'Euphoria' season 3 to premiere in 2026, 'The White Lotus' all set to return on this date

WASHINGTON: The wait is finally over as the makers of 'Euphoria' have announced the release date for the long-awaited third season of the popular drama, reported E! Online.

The third season of 'Euphoria' will finally premiere in 2026, according to Warner Bros. Discovery global streaming chief JB Perrette. In the meantime, HBO has announced that 'The White Lotus' will return for the third season in February 2025.

While 'Euphoria''s second season received critical praise, season three had to face several issues due to the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.

When shooting begins in January, a few prominent faces will be missing, notably Angus Cloud, who died in July 2023, and Storm Reid, who recently announced her departure from the series.

The series has become a cultural phenomenon since its debut in 2019, with Zendaya's portrayal of Rue, a teenager struggling with addiction, earning widespread acclaim. Season 2, which aired in 2022, ended on a dramatic and emotional note, with the death of beloved character Ashtray (played by Javon Walton) and the uncertain fate of Fezco (played by the late Angus Cloud). Rue's struggle with sobriety was also left unresolved, adding to the anticipation surrounding the next season.

The tragic death of Cloud, who passed away in August 2023 at the age of 25 following an accidental drug overdose, has left fans grieving and questioning the future of his character, Fez.

In addition to the loss of Cloud, the departure of Barbie Ferreira, who portrayed Kat Hernandez, has raised questions about the direction of the series.

Ferreira bid farewell to the show on social media with an emotional message, leaving fans wondering whether her character would be written out of the storyline.

Despite these challenges, the rest of the cast, including Jacob Elordi, Sydney Sweeney, Alexa Demie, and Hunter Schafer, are expected to return.

The Emmy-winning anthology series 'The White Lotus', produced by Mike White, will have a mostly new cast, while Natasha Rothwell will return as spa staffer Belinda from the first season. Jennifer Coolidge, Aubrey Plaza, and Theo James are unlikely to return.

Season 3 of The White Lotus is set in Thailand and will feature a new group of guests at another White Lotus resort.

The first season of The White Lotus, which aired in July 2021 and was set in Hawaii, earned 20 Emmy nominations in 13 categories and won ten awards, including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series.

The second season, set in Sicily and premiering in December 2022, received 23 Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series, and won five awards, such as Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for Coolidge and Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series.

Created, written, and directed by Mike White, 'The White Lotus' is executive produced by White, David Bernad, and Mark Kamine. Season three will feature Patrick Schwarzenegger and Natasha.

"To work with Mike White and just to be a part of this project was a dream come true," said actor Patrick Schwarzenegger, adding, "It was surreal, it was life-changing to learn amongst the other actors.

It was incredible. I can't wait for it to come out." Leslie Bibb, Parker Posey, Jason Isaacs and Walton Goggins are also part of the series, reported E! Online.