Eric Dane on ‘Euphoria’ Season 3: HBO Lets Us ‘Do Whatever the F**k We Want to Do’
“Euphoria” Season 3 might be even more intense, given the seemingly creative carte blanche for the series from network HBO.
“Euphoria” actor Eric Dane told Variety that he is “very happy” to be going into production on the long-awaited third season. HBO confirmed that Season 3 will begin filming in January 2025, with series breakout stars Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, Jacob Elordi, Hunter Schafer, and the entire principal cast returning.
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“I was optimistic that it was going to come back so I’m very happy,” Dane, who plays Elordi’s onscreen father, said. “I know there’s a massive appetite for it out in the marketplace. There’s a huge audience, and I love making it. I love the people I work with. I love working with Sam Levinson. I have a great time. HBO is supportive in allowing us to do whatever the fuck we want to do.”
And while Dane stayed mum on any plotlines for Season 3, he is confident that his character Cal won’t be in jail…at least not after the expected time jump.
“The first thing I said to [showrunner] Sam when we wrapped Season 2 was, ‘I don’t want to be behind bars,'” Dane said. “So I’m almost 100 percent certain that I’m not behind bars…Anything else that follows I’m fine with.”
Levinson previously said the third season will be a “film noir” centered on Zendaya’s character Rue as she “explores what it means to be an individual with principles in a corrupt world.” Zendaya is also slated to direct an episode of Season 3.
Season 3 will be the first season without Barbie Ferreira’s character Kat Hernandez after Ferreira announced her exit in August 2022. Actor Angus Cloud who played drug dealer Fez also died in 2023.
“Euphoria” has been off the air since Season 2 concluded in February 2022. HBO drama chief Francesca Orsi told Deadline in 2023 that Levinson’s overhauled show “The Idol” took production precedent.
In a July 2024 exposé published in The Hollywood Reporter, a source claimed that the allegations of a toxic workplace during “The Idol” production reshoots affected Zendaya, who was urged by fans to distance herself from Levinson.
Zendaya allegedly had a meeting with HBO executives Casey Bloys and Orsi to ask why the network was allowing Levinson so much leeway on “The Idol” when the “Euphoria” Season 3 scripts were incomplete; according to the report, Bloys and Orsi “couldn’t fix” what was damaged between Zendaya and Levinson during a mediation and Zendaya told HBO executives that Levinson’s wife Ashley Levinson could not be the sole executive producer on Season 3.
Representatives for Levinson and Zendaya did not respond to IndieWire’s requests for comment. HBO declined to comment for this story.
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