Third series of ‘Euphoria’ delayed ‘as plots don’t feel tonally right’

10 April 2024

The third series of ‘Euphoria’ is said to have been delayed since Christmas as the plots don’t feel “tonally” right.

The third series of ‘Euphoria’ is said to have been delayed since Christmas as the plots don’t feel ‘tonally’ right

Insiders say a new character arc for the main character Rue, played by Zendaya, 27, in which she falls pregnant as a 20-something surrogate were not deemed a good fit by bosses at HBO, which airs the shock teen drama.

Variety has reported about the range of new scripts that have allegedly been offered by co-producer Zendaya and 39-year-old show creator Sam Levinson: “There was a new arc for Zendaya’s Rue, whose character in Levinson’s first pass had been relegated to the background in a somewhat surprising storyline about her working as a private detective, which HBO had immediately vetoed. “Among many other ideas for the rewrites, Zendaya had pitched an idea in which Rue, who is now sober as a twentysomething young woman, would be a pregnancy surrogate.

“But insiders say the new scripts simply didn’t feel like the show tonally.”

Sources also told the publication Sam has been in “overhaul mode” with his series three scripts after actor Angus Cloud – who played drug dealer Fezco on the show – died of an overdose last July at age 25.

In November, ‘Euphoria’ was hit by another tragedy when its producer Kevin Turen died suddenly of heart failure aged 44, which insiders say has also delayed getting the latest run of the show off the ground.

The Variety report comes after HBO stating earlier this week it had officially delayed the third series of the drama, which was set to begin production later this spring.

An HBO spokesperson said: “HBO and Sam Levinson remain committed to making an exceptional third season.

“In the interim, we are allowing our in-demand cast to pursue other opportunities.”

But Variety added: “What the network isn’t saying is that no one at HBO is at all sure a third season of “’Euphoria’ will ever come to fruition given the disparate visions for the show’s next chapter.”