A new report has shed light on the delayed third season of Euphoria. Though none of the series stars nor crew members has publicly spoken out, The Hollywood Reporter reported that creator Sam Levinson‘s involvement in the controversial series The Idol led to production delays.
Per the report that was published earlier this week, a source claimed that Euphoria star Zendaya‘s relationship with Levinson changed because of his participation in his other HBO show.
“Her image is pristine,” an executive told the publication, referring to Zendaya’s fan base. “And fans were turning against Sam.”
At first, the actress, 27, and the filmmaker and writer, 39, “were thick as thieves” during the early days of their collaboration, an insider said, adding, “She found him to be an inspiring director and she knew she was embodying him” in her role as Rue, who is a drug addict in the series.
The main cast of ‘EUPHORIA’ will all return for Season 3.
Filming is set to begin January 2025. pic.twitter.com/UbNMAmhbX4
— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) July 12, 2024
A separate source close to Levinson, however, claimed that the reason behind Euphoria‘s production delay was because of Zendaya’s film career. The actress has starred in multiple blockbusters, from Spider-Man: No Way Home, to Dune: Part Two and, most recently, Challengers.
Additionally, other sources informed the publication that Levinson is difficult to work with behind the camera, alleging that he has “stressful” expectations for everyone to keep up with him.
“Sam was so stressful to everyone around him,” a source told the publication in the exposé. “He is a person who needs to be handled.” Per the insider, Levinson’s alleged obsessive demeanor caused him to have “no off button” at work. “He would shoot all night, if he could,” the source added. “He always wants to push boundaries and shock people a little bit. He needs someone to curate his thoughts and ideas.”
The last episode of Euphoria aired in early 2022. Since then, fans have eagerly stood by for updates regarding the third season, which HBO confirmed is underway.
Neither Levinson nor Zendaya has publicly commented on the recent claims about Euphoria.