The Last of Us fans may have to wait quite a while before season 3 hits our TV screens. Here’s what we know so far.
The Last of Us season 3 has already been renewed at HBO, but it might be quite a while before fans get to find out what happens next…
Yep, following on from that shock cliffhanger season 2 ending, season 3 is set to hit the rewind button and take viewers back to Seattle Day One. The next season will focus on Kaitlyn Dever’s Abby and what happened to her in the days and months since she killed Joel.
Bella Ramsey and Isabela Merced will also return, with Gabriel Luna’s Tommy and a whole host of new and returning characters.
But when exactly will it come out? And when does filming start? Here’s everything we know about The Last of Us season 3 so far.
The Last of Us season 3 will focus on Abby in Seattle. Picture: HBO
When does The Last of Us season 3 come out?
HBO renewed The Last of Us season 3 just a few days before the premiere of season 2 but filming has not yet started.
No potential start dates have been revealed just yet either, so there’s currently no way of knowing – or predicting – when fans can expect to see season 3.
For reference, The Last of Us season 2 was filmed from February to August 2024 and was released 8 months later, following post-production, in April 2025.
Given that season 3 sounds like it’s going to much ‘bigger’ than season 2, we might have to wait a little longer. If they follow a similar timeline, season 3 could arrive at the end of 2026 or at some point in 2027.
Speaking to Variety, Isabela Merced revealed that she doesn’t know when production is set to start yet, but thinks it might pick back up “next year”. That means filming won’t start until 2026.
Does Abby kill Ellie in The Last of Us season 2 finale? Picture: HBO via YouTube
What will The Last of Us season 3 be about?
The Last of Us season 3 will focus on Kaitlyn Dever’s Abby in the wake of Joel’s murder, and the days in Seattle prior to coming face-to-face with Ellie again.
No specific TV show plot details have been revealed yet but fans can get a pretty good idea of what’s set to happen by playing the game or watching the gameplay. That said, the show has changed quite a lot so it may not be exactly the same.
Per TVLine’s report, co-creator Craig Mazin teased Ellie and Dina’s future storyline, saying: “Where it’s going should be fascinating, given the circumstances that we now all know: Dina is pregnant, and the two of them are committed to each other.”
“That said, there is another side to this story that we have yet to really delve into,” he continued, speaking about Abby. “And there’s no question that Abby is the hero of her story.”
“So, I think where we go next, all I can say is, it will always be centering somebody, whether it’s Ellie and Dina, or whether it’s Abby and Abby’s relationship with Owen, or new relationships.”
Bella Ramsey shows intense training they did for The Last of Us season 2
The Last of Us season 3 cast: Which characters will return?
There’s currently no confirmed cast list for The Last of Us season 3, but we can make a couple of educated guesses about who will return based on the story ahead. The likely confirmed returning cast and characters are:
- Bella Ramsey as Ellie
- Kaitlyn Dever as Abby
- Isabela Merced as Dina
- Gabriel Luna as Tommy
- Danny Ramirez as Manny
- Jeffrey Wright as Isaac
Sadly, Young Mazino’s Jesse was killed at the end of season 2 but it’s possible that he may return in flashbacks as season 3 retraces everyone’s Seattle steps from a different perspective.
Abby’s crew, including Nora, Mel and Owen (who all died in season 2) will likely also feature in season 3 as the story will take place before their deaths.
Elsewhere, season 3 will also introduce several new characters who are heavily involved in Abby’s storyline. Lev being one of them, as well as his sister Yara.
Will Pedro Pascal return as Joel in flashbacks in The Last of Us season 3? Picture: HBO
Will Pedro Pascal be in The Last of Us season 3?
As we all know, Pedro’s Joel Miller was brutally murdered in season 2 episode 2 at the hands of Abby. He later returned in for an episode full of Joel and Ellie flashbacks but is it the last we’ve seen of him?
Speaking about the possibility of Pedro returning, Mazin told reporters: “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.”
He added: “All I can say is we haven’t seen the last of Kaitlyn Dever, and we haven’t seen the last of Bella Ramsey, and we haven’t seen the last of Isabela Merced, and we haven’t seen the last of a lot of people who are currently dead in the story. So I guess the short answer to that question that everyone is asking is: No, I’m not answering.”
Neil Druckmann went on to tease: “I’ll give a bit more, which is: Whether you will see them on screen or not, their presence will be there throughout.”
