“Euphoria creator Sam Levinson has built an incredible world with an extraordinary cast led by the supremely talented Zendaya,” HBO’s EVP Programming Francesca Orsi said when the series was first renewed. “We are so grateful that he chose HBO as the home for this groundbreaking series. We look forward to following these complex characters as their journeys continue through the challenging world they inhabit.” Now, with Season 2 finally set to premiere in January 2022, it appears that the gritty, Gen Z-focused series will pick up where it left off with high-schoolers Rue (Zendaya), Jules (Hunter Schafer) and the rest. “It’s a challenging season,” Zendaya told TeenVogue while filming Season 2. “It’s gonna be hard and it’s gonna be devastating sometimes, but I think Rue really deserves all of that care when it comes to her character, because I think she represents a lot for so many people.” As we wait to see what twists and turns our favorite (and not so favorite) characters have in store for the show’s sophomore season, here’s everything we know so far about Euphoria Season 2. *Spoiler alert: Euphoria Season 1 spoilers ahead!
When is the Euphoria Season 2 release date?
Get ready to swipe on some sparkly eyeshadow. In a Nov. 23 social media post, HBO Max revealed that the much-hyped second season of Euphoria premieres on Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022.
Is there a Euphoria Season 2 trailer?
Along with a release date, HBO Max’s Nov. 23 announcement treated fans to a short sneak peek at the season. And while the show itself—which lists Drake among its executive producers—may be modern and edgy, the clip sees Rue dancing and lip syncing to something a little more old-school: Frank Sinatra’s “Call Me Irresponsible.” With lyrics fittingly including “call me unpredictable,” it’s safe to say this season will keep us guessing. In addition to a (seemingly not sober) Rue, the trailer also gives a glimpse at the rest of the series’ characters, including Nate, Fezco, Maddy, Jules and Cassie. Beyond the show’s signature parties and candy-colored chaos, there are also flashes of violence and police lights, foreshadowing a darker direction. “When you’re younger, everything feels so permanent,” Rue deadpans in the background. “But as you get older, you begin to realize nothing is. And everyone you love can drift away.” There was also a much simpler 23-second teaser dropped back in June 2021, where Rue and Jules silently make eye contact across the high school hallway.
Which Euphoria stars are returning for Season 2?
Would it even be Euphoria without Zendaya? Fear not: The 25-year-old Emmy-winner is reprising her role as teenage drug addict Rue Bennett. She’ll be joined by the show’s other major stars, including Jacob Elordi (Nate Jacobs), Angus Cloud (Fezco), Hunter Schafer (Jules Vaughn), Barbie Ferreira (Kat Hernandez), Maude Apatow (Lex Howardi), Sydney Sweeney (Cassie Howard), Alexa Demie (Maddy Perez) and Eric Dane (Cal Jacobs). Stars with more minor roles in Season 1 could also be seeing more screen time this season; Storm Reid, who plays Rue’s younger sister, Gia, told EntertainmentWeekly she “[feels] like you’ll be seeing a lot more” of her character this season, as she says she’ll be older and “really have her own opinion, and really become her own person.” In addition to the stars of the show, familiar faces will be back behind the scenes too, including Labrinth, the British singer-songwriter whose songs—including “Still Don’t Know My Name,” a hit in its own right—were both literally and figuratively made for Season 1 of Euphoria. If you still don’t know his name, you likely will soon.
Are there any new stars joining the Euphoria cast?
Get ready for some shiny new additions to the glitter-filled teen soap. In August 2021, Varietyreported that Minka Kelly, Demetrius ‘Lil Meech’ Flenory Jr. and Dominic Fike had joined the Euphoria cast for Season 2. While it’s unclear who Kelly and Flenory will play, Fike told the outlet his character is a “homie” to Rue and Jules, and somewhat of a “degenerate” that reminds him of his younger self. “I don’t have to do much acting,” said the musician, who was originally slated to star in the first season but ended up getting written out. “He’s exactly like me. It’s st I would say and st I would do.” Kelvin Harrison Jr. (known for Waves and The High Note) also revealed that he’d joined the cast, tellingVariety in May 2020, “It was something that we had talked about for a while, because I wanted to be on Season 1 and things didn’t really go that way. Suddenly, all the stars aligned and I got to be there.”
