The hit HBO series Euphoria is back for its third season, and things look different. Showrunner Sam Levinson recently opened up about one of the most important changes for the new episodes. He wants the show to feel like a classic movie from the golden age of cinema.
The third season premiered on April 12, 2026. After a long wait, fans can finally see Rue, Jules, and the rest of the group navigate their twenties. The story jumps forward five years. The characters are leaving high school behind and facing the real world. To match this growth, Levinson and cinematographer Marcell Rév decided to change the entire visual style of the show.
Sam Levinson Wanted a Classic Movie Feel for Season 3
In a recent interview, Levinson explained why the new season looks so different from the first two. He said the team had a clear goal for the look of Season 3.
“We wanted to feel a bit more like an old Hollywood film,” Levinson said.
He explained that the show’s look has to grow along with the characters. The first season had a raw and electric energy. The second season felt more like a fading memory. For the third season, they wanted to pull the camera back.
“We wanted to take a step back to have wider frames, and to feel our characters inside of the wider world,” Levinson added.
The creator said their rule is simple. “Our approach has always been evolve or die. Even if something’s worked, we don’t want to repeat ourselves.”
Shooting on 65mm Film to Create a New Look
To get that classic movie feel, the production team made a big technical change. Euphoria Season 3 is shot on 65mm film stock. This is a very high-quality format that gives the picture a unique depth and clarity.
This is a major move for a TV series. Rév explained that they did not originally plan to shoot the whole season this way. They started by testing the large format for just one scene.
“After the first couple of days, we sort of go, ‘Well, why don’t we shoot this closeup with the 65mm?’ And we just started shooting more and more with the 65mm,” Levinson recalled.
The result is stunning. The first episode shows Rue (Zendaya) working as a drug mule crossing borders. The wide shots place her against huge desert landscapes. The images are crisp and wide. It looks less like a normal TV show and more like a movie shown in a theater.
The Western Genre Inspires the New Direction
The old Hollywood look also connects to a specific type of movie: the Western. Levinson said he and Rév watched films like “Rio Bravo” to get ideas.
He believes the Western genre fits where the characters are now.
“They’re out in the big, bad world, and they have total freedom. They can choose who they want to be,” Levinson said.
This freedom comes with a price. The characters have to face the results of their choices. This “outlaw” feeling fits Rue’s new life and the struggles of the other characters.
Levinson also pointed to a Season 2 scene as a test for this style. The gas station scene with Fez (Angus Cloud), Lexi, and Cal used Western-style camera work. That scene had very little talking. The camera told the whole story. Now, they are using that idea for the whole season.
A New Sound to Match the New Visuals
The visual changes are not the only big update. The sound of the show is changing too. Composer Labrinth is not returning for Season 3. His music was a huge part of the first two seasons.
HBO confirmed Labrinth’s exit before the season started. In his place, the legendary Hans Zimmer is helping with the score. Levinson said the music is moving toward a more cinematic style.
“I wanted to lean into an old-fashioned Hollywood Western score,” Levinson said. This matches the new visual style perfectly. The wide shots of the desert and the sweeping music work together to create a totally new feeling for the show.
Honoring Lost Cast Members in the New Season
The long wait for Season 3 was partly due to real-life tragedy. The show lost two important cast members. Angus Cloud, who played Fez, died in 2023. Eric Dane, who played Cal, died in early 2026.
Levinson spoke emotionally about losing Cloud. He decided to keep the character of Fez alive in the show to honor the actor.
“I thought that if I couldn’t keep him alive in life then maybe within this show that I can control and keep him alive there,” Levinson told reporters at the premiere.
He said Cloud’s storyline in Season 3 is something the late actor would have loved. “I think he would be cracking up at his story line. I think he would love it.”
Eric Dane finished filming his scenes before he passed away. Levinson shared that Dane insisted on working despite his illness.
“When he showed up, I noticed that his speech was a little slurred. He was a bit self-conscious, and I said, ‘This works perfectly. We’re gonna put five beer bottles in front of you,’” Levinson recalled. He called Dane a true professional and said he misses him.
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Where to Watch Euphoria Season 3
Euphoria Season 3 airs weekly on HBO. The first episode premiered on April 12, 2026. New episodes come out every Sunday at 9 p.m. ET.
For viewers in India, the show is available on JioHotstar. The first episode dropped on April 15, 2026. New episodes will be released every Wednesday.
The season has eight episodes total. Fans in the US can also stream the show on Max.
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