'Euphoria' season 3 starts filming in January — here's everything we know so far

• HBO renewed Sam Levinson's "Euphoria" for a third season in February 2022.
• The show is still eyeing a return in 2025 and will begin filming in January.
• Barbie Ferreira will not return as Kat Hernandez.

HBO's popular teen drama series "Euphoria" will be back for another installment.

The show, which is created, written, and directed by Sam Levinson, centers on a 17-year-old drug addict named Rue Bennet (played by two-time Emmy winner Zendaya).

In early February 2022, amid a bonkers and wildly memed second season, HBO announced that "Euphoria" was renewed for a third season.

Here's everything we know so far about season three. 

Barbie Ferreira won't return as Kat Hernandez

Ferreira announced her exit from the show on her Instagram story in August 2022.

She shared a framed image of Kat, drawn by costar Hunter Schafer (Jules Vaughn), and wrote: "after four years of getting to embody the most special and enigmatic character kat, I'm having to say a very teary eyed goodbye."

She continued: "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."

News of Ferreira's departure came months after rumors and reports of on-set tension between Ferreira and showrunner Sam Levinson. People speculated that Kat's minimized role was due to this reported drama. 

"I've seen so many different things and a lot of it is untrue and some of it's kind of like mundane little things," Ferreira told Business Insider in March 2023. 

"But I really think that the fans are really passionate and I do appreciate that because 'Euphoria' has really impacted so many people," she continued. "Sometimes, things take on a life of their own, and they're not rooted in the truth, but it's OK because I know it's just out of passion and out of curiosity and all that good stuff. And I signed up for it. So, I'll take it. I'll take the good and the bad."

Then, during an appearance on the podcast "Armchair Expert With Dax Shepard," Ferreira elaborated on why she left "Euphoria."

The actor said that her exit was a "mutual decision" because her character's arc ran its course. 

"I don't think there was a place for her to go," Ferreira said of Kat. "I think there were places she could have gone. I just don't think it would have fit into the show. I don't know if it was going to do her justice, and I think both parties knew that I really wanted to be able to not be the fat best friend. I don't want to play that, and I think they didn't want that either."

"I just felt like, maybe it's like I overstayed my welcome a little bit?" she added. "So, for me, I actually felt good to be like, 'OK, I get to not worry about this and we both don't get too worried about this,' because it's exhausting." 

Eric Dane said that his character, Cal Jacobs, will get redemption 

In a 2022 interview with Variety, Dane said that Cal's story would continue in season three.

Cal was last seen getting arrested after his son Nate (Jacob Elordi) called the police on him. 

"There's gonna be redemption," Dane said. "I mean, that's the trajectory he's on. I can't imagine Cal's life from solitary confinement. It's tough to work Cal into the storyline when he's behind bars."

There will be a time jump

Heidi Bivens, a stylist and the costume designer for "Euphoria," spoke about her work on the series in an April 2023 interview with Vogue.

"'Euphoria' is my family, and I'll do everything I can to make the third season of the show successful," she said. "I'm really excited to read the scripts. There is talk of it being about five years in the future, and that they're not in high school anymore. Dorothy's not in Kansas anymore."

"I mean, it might be a total trip," she continued. "Who can say? But knowing Sam's brain, it's gonna be exciting, and he will challenge all of us, because he won't want to repeat himself. It'll be something new for the audience to discover."

A time jump would also make sense considering that Zendaya, a producer on "Euphoria," previously told The Hollywood Reporter that she hoped the next season would show Rue's life beyond high school. Plus, most of the stars are in their 20s, unlike their teenage characters.  

"I want to see what Rue looks like in her sobriety journey, how chaotic that might look," Zendaya said. "But also with all the characters, in the sense where they're trying to figure out what to do with their lives when high school is over and what kind of people they want to be."

Elordi also expressed skepticism that season three would pick up exactly where fans last left the high school-aged characters. 

"I'm assuming that we'll have to go forward, otherwise it's going to seem like a weird bit," Elordi said during an appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" in January. 

"I'm going to have a bad back walking down the hallway, you know?" he joked. 

In March 2024, The Hollywood Reporter and Variety reported that season three would include a time jump. HBO and Max chairman and CEO Casey Bloys confirmed this during an interview with Variety in June. 

"One of the issues I think that Sam is thinking about is that he doesn't want to have it in high school anymore," Bloys said. "That's where it was set and what made sense then. So when you take it out of that, there's a lot of back and forth about where to set it and how far in the future to set it and all that stuff. But I think he's got a take that he's excited about, and he's busy writing."

Bloys also said that the core cast of Zendaya, Schafer, Elordi, and Sydney Sweeney (Cassie Howard) will return.  

Levinson envisions season 3 as 'film noir'

In Zendaya's Elle cover story in August 2023, Levinson said that season three will "explore what it means to be an individual with principles in a corrupt world."

It's important to note, however, that Levinson productions famously change direction on a dime, even during filming. In a press junket interview for season two, Elordi told Business Insider that the scripts for those episodes were "changing pretty regularly for the longest time." 

The direction for season three is still up in the air. Variety reported in March 2024 that HBO wasn't pleased with Levinson's revised scripts that he submitted in late 2023 and early 2024. Those new scripts reportedly had Rue working as a private detective, an idea that HBO shut down. According to the publication, Zendaya pitched her character as a sober twentysomething surrogate mom. Insiders told Variety that her idea was also turned down because it didn't feel aligned with the show's tone. The publication added that even though Zendaya is an executive producer, "she doesn't have veto power over the scripts."

According to a report published by THR in July 2024, Zendaya also wasn't in favor of Levinson's private detective pitch for Rue. Sources also told the publication that Zendaya and Levinson's once-close working relationship has become strained and tense amid the show's delays.

'Euphoria' won't return until 2025 

In an episode of "The Run-Through with Vogue" podcast released in April 2023, Bivens mentioned a season three timeline. "It starts shooting in June, so prep in May, so very, very soon," she said. 

However, the Hollywood writers' and actors' strikes began in May and July 2023, delaying the show. The writers' strike ended in September and the actors' strike concluded two months later.

Back in May 2023, Francesca Orsi, HBO's head of drama, told Deadline that the show would "ideally" return in 2025.

In a January interview with TheWrap, Bloys said that Levinson was "in the thick" of writing season three. 

"I don't know that he is laying out what the future looks like," Bloys said, adding that he and the showrunner haven't discussions about how long "Euphoria" could last. 

In March 2024, Deadline reported that season three was delayed again — this time due to Levinson's scripts not being completed. Deadline said that filming was supposed to start "within the next couple of months." The new season is still expected to premiere in 2025.

The news came after Sweeney said that she was gearing up to work on season three of "Euphoria" next, though she didn't share details on the exact timing. With the indefinite delay, the stars are allowed to take on other jobs. 

"HBO and Sam Levinson remain committed to making an exceptional third season," HBO said in a statement to Deadline. "In the interim, we are allowing our in-demand cast to pursue other opportunities."

Then in July, HBO confirmed that production on season three will begin in January 2025. 

"I am thrilled that we are ready to begin production on 'Euphoria' in January. We could not be happier with our creative partnership with Sam and this incredible cast. We look forward to bringing this new season of 'Euphoria' to life for the fans," Orsi said in a statement to Variety. 

Bloys reiterated this to the press during a 2025 slate preview event in November, saying that filming will begin in mid to late January.

"I have read the scripts," he said. "We're happy. We're moving ahead."

Bloys also said that season three will be comprised of eight episodes.