When did production begin on Euphoria Season 2?
Euphoria fans first got their hopes up for Season 2 back in March 2020 when the show’s Twitter account shared photos from a table read. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, production was soon halted. “We were supposed to go back to work, I believe, on March 16. And three or four days before that, they were shut down,” Zendaya said in a Variety “Actors on Actors” interview, before adding, “I think all we ever wanted was for people to feel seen through our work. And so that’s all I want to continue to do, to show the human side of what addiction does to a person. Hopefully, I get to get back into my Chucks and do it again." While it’s unclear exactly when the season started shooting again, she eventually did just that, even citingEuphoria filming as the reason she didn’t attend this year’s Met Gala in September.
How did Euphoria Season 1 end?
The East Highland students’ trials and tribulations culminate in a Season 1 cliffhanger: Rue relapses after Jules leaves for the city without her. Other characters were also left in a suspenseful spot, with Fezco robbing a doctor to pay back drug supplier Mouse for the pills he flushed. A newly single Maddy, meanwhile, seems to have stumbled across a DVD that could incriminate Cal Jacobs, father of her calculated ex, Nate.
What were the Euphoria special in-between episodes about?
To tide fans over in between seasons, Euphoria released two special episodes both set during the main characters’ (not-so-happy) holidays—and filmed under strict COVID guidelines—with one installment from Rue’s perspective and the other from Jules’. Rue’s episode sees her sitting in a diner with Ali (Coleman Domingo), her Narcotics Anonymous sponsor. It’s a fairly stripped-down moment compared to the show’s usual stylized scenes and sees the two discussing powerful topics like relationships, addiction and spirituality. Jules’ turn to tell her tale was co-written by actress Hunter Schafer herself. Following a similar format, Jules opens up to her new therapist (Lauren Weedman) about her gender transition, her online interactions with “Tyler,” and her complicated relationship with Rue. For the first time, she also reveals that her mother is an addict, too.
What will happen in Euphoria Season 2?
Although the show has always tackled tough themes and offered an unflinching portrayal of teen drug use, mental health and (at times, controversially graphic) sex, Season 2 is primed to deliver even darker plotlines, according to several of the show’s stars. In her TeenVogue interview, Zendaya called the season “difficult,” adding, “It’s not going to be a fun watch, I don’t think. Sometimes." Sydney Sweeney (Cassie) similarly described the upcoming episodes as “darker” and “more intense” in an interview with Entertainment Tonight. Among the tumultuous teenage story lines? The season will likely pick up where Season 1 left off with Rue’s overdose and fractured relationship with Jules—although there aren’t yet any spoilers of what’s in store.
Is Euphoria based on a true story?
Showrunner Levinson, son of director Barry Levinson, has said he channeled his own experiences as a young drug addict while creating the show. “I spent the majority of my teenage years in and out of hospitals, rehabs and halfway houses. I was a drug addict, and I’d take anything and everything until I couldn’t hear or breathe or feel,” he told the audience in an emotional speech at the show’s 2019 L.A. premiere, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
How many seasons of Euphoria might there be?
Like high school itself, Euphoria won’t last forever. While he made it clear there’s “no set plan” for how many seasons the show will have, in an interview with TV Line, HBO President Casey Bloys suggested the series’ run will be on the shorter side. “Well, [the characters] are in high school, so there are only so many seasons it can go,” he said, adding that he will look to Levinson on when to conclude the show.
How to watch Euphoria Season 1 and the special episodes
Both Season 1 of Euphoria and the two specials, “Part One: Rue” and “Part Two: Jules," are available to stream now on HBO Max, which is also where Season 2 will debut in 2022. Next, Her Wallet Is Its Own Form of Euphoria! Inside Zendaya’s Net Worth and How She Earned It
