corners of life.

Expected release date: Due to production delays, Euphoria season 3 is expected to premiere in 2026. Despite the long wait, with the promises of content and careful investment, fans have every reason to expect a quality and emotional season.