Season 3 of The Last of Us is officially confirmed, and although filming has not yet begun, some details are already starting to emerge about what we can expect in the next installment of HBO’s hit series.
Who’s returning for Season 3 of The Last of Us?
So far, the final cast of the series hasn’t been confirmed; however, it’s known that this third season will feature the following actors:
- Bella Ramsey as Ellie
- Kaitlyn Dever as Abby
- Isabela Merced as Dina
- Gabriel Luna as Tommy
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Will Pedro Pascal be in The Last of Us 3?
Pedro Pascal, who portrayed Joel, will not have a leading role in Season 3 of The Last of Us. While a brief flashback appearance hasn’t been ruled out, his character’s death marks the definitive end of his role in the series.
What will happen in The Last of Us 3?
Season 3 of The Last of Us will continue adapting events from the second part of the video game The Last of Us Part II. So far, the series has depicted Joel’s tragic death at the hands of Abby, who is seeking revenge for her father’s murder.
This event drives Ellie into a violent journey, her sole goal being to find and exact revenge on Abby. Dina accompanies her, and as their romantic relationship deepens, it’s revealed that Dina is pregnant with her ex-boyfriend Jesse’s child.
With Joel’s death, Ellie loses her father figure, and her personality grows darker and more ruthless. In the game, when Ellie finally confronts Abby, their fight puts Dina’s life at risk, forcing Ellie to reconsider her thirst for vengeance. Trying to rebuild her life, Ellie decides to stay with Dina and her son JJ, whom she accepts as her own.
However, haunted by her past, she ultimately leaves everything behind to resume her search for Abby. Although Season 3 will follow this narrative arc, it’s likely, as with previous episodes, that certain scenes will include changes.
When will The Last of Us 3 premiere?
As of now, HBO hasn’t announced an official release date, but filming is expected to begin in summer 2025. If production follows the timeline of previous seasons, the third installment could premiere on Max by late 2026 or early 2027.
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What’s the plot of The Last of Us?
The Last of Us is an American television series that debuted on January 15, 2023, on HBO. The show is based on the 2013 video game of the same name developed by Naughty Dog.
The plot unfolds in a world devastated by a pandemic caused by a fungus that infects humans and turns them into zombie-like creatures. Twenty years after the outbreak, Joel, a smuggler from Boston, meets Ellie, a young girl who is uniquely immune to the fungal infection.
This means that even if she is bitten by a zombie, she won’t transform. From that moment, Ellie becomes Joel’s protected companion as he sets out to find his brother Tommy. The story follows their journey from Boston to locate Tommy, while facing numerous challenges along the way, including the ever-