After a nearly four-year hiatus, Euphoria is back – and HBO is making sure nobody forgets it. On March 30, the network dropped a second full trailer for Season 3, running close to three minutes and arriving less than two weeks before the show’s April 12 premiere on HBO and Max.
The trailer picks up five years after the events of Season 2, with the entire core cast returning – Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, Jacob Elordi, Hunter Schafer, Alexa Demie, Colman Domingo, and others – alongside a striking list of newcomers including Sharon Stone, Natasha Lyonne, Rosalía, and Trisha Paytas.
As per Deadline, the season was shot on new Kodak motion picture film stock in both 35mm and 65mm, giving it a visual texture closer to cinema than television – something creator Sam Levinson, speaking in an Elle cover story with Zendaya, described as a “film noir.”
What the trailer reveals
According to Variety, the trailer opens with Rue – Zendaya’s character – being interrogated by DEA agents about her time in Mexico, where she has been working with drug dealers and swallowing unknown substances as a mule while trying to pay off her debt to drug dealer Laurie from Season 2.
Meanwhile, Cassie and Nate are now married and living the suburban life, while Cassie also reunites with Maddie to shoot OnlyFans content. Jules is in art school, Maddie is working at a Hollywood talent agency, and Lexi has become an assistant to a showrunner played by Sharon Stone.
As per Deadline, Season 3 will consist of eight episodes, dropping weekly on Sundays – and according to Gold Derby, Emmy odds for the show are already climbing, with Zendaya sitting at a 93% chance of a Best Drama Actress nomination.
X reacts – and the internet is split down the middle
The trailer landed on X with the kind of noise only Euphoria can generate – and the reactions were anything but unanimous. The most vocal camp on X felt the show had become unrecognisable.
“Euphoria season 3 finally dispenses with the High School nonsense and finally focuses on Sam Levinson’s true passion-Making worse version of 90’s Thrillers” wrote one user. Another posted: “new euphoria trailer looks horrendous. i will be there.” The post had over 46.5k likes with most comments chiming in agreement.
“Euphoria is hilarious because how did we go from junior year of high school to Mexico,” read one popular post on X.
A fourth was more blunt: “they really f*cked up a good thing. that trailer looks a mess.” The GTA comparisons came fast – a popular comment read: “Euphoria in the past: high school drama. Euphoria now: GTA drama.” Another fan quipped: “Literally euphoria is just gta vice city at this point, they also spoiled so much in the trailer”
But not everyone was unhappy. One user wrote: “Euphoria ate that Season 3 trailer up. I’m very much seated.” Another admitted: “new euphoria trailer looks f*cking amazing idc y’all stfu.”
As per TheGrio, a YouTube commenter noted that Season 3 “feels like a new show entirely” – a sentiment that divided rather than united the fanbase, with defenders arguing the shift to adulthood simply reflects the characters growing up.
Sam Levinson, for his part, has said he feels “strongly this is our best season yet.” Whether the internet agrees will become clear on April 12.