What we know so far about season 2 of HBO's 'Euphoria'

• HBO's hit drama "Euphoria" debuted in June 2019. Season two is set to premiere on January 9.
• The pandemic delayed production, but two bridge episodes that were filmed safely were released.
• Zendaya, Hunter Schafer, and Angus Cloud are among the cast members set to return for season two.

It's been more than a year since season one of HBO's gritty teen drama "Euphoria" ended, but there's plenty more to look forward to when the show returns.

"Euphoria" was a success upon its release in June 2019 and got renewed the following month, before the finale even aired. It also nabbed three total Emmy nominations and one historic win for Zendaya (Rue), who became the youngest woman to receive the award for outstanding lead actress in a drama series.

Here's what we know so far about the upcoming season of "Euphoria."

Production was pushed back due to the coronavirus pandemic

In photos posted by the show's official Twitter account on March 11, 2020, Zendaya and costar Angus Cloud (Fez) were seen at a table read for season two.

—euphoria (@euphoriaHBO) March 11, 2020

—euphoria (@euphoriaHBO) March 11, 2020

But then, like most other TV and film projects, the show halted production as the coronavirus spread.

In an interview with MJ Rodriguez for Variety's Actors on Actors series, Zendaya said that they were days away from filming before they were shut down.

"We were supposed to go back to work, I believe, on March 16," she said. "And, literally, three or four days before that, they were shut down. I was like, 'I was so close.' We did camera tests and hair and makeup tests, and we got to see everybody and we had the sets were built."

Before season 2 is released, fans were treated to 2 special episodes

Not part of season one and also not part of season two, the episodes were meant to function as a bridge to tide viewers over.

Zendaya previously teased the episodes during her virtual appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" in August 2020, saying that the "bridge" episodes were a way to give fans something until they can begin filming season two safely with a larger crew.

Zendaya and some costars were indeed able to reunite to film, adhering to COVID-19 guidelines.

The first of two special episodes was released on HBO Max on Friday, December 4.

The first episode, titled "Trouble Don't Last Always," centered on Rue having a candid, lengthy conversation — discussing everything from addiction to existentialism — with Ali (Colman Domingo) in a diner after Jules (Hunter Schafer) left her had a train station.

Zendaya also told Essence that the first episode, written by show creator Sam Levinson, "stemmed from a scene he wrote for the second season that I was obsessed with. Then he basically turned it into one long episode."

"The storytelling method is so different from the first season," she explained. "It feels like 'Euphoria' but feels nothing like 'Euphoria,' in a beautiful way."

"You get to sit with the characters in a deeper way," Zendaya said.

The second bridge episode, co-written by Schafer, centered on Jules and was released on HBO on January 22.

—Hunter Schafer (@hunters) December 7, 2020

Zendaya promised a 'beautiful 2nd season' and costar Sydney Sweeney called it 'darker'

"I do miss Rue," the actress said in her September 2020 cover story for InStyle. "She's like my little sister in a lot of ways. And going back to that character is a home base for me. There is a beautiful second season that has been written, but in order to do it the way we want to do it, we need to wait until it's safer."

In April, Sweeney, who portrays Cassie, told Entertainment Tonight: "You won't even be able to guess what's coming... I couldn't even guess it."

"It's just shocking," she added. "I mean, everything with life as a teenager is shocking, so you never know what to expect."

Elaborating on the "darker" season, Sweeney said that the characters will be "getting into more intense situations."

Sweeney also told Who What Wear that she's enjoyed seeing Cassie "grow" while filming season two.

Storm Reid, who plays Zendaya's on-screen sister Gia, told Entertainment Weekly that her character will "be older and she'll really have her own opinion, and really become her own person."

"I feel like you'll be seeing a lot more Gia in the second season," she said.

Familiar faces will return, plus some new additions to the cast

The aforementioned stars will reprise their roles, in addition to main cast members like Barbie Ferreira (Kat), Maude Apatow (Lexi), Alexa Demie (Maddy), and Jacob Elordi (Nate).

The first new cast member revealed so far is "The High Note" actor Kelvin Harrison Jr., who described the cast as "so fun and sweet and smart."

Demie also told Elle that they're "casting a couple of new characters, but I can't tell you much."

In August 2021, three more stars were added to the cast: Musician Dominic Fike, "Friday Night Lights" star Minka Kelly, and rising actor Demetrius "Lil Meech" Flenory Jr.

Little is known about the latest additions, but Fike described his character to Variety as a "degenerate" who's a "homie" of Rue and Jules.

Season 2 will premiere on Sunday, January 9

Production for season two of "Euphoria" began in spring 2021. Filming wrapped in November, per an Instagram story post from Elordi.

In November, HBO released a teaser for the upcoming season and announced the exact premiere date.