HBO Responds to Euphoria Season 3 Cancellation Rumors with 11 Very Direct Words

Euphoria fans, rejoice!

After cancellation rumors swirled online, a representative for HBO shut down the hearsay, telling PEOPLE in a statement that the hit series is still slated to go into production next year.

“Euphoria is going into production in 2025,” the rep said.

The Independent was the first to report the news.

Earlier this year, Francesca Orsi, the executive vice president of HBO Programming and head of HBO Drama Series and Films, released a statement saying that the show will begin production in January 2025.

“We could not be happier with our creative partnership with [creator] Sam [Levinson] and this incredible cast,” Orsi said in the July statement. "We look forward to bringing this new season of Euphoria to life for the fans.”

Euphoria, which was renewed for a third season in February 2022, was originally set to begin filming in the spring or early summer of 2024, but was delayed due to the writers’ and actors’ strikes, as well as script delays.

The hit drama centers on Rue Bennett (Zendaya) and her struggles with sobriety, as well as her friends and classmates, played by Jacob Elordi, Sydney Sweeney, Alexa Demie, Maude Apatow, Hunter Schafer and the late Angus Cloud.

Season 2 left off with the heartbreaking death of Ashtray (Javon Walton). A standoff with police — and an apparent fatal shooting — also left the fate of Fez (Cloud) uncertain.

The question of Rue’s sobriety was also left unanswered. The season ended with a voiceover of her character saying, “I stayed clean through the rest of the school year. I wish I could say that was a decision I made. In some ways, it was just easier. I don’t know if this feeling will last forever, but I am trying.”

Off-screen, the Euphoria cast was left shaken up — and the fate of their characters left in the balance — when Cloud died unexpectedly at age 25 in August 2023 following an accidental drug overdose.

The future of another core character, Kat Hernandez (Barbie Ferreira), is also unknown, as the actress announced her departure from the series with “a very teary eyed goodbye” on social media several months after season 3 was announced.

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In addition to Cloud’s sudden death and Ferreira’s departure, fans have speculated about the fate of other popular characters, particularly as stars like Elordi and Sweeney have shot to new levels of fame.

Earlier this year, Sweeney told PEOPLE that she is “very excited to jump back into” her character, Cassandra "Cassie" Howard. “She is definitely one of the most special characters for me and I love my Euphoria family, so I look forward to it.”

Euphoria seasons 1 and 2 can be streamed on Max, and HBO has not yet released a premiere date for season 3.