Euphoria fans say cancel show as HBO plans season three in 2026

Fans question four-year gap since season two

HBO has announced a tentative release date of 2026 for season three of Euphoria, giving fans who have been waiting four years since season two something to look forward to.

During a tech and media conference hosted by Wells Fargo, Warner Bros Discovery global streaming chief JB Perrette said they were aiming to release season three of Euphoria in 2026, according to Variety.

Last month, after rumours said Euphoria had been cancelled, a representative for HBO clarified to The Independent that the series was “going into production in 2025. Nothing has changed”.

Reports of delays and disagreements about the direction the series was heading in have dogged the Emmy Award-winning series, leading to speculation about its future. In addition, with several members of the cast such as Zendaya, Jacob Elordi, and Sydney Sweeney seeing their careers skyrocket since the premiere, many have wondered if scheduling conflicts would delay production.

Sydney Sweeney, Alexa Demie, and Barbie Ferreira in Euphoria (HBO)

However, HBO top executive Casey Bloys confirmed earlier this year that “the same core cast” will return for Euphoria season three.

“There’s been a lot of back and forth,” he told Variety in June.

“One of the issues I think that [Levinson] is thinking about is that he doesn’t want to have it in high school anymore.”

Fans of the series have reacted with jokes about the four-year gap between seasons, calling it “insane”.

“They’re about to be eufortya by the time this thing returns good lord,” one viewer said on X.

“At this point just cancel the show,” said another, a sentiment that many seemed to share on social media.

“A season taking this long is not that serious. Just cancel the whole thing,” a user said.

Set in the fictional town of East Highland, California, Euphoria premiered in 2019 to critical acclaim but also criticism about its risqué themes.

The coming-of-age drama revolves around a group of teenagers trying to navigate drugs, sex, social media, broken homes, and problems and emotions associated with adolescence.

The show has won nine Emmy awards for its first two seasons, including two for Zendaya and one for Colman Domingo.

The delay in producing the third season was inevitable due to the writers’ and actors’ strikes in 2023, and further complications arose following the death of actor Angus Cloud.

Angus Cloud in Euphoria (HBO)

HBO also announced that the long-awaited third season of The White Lotus will start streaming in February, giving fans another glimpse at the next calamitous vacation to befall a group of stinkingly wealthy and oblivious holidaymakers.

Following previous seasons set in Hawaii and Sicily, season three is set in a luxury hotel in Thailand. Plot details are firmly under wraps, but The White Lotus season three teaser that dropped in November showed off a few new guests, including those played by Walton Goggins, Leslie Bibb and Parker Posey.

Also starring is Nathasa Rothwell, who played spa manager Belinda in season one, and Lisa from K-pop group Blackpink.

Fans have reacted with excitement to the news, with one saying: “Finally a reason to live.”