If Euphoria will return for a fourth season remains truly uncertain, but signals from its biggest star suggest the series may have run its course.
Zendaya, who plays Rue Bennett and is an executive producer on HBO dramawas asked directly on The Drew Barrymore Show in April if season three would be the last.
“I think so,” she replied. “This closure is coming.” She reflected on what the series meant to her personally.
“It broke my heart. Rue taught me so much about empathy and redemption. She taught me a lot and I am so grateful for it all.”
Series creator Sam Levinson said he has “no plans” for a fourth season, although he acknowledged that he writes “every season like it’s the last season”, leaving the door slightly ajar.
HBO is taking a similarly wait-and-see approach.
CEO Casey Bloys said Deadline in January, the network needs to figure out what Levinson wants to do next before a decision can be made.
“I don’t know exactly what he wants to do next, so that will be a conversation with him,” Bloys said.
Several actors rely entirely on Levinson.
Sydney Sweeney said Variety in October that she would return “if there were more stories to tell in our characters’ worlds,” adding simply: “I love Cassie.”
Jessica Blair Herman, who joined the cast for the third season, expressed the same sentiment.
“It’s up to Sam. He has this vision and wherever it takes him, it takes him. And if you’re lucky enough to be a part of it, then it’s a dream come true.”
However, one actor will not return no matter what.
Jacob Elordi’s character Nate was killed off in the penultimate episode of season three, ending his run on the series.
Calling the ending “bittersweet”, Elordi said: “This series has been an integral part, not just of my career, but of my life. It’s incredible and I’m so proud to be a part of it.”
The extended gap between seasons two and three was partly due to the 2023 writers and cast strikes, but also reflected something more personal.
The series lost Angus Cloud to an accidental overdose in 2023, and Eric Dane died of ALS shortly before the season three premiere.
Levinson said he wanted to “deliver a fucking slam dunk” of a final season in their honor, adding, “I want to finish this as strong as possible.”
It remains to be seen whether this finish is truly definitive. But for now, the question of Euphoria’s future rests entirely with one man.
