Bombshell Report Says Euphoria’s Big Delay Had To Do With Zendaya Hating The Script, Then Pitching Idea HBO Hated

It’s already been over two years since the Euphoria Season 2 finale left us with so many moments that we couldn’t get over — including one very shocking and upsetting death. And the wait for Season 3 is nowhere near finished. After the writers and actors strikes of 2023 halted the progress of that and numerous other TV series and movies, it was announced this week that Euphoria’s third season has been pushed to 2025. Creator Sam Levinson reportedly wasn’t finished with the new scripts, and a new bombshell report suggests Zendaya might have something to do with that.

Zendaya Reportedly Didn’t Like The Season 3 Scripts And Made Her Own Suggestions For Rue

Euphoria actress Nika King joked this month that Zendaya needed to stop going to Fashion Week and “come home” so they could resume work, but all kidding aside, could the Challengers star have more to do with the delay than we thought? Sam Levinson’s vision for Euphoria Season 3, according to Variety, included a five-year time jump, and HBO reportedly found his early drafts “very compelling.” However, Zendaya — who serves as an executive producer on the HBO drama — allegedly did not agree with some of his pitches and instead offered her own ideas for where the story could go.

It’s unclear whether her character was the only point of contention for the Dune: Part Two star, but Rue reportedly was relegated to more of a background role in Sam Levinson’s first drafts. It sounds like there was disagreement all around about what to do with the character, as Levinson’s original storyline involved Rue working as a private detective. Zendaya reportedly didn’t like that idea and pitched her character as a sober pregnancy surrogate. This was allegedly vetoed by HBO, as it didn’t match the series’ tone, according to insiders.

Sam Levinson Already Had To Retool Season 3 Following Angus Cloud’s Death

The shocking death of Angus Cloud at age 25 was also devastating for Sam Levinson and the Euphoria cast, who posted tributes to the young actor. In addition to dealing with the loss personally, it also contributed to issues with the proposed scripts, as Fez had allegedly factored heavily into Levinson’s story. Dealing another blow to the cast and crew, producer Kevin Turen also passed away unexpectedly of heart failure at age 45, further delaying progress on the new season.

HBO Moving Forward With Season 3 After Exploring Other Options

Even with all the delays it sounds like Euphoria Season 3 will still happen. Not only is the superstar cast — including Sydney Sweeney and Jacob Elordi, who have both blown up with their recent respective projects — still under contract, but all involved are reportedly still committed to the project. That doesn’t mean other avenues weren’t explored, however. Variety reports that there was talk of Sam Levinson exiting the show or turning Season 3 into a movie or other special.

As of now the actors are free to pursue other opportunities for the rest of 2024, with production set to pick up again next year — possibly with a six-episode order rather than eight. For now all we can do is rewatch Euphoria’s first two seasons (available with a Max subscription) and see what other shows are coming in the meantime with our 2024 TV schedule.