Everything you need to know About The Last of Us Season 3
HBO has already confirmed that The Last of Us will return for a third season, building on the intense and emotional fallout from season two's jaw-dropping finale. With the story taking a bold new direction that shifts the spotlight to unexpected characters, anticipation is skyrocketing as fans wonder what fresh twists and challenges lie ahead.
Season two shook the very foundation of the series with a stunning cliffhanger that left viewers on the edge of their seats, eager for answers and new developments. As excitement builds, the creative team has hinted that the upcoming chapters will expand the narrative in surprising ways, hinting at fresh perspectives and untold stories.
Dive into everything currently known about The Last of Us season 3—from casting buzz to storyline speculation and beyond. This is your ultimate guide to what’s coming next, packed with insights you won’t want to miss. Stay tuned, because we’ll be updating this space with every new revelation as it unfolds—your front-row seat to the saga’s next thrilling chapter awaits!
Release date & Where to Watch
Since The Last of Us season one aired in 2023 and season two premiered in 2025, a similar two-year gap suggests season three could arrive on HBO and Max around 2027.
Co-showrunner and head writer Craig Mazin recently told GamesRadar+ in an article published in April 2025 that he hadn't begun writing for season 3, as back then, even season 2 wasn't fully done. He said, "I'll take a few weeks. Then if there's one thing I know about myself, I will be absolutely champing at the bit to get back to the keyboard."
What is the plot of The Last of Us Season 3?
The Last of Us season 3 will continue adapting The Last of Us Part II, focusing on Ellie’s quest for revenge against Abby, who brutally killed Joel after it was revealed that Joel had killed Abby’s father, the only doctor capable of creating a cure for the Cordyceps virus. The season 2 finale ends with Ellie confronting Abby, resulting in Jesse’s death and Abby shooting Ellie, before cutting to Abby waking up at the WLF headquarters with the text "Seattle Day One."
The Last of Us Part II is uniquely told from both Ellie and Abby’s perspectives, with the timeline split between their overlapping days in Seattle and subsequent events at The Farm and Santa Barbara. Season 3 is expected to explore Abby’s viewpoint during those critical days when Ellie and Dina were pursuing her, providing insight into Abby’s backstory and motivations.
The Farm and Santa Barbara sections of the game, depicting Ellie’s life with Dina and their baby, along with Tommy urging Ellie to track Abby, could be reserved for a potential season 4, especially since season 3 will focus heavily on Abby’s story. The show’s creators have already adjusted the narrative; for example, season 2, reveals Abby’s plan to kill Joel early on, unlike the game, where her motives remain hidden until later.
In a May 2025 interview with Collider, Mazin noted that season 3 might be longer than season 2 due to narrative opportunities, explaining, “The thing about Joel’s death is that it’s so impactful. It’s such a narrative nuclear bomb that it’s hard to wander away from it [in season 2]. We can’t really take a break and move off to the side and do a Bill and Frank story.”
While the TV series follows the game’s broad strokes, Neil Druckmann, co-creator and game director, has introduced new characters and scenes to expand the story. So, although the game serves as a roadmap, the show is not strictly bound by it.
Season 3 is expected to delve deeply into Abby’s perspective, especially after her major but brief appearance in season 2. Catherine O’Hara teased Variety that season three would be “the Abby story,” suggesting viewers will see much more of her and the unfolding conflict in Seattle, including the intensifying war between the WLF and the Seraphites.
Who’s in the cast of The Last of Us Season 3?
Here’s the potential cast list for The Last of Us season three:
- Bella Ramsey as Ellie
- Kaitlyn Dever as Abby
- Pedro Pascal as Joel
- Gabriel Luna as Tommy
- Rutina Wesley as Maria
- Isabela Merced as Dina
- Jeffrey Wright as Isaac
- Spencer Lord as Owen
- Tati Gabrielle as Nora
- Danny Ramirez as Manny
- Ariela Barer as Mel
- Alanna Ubach as Hanrahan
Is There a Trailer for The Last of Us Season 3?
There’s no trailer for The Last of Us season 3 yet, as writing and filming haven’t started. With the season likely to premiere in 2027, a trailer probably won’t arrive until sometime that year — or possibly in late 2026.
Is The Last of Us Season 3 the Final Season?
Season three of The Last of Us won’t be the end — at least, not if Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann have their way.
The showrunners have consistently said that adapting The Last of Us Part II would require more than just two seasons. After the official season 3 renewal, Mazin told Collider, “There’s no way to complete this narrative in a third season. Hopefully, we’ll earn our keep enough to come back and finish it in a fourth. That’s the most likely outcome.”
He echoed the same to Deadline in 2024, explaining, “We don’t think that we’re going to be able to tell the story even within two seasons [2 and 3] because we’re taking our time to go down interesting pathways, which we did a little bit in season 1, too. Season 3 will be significantly larger. And indeed, the story may require season 4.”
That aligns with HBO drama chief Francesca Orsi, who told Deadline in February 2025 that “it’s looking like four seasons.” Season 3 will shift focus to Abby (Kaitlyn Dever), picking up her side of the story during the events Ellie and Dina experienced in season 2. But with only seven episodes expected again (for now), many fans believe the final confrontation between Ellie and Abby — a key moment from the game — will likely be saved for season four.
Following HBO’s green light, Mazin celebrated season 2’s success in a press statement, stating the “end results have exceeded even our most ambitious goals,” while Druckmann said they’re “thrilled to bring you more of The Last of Us.”
Will Ellie be in The Last of Us Season 3?
It looks like Ellie’s role in The Last of Us season 3 will be significantly reduced. As fans of the original Naughty Dog games know, the story eventually shifts focus from Ellie to Abby — and the HBO series seems to be following that trajectory. According to Variety, Bella Ramsey confirmed that they’ll “most likely” have a smaller role in the next season. They said:
“I haven’t seen any scripts, but yes, I do expect [to have a smaller part]. I think that I’m going to be there, but not a whole bunch. We’ve had conversations about that. I sort of have a rough idea of what it’s going to be, but I can’t tell you."
Meanwhile, creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann hinted that Ellie, Dina, and others might not appear on screen at all in season 3. “Even if I thought I knew now exactly how it was going to go, I’m experienced enough to know that two weeks from now we may have a different idea of how it should go,” Mazin said during a May 23 press conference (via TV Line).
Druckmann added, “Whether you will see them on screen or not [in season three], their presence will be there throughout.”
Will Joel Return for TLOU Season 3?
Joel may be gone, but that doesn’t mean Pedro Pascal’s time on The Last of Us is over. While the character was brutally killed by Abby in season 2 as revenge for her father’s death, episode six proved that flashbacks still offer a way to bring him back.
As co-creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann confirmed in a post-finale interview, Joel’s story could continue “thanks to the magic of flashbacks” (via Polygon). So, while his present-day journey is over, there’s still room for Pascal to appear in future episodes.
Will Catherine O'Hara be in The Last of Us Season 3?
Catherine O’Hara, who played Gail, a therapist in Jackson coping with the loss of her infected husband killed by Joel, won’t be returning for The Last of Us season 3. Although fans were thrilled by her performance in season two, the Emmy winner confirmed in a Variety interview that co-showrunner Craig Mazin told her she “definitely” would not appear in the upcoming season.
Filming Details
According to the Film and Television Alliance, The Last of Us season 3 is expected to start production on June 30, 2025 in Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Behind the Scenes
Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, the creators behind The Last of Us TV series and the original video game franchise, are officially returning as showrunners and head writers for season 3. Halley Gross, who co-wrote The Last of Us Part II, is also expected to return as a screenwriter and will serve as co-executive producer.
Druckmann said in a recent press statement:
“To see ‘The Last of Us’ brought to life so beautifully and faithfully has been a career highlight for me, and I am grateful for the fans’ enthusiastic and overwhelming support. Much of that success is thanks to my partner in crime, Craig Mazin, our partnership with HBO, and our team at PlayStation Productions. On behalf of everyone at Naughty Dog, our cast, and crew, thank you so much for allowing us this opportunity. We're thrilled to bring you more of THE LAST OF US!”
Executive producers for the third season include Mazin, Druckmann, Carolyn Strauss, Jacqueline Lesko, Cecil O’Connor, Asad Qizilbash, Carter Swan, and Evan Wells.
“It can’t be overemphasized how proud HBO is for the outstanding achievement we believe the second season of ‘The Last of Us’ is,” said HBO drama and films head Francesca Orsi. She also added:
“Craig, Neil, Carolyn and the entire executive producer team, cast and crew have delivered a masterful follow-up and we’re thrilled to carry the power of Craig and Neil’s storytelling into what we know will be an equally moving and extraordinary third season."
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