Euphoria Season 3 Not Expected Until 2025 — but Production Starts Next Year

Euphoria fans will have to wait a little bit longer for season 3. 

During Thursday’s special presentation of the HBO and Max 2024 content slate, it was confirmed that the next season of the coming-of-age drama isn’t expected to premiere until 2025 after the writers' and actors' strikes delayed production. PEOPLE also confirmed that production on season 3 won’t officially start until 2024. 

Season 2 left off with the heartbreaking death of Ashtray (Javon Walton), the little brother to Angus Cloud’s character Fezco. A standoff with police — and an apparent fatal shooting — left the fate of Fez uncertain, too. There was likely jail time in his future as well as questions about his health over his gunshot wound. 

Offscreen, grief found the cast when Cloud died in August from an accidental drug overdose. "Angus was special to all of us in so many ways," Cloud's family said, in part. "Last week he buried his father and intensely struggled with this loss. The only comfort we have is knowing Angus is now reunited with his dad, who was his best friend. Angus was open about his battle with mental health and we hope that his passing can be a reminder to others that they are not alone and should not fight this on their own in silence."

How Cloud’s character will be written out from the series remains unknown. 

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Also uncertain is what will happen to Barbie Ferreira’s character Kat Hernandez following the star’s departure from the series in August 2022. 

"I don't think there was a place for [Kat] to go," she said on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast in April. "I think there were places she could have gone. I just don't think it would have fit into the show. I don't know if it was going to do her justice, and I think both parties knew that."

Other questions remain regarding what’s to come of the drama onscreen. Rue’s (Zendaya Coleman) sobriety is always an ongoing question because of her intense drug use in earlier episodes. A voiceover ended the season, “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.”

Rue’s relationship with Jules (Hunter Schafer) is also up in the air after Schafer’s character confessed to still missing her former girlfriend. 

Then, of course, there was the Cassie (Sydney Sweeney) and Maddy (Alexa Demie) drama — and Cassie’s ongoing situation with Maddy’s ex Nate (Jacob Elordi.) Though the relationship may not be stable, and has technically ended, there could be more to the story to explore in the new season.

Euphoria can be streamed on Max. 

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.