For a multitude of complicated reasons, Euphoria Season 3 has been a long time coming for fans of the Emmy-winning HBO drama. After several delays, which saw scripts reportedly scrapped by the network, the third season is finally in production and a first-look image of Zendaya has already been revealed. However, fans have been long debating who will return to the long-awaited follow-up, and while some missing names were already known, the now-confirmed cast list included several major absences.
Deadline reports that those set to return in their series regular roles in Euphoria Season 3 include Zendaya, Hunter Schafer, Eric Dane, Jacob Elordi, Sydney Sweeney, Alexa Demie, and Maude Apatow, while Oscar nominee Colman Domingo will guest star once again. Unfortunately, those missing from the aforementioned list include Storm Reid, Algee Smith, Barbie Ferreira, and Nika King. Ferreira’s absence is not shocking, of course, as it’s been reported she heavily disagreed with Sam Levinson during the making of Season 2. Not everything is doom and gloom, as the series will return with plenty of new faces to populate the screen on HBO. Update: Dominic Fike is now set to return as Elliot in Season 3.
Euphoria will be adding pop star Rosalía, NFL Super Bowl Champion Marshawn Lynch, and NAACP Image Award winner Kadeem Hardison to the cast of the third season. It’s unclear what their roles will be, and if they will be playing themselves or new characters. In other news, several actors have been upgraded to series regulars, including Martha Kelly and Chloe Cherry, while Suicide Squad star Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje and Toby Wallace (Babyteeth, Bikeriders) will also be series regulars as newcomers. The plot is currently unknown, but it seems the show will pick up several years after the events of Season 2.
So… Why Is ‘Euphoria’ Season 3 Taking So Long?

After several years in development, Euphoria is moving full-steam ahead with its star-studded cast and crew for possibly one last ride. It’s been a bumpy road to get here, one that nearly saw the future of the series completely derailed from its expected return. From reported creative differences behind the scenes to HBO straight-up asking showrunner Sam Levinson to rework the storyline that apparently saw Zendaya relegated to a side character, it seems Euphoria Season 3 has finally settled on a path to conclusion. Not only will the series feature a time-jump, but scrapped ideas reportedly included Rue Bennet as a private detective before Levinson rewrote the scripts.

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HBO Finally Reveals When ‘Euphoria’ Season 3 Will Likely Debut

HBO teased a host of premiere windows for shows including ‘The White Lotus’ and ‘The Last of Us’.

As of this writing, the eight-episode season of Euphoria will premiere on HBO sometime in 2026. Expected to be the final season of the series, it’s not shocking Euphoria is ending its Emmy-winning run before the actors’ schedules continue to fill up. Besides Zendaya, who continues her rise to movie stardom in the Dune trilogy and the 2024 smash hit Challengers, both Sydney Sweeney and Jacob Elordi have found themselves starring in several upcoming theatrical releases. Sweeney has already even dipped into the superhero genre, but the less said about that endeavor the better. Meanwhile, Elordi is set to star in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein and alongside Margot Robbie in WB’s adaptation of Wuthering Heights.