‘Euphoria’ has outgrown itself, on screen and off

(CNN) — Everything was different when “Euphoria” premiered in 2019.

Sydney Sweeney and Jacob Elordi were newcomers to the scene, there was buzz about Zendaya taking on such a gritty role following her appearance in Marvel’s family-friendly “Spider-Man” franchise, and beloved series regulars Eric Dane and Angus Cloud were still with us. People were also trying to make sense of the fact that rapper Drake was credited as one of the show’s executive producers.

The critically acclaimed first season’s daring, unnerving representation of troubled high school teens felt resonant and urgent, going on to win nine Primetime Emmys over the course of its two seasons, including two gongs for Zendaya’s searing turn as central character Rue Bennett.

But it’s been over four years since the second season of “Euphoria” and, well, a lot has happened.

For starters, since 2022, “Euphoria” has been plagued by reports of chaos on set, some of it spurred by delays following the dual writers and actors’ strikes of 2023, and some of it reportedly due to rewrites and creative differences.

Now, as the series makes its long-awaited return Sunday, the third and suspected final season of the Sam Levinson-created show is emerging into a drastically different world, both in terms of the story being told on screen and the generation of stars the show helped launch off screen.

It all begs the question: has too much time passed?

“Euphoria” — at least at its outset — followed a group of childhood friends who grapple with love, addiction and trauma through their high school years. Season 3, however, picks up five years since we last saw Rue, Nate and Cassie (played by Zendaya, Elordi and Sweeney, respectively), now firmly out of their teenage years as they wrestle with faith and redemption, according to an official synopsis. The show also stars Colman Domingo, Alexa Demie, Hunter Schafer and Maude Apatow.

As the creators hashed out how Season 3 would wrap up everyone’s story, the show’s breakout stars, particularly Sweeney and Elordi, saw meteoric rises in fame, with Zendaya continuing to ascend as well.

Elordi returns this season as a newly minted Oscar nominee, earning recognition from Hollywood’s most prestigious voting body for his performance in Guillermo Del Toro’s “Frankenstein” last year, and Sweeney has become a mainstream star following buzzy roles including “White Lotus,” “Anyone But You” and last December’s “The Housemaid,” which will soon spawn a sequel. Sweeney also found herself at the center of several conversations when she appeared in a controversial jeans ad last year.

As for Zendaya, outside of starring in MCU movies and the Oscar-winning “Dune” franchise, the former Disney performer has become a dominating, bankable Hollywood movie star, this year attached to “The Odyssey” and the third and final “Dune” installment, before she returns to Marvel in “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” this fall. And that’s not to mention her film opposite Robert Pattinson, “The Drama,” in theaters now.

On top of that, “Euphoria” Season 3 is changing the vibe with a new sound. Prolific Hollywood film composer Hans Zimmer is credited for the season premiere episode’s music instead of British artist Labrinth, who wrote the music for the first two seasons and was widely credited with giving the show a melodically unique identity.

“Euphoria” has also endured some heartbreaking losses since last season.

Cloud, who played lovable and earnest drug dealer Fezco in the show’s first two seasons, died at age 25 in 2023 due to an accidental overdose. And Dane, who portrayed Nate’s repressed dad Cal Jacobs, died in February following a battle with ALS, after filming scenes for the show’s final season.

Despite Cloud’s real-life death, Fezco is alive in Season 3, with Zendaya’s Rue and Apatow’s Lexi openly discussing him being in prison in the first episode.

This was an intentional choice, according to Levinson, who said in a statement shared with CNN that this season became his way “to honor Angus and all the kids who weren’t offered a second chance.”

Euphoria airs Sunday on HBO and streams on HBO Max, which, like CNN, is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery.

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