Euphoria, the Emmy-winning high school drama based on the Israeli miniseries of the same name, has been one of HBO's most talked-about shows. As with many live-action TV shows, the second season has experienced major delays due to the coronavirus pandemic but is now in full production.
With fans excited to find out what directions this dark, unpredictable, emotionally intense story will go in, let's look at everything we know about Euphoria Season 2 so far.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was updated on Nov. 24, 2021, to reflect the release of the Euphoria Season 2 teaser trailer and premiere date.
What Happened in Euphoria Season 1?
Euphoria is a heavy series about the problems teenagers face today. The story is told from the perspective of Rue Bennett, a 17-year-old girl struggling with drug addiction, but her omniscient narration weaves in and out of the stories of her classmates, among them her transgender crush Jules, camgirl Kat, popular girl Cassie, jock bully Nate and his abused cheerleader girlfriend Maddy.
In the Season 1 finale, Rue and Jules were planning to leave town together, but Rue changed her mind and Jules left her at the train station. Heartbroken, Rue ultimately relapsed in a stylized dance number. Meanwhile, Maddy discovered the video Nate's father Cal made illicitly hooking up with Jules, Kat got together with Ethan at the winter formal and Cassie went through with her abortion.
What Happened in Euphoria's Two Specials?
During the hiatus, showrunner Sam Levinson made two Euphoria specials in quarantine with a limited cast and crew. The first special, "Trouble Don't Last Always," focused on Rue and premiered in December 2020, while the second, "F**k Anyone Who's Not a Sea Blob," focused on Jules and premiered in January 2021.
These specials take place on Christmas Eve, following Rue's relapse. In contrast to the bombastic style of the main series, the specials are minimalist conversational pieces, the first being a conversation between Rue and her Narcotics Anonymous sponsor Ali and the second centered around Jules visiting her therapist. While neither special contains major plot developments, they both serve to flesh out where the characters' minds are at in the aftermath of Season 1 and are recommended viewing before Season 2.
Euphoria Season 2 Updates (So Far)
Season 2 of Euphoria does not yet have a release date. The first table read for the season was on March 11, 2020, but production had to be delayed a year due to the coronavirus pandemic. After production was able to resume in March 2021, filming began in April.
Sydney Sweeney, who plays Cassie, spoke to Stylecaster about what fans can expect from the season, which is basically that it's going to shock and defy your expectations. "I can tease that, when you ask about Season 2, my heart drops," she explained."In a you-guys-have-no-idea-what-you’re-going-to-watch way. Cassie really needs to get her shit together. I can’t say anything else. Cassie has a crazy storyline in Season 2 that I did not expect. Every time I read a new episode that Sam writes, my jaw is on the ground and I can’t believe this is something coming out of someone’s mind."
Speaking to IndieWire in June, Hunter Schaeffer discussed the evolution of her character Jules. "[I hope] this growth and interrogation of Jules…and what she wants and ultimately finding newer and healthier intimacies in her relationships, which I hope will be more queer and more healthy…[I hope] that will continue," she says. "That’s a really beautiful process and something I want to see more of on TV. Representation-wise, we’re still working on getting trans women who lie on many different ends of the spectrum of conventional beauty and conventional attraction and conventional ways of navigating gender and sexuality. There’s a myriad of ways to do that. And many trans people move through all that in that myriad of ways, including myself."
Euphoria's principal cast, including Zendaya as Rue Bennett, Hunter Schaffer as Jules Vaughn, Angus Cloud as Fezco, Eric Dane as Cal Jacobs, Barbie Ferreira as Kat Hernandez, Jacob Elordi as Nate Jacobs, Sydney Sweeney as Cassie Howard, Alexa Demie as Maddy Perez, Maude Apatow as Lexi Howard and Storm Reid as Gia Bennett, are all either confirmed or expected to return in Season 2. Kelvin Harrison Jr., who was supposed to appear in Season 1 but had to drop out to scheduling conflicts, will be joining the ensemble in the show's sophomore outing.
Euphoria Season 2 Trailer and Release Date
HBO released an official teaser for Euphoria Season 2 on Nov. 23. It opens on Rue singing and dancing along to Frank Sinatra's "Call Me Irresponsible," before showcasing a montage of parties, car rides, dance routines, and sudden acts of violence. Rue narrates the teaser by saying, "When you're younger, everything feels so permanent, but as you get older, you begin to realize nothing is and everyone you love can drift away." The teaser ends with Rue's little sister Gia catching her relapsing.
The Season 2 footage was accompanied by this official logline: "Amidst the intertwining lives in the town of East Highland, 17 year old Rue (Zendaya) must find hope while balancing the pressures of love, loss, and addiction."
The teaser also reveals Euphoria Season 2's official release date: Jan. 9, 2022. Episodes will premiere Sundays on HBO at 9 p.m. EST and stream on HBO Max the same day.