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‘Euphoria’ Season 3 Premieres on HBO After Four-Year Hiatus, Concluding the Series

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Euphoria Season 3: A Final Season Five Years in the Making

The third season of the HBO drama series Euphoria premiered on April 12, 2026, on HBO and HBO Max, concluding the series after three seasons. Set five years after the events of the second season, the season follows the main characters into adulthood.

Production Background and Cast Changes

The production of Season 3 faced significant delays following the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, reports of creative differences and rewrites, and the deaths of two cast members.

Angus Cloud, who portrayed Fezco, died in 2023 at age 25 from an accidental drug overdose involving fentanyl. Eric Dane, who played Cal Jacobs, died in February 2024 from respiratory failure with ALS as a contributing factor; some of his final scenes appear in the season. Producer Kevin Turen died in 2023 at age 44.

Series creator Sam Levinson stated that the narrative choice to keep Cloud's character alive in the story (serving a prison sentence) was intended to honor him and "all the kids who weren't offered a second chance."

The season premiere included in-memoriam cards for Dane, Cloud, and Turen.

Several cast members gained significant prominence between seasons. Jacob Elordi received an Oscar nomination for his role in Frankenstein. Sydney Sweeney starred in projects including The White Lotus and Anyone But You. Zendaya continued her work in the Dune and Spider-Man franchises.

Season 3 Narrative

The story follows the characters into their early twenties. New cast members for the season include Sharon Stone, Natasha Lyonne, Rosalía, and former NFL player Marshawn Lynch. Returning cast members include Zendaya, Jacob Elordi, Sydney Sweeney, Colman Domingo, Alexa Demie, Hunter Schafer, and Maude Apatow.

Key Plot Developments

  • Rue (Zendaya): The character is in Texas after crossing the border from Mexico. She develops a mentor-disciple relationship with a strip club owner named Alamo, played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje.
  • Cassie (Sydney Sweeney) and Nate (Jacob Elordi): The characters are married and living in the suburbs. Cassie creates content for OnlyFans. In the penultimate episode, Nate dies after being bitten by a rattlesnake while buried alive by loan sharks.
  • Maddy (Alexa Demie): The character works at a talent agency.
  • Jules (Hunter Schafer): The character is attending art school.
  • Lexi (Maude Apatow): The character works as a showrunner's assistant.
  • Alamo (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje): Described by the actor as a "modern-day cowboy," Alamo owns five strip clubs. Levinson stated the character's actor researched the historical origins of the term "cowboy," which he noted was originally a derogatory term for freed slaves who tended cattle before being popularized by Hollywood.
  • Eric Dane's Character, Cal Jacobs: The character appears in the season but not in the premiere.

Season Finale: Series Conclusion

The eighth episode, titled "In God We Trust," aired on May 31, 2026, and served as the series finale. The episode depicts the following events:

  • Rue dies from an accidental overdose after taking Percocet pills laced with fentanyl, given to her by Alamo.
  • Rue's sponsor, Ali (Colman Domingo), discovers her body, investigates the cause of death, and fatally shoots Alamo.
  • The finale includes a dream sequence in which Rue interacts with the deceased character Fezco, using footage of Angus Cloud.
  • Cassie and Maddy plan to rent out rooms in Cassie and Nate's house to OnlyFans models.
  • Jules is shown in a relationship with an older man.

Levinson stated in a New York Times interview that the ending was intended to portray addiction honestly and address grief, and that he wrote the season knowing it would be the final one.

HBO confirmed that Euphoria would not continue beyond Season 3.

Narratives of New Characters

Alamo's Enforcers

  • G (Marshawn Lynch): An enforcer for Alamo. Lynch stated that fellow Bay Area native Angus Cloud was a significant factor in his decision to join the cast.
  • Bishop (Darrell Britt-Gibson): Another enforcer for Alamo. The actor described the character as having a sharp focus and stated that exploring the concept of black cowboys was a significant aspect of his role.

Critical Reception

The third season received lower critical scores compared to its first two seasons. The season holds a 50% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 59/100 score on Metacritic. The first two seasons received scores around 80% on Rotten Tomatoes and 68-74 on Metacritic.

Critics offered varied assessments:

  • Some stated the show remains visually strong and praised performances, particularly those of Zendaya and Sydney Sweeney.
  • Others described the season as feeling tonally different, with narrative elements compared to Westerns and crime novels.
  • Several noted a loss of narrative focus compared to earlier seasons.

Episode Release Schedule

Episodes aired on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and streamed on HBO Max.