Word spilled out earlier this week that HBO’s already delayed third season of Euphoria was indefinitely paused with its cast freed up to pursue other projects. The big three, of course, are Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, and Jacob Elordi, who are all juggling a variety of roles elsewhere, and Variety has now published an extensive dive into the “fight” to save this show from withering on the vine without a definite return date. It’s an engrossing read with plenty of possibilities thrown into the air, like an alleged idea to continue the show without Sam Levinson despite the recent insistence that “HBO and Sam Levinson remain committed to making an exceptional third season.”
It must be noted that viewers are already accustomed to some WTF developments from this show, and it’s been understood that the third season would also include a time jump, which makes even more sense with the formal extension of the hiatus. However, Variety details word from their sources on how Levinson’s scripts were seriously out-there when it came to Rue. Zendaya herself also reportedly tossed out a bit of an unexpected pitch:
When Levinson turned in his revised scripts in late 2023 and early 2024, HBO execs were now the ones feeling unsatisfied. 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.
Apparently, it’s now back to the drawing board, and Variety makes sure to note that The Weeknd and Levinson’s The Idol debacle has reportedly resulted in HBO holding firm on how scripts must be in hand and complete before filming begins. Surely, there will be more revelations to come, but for the moment, everything is on hold for Euphoria.
(Via Variety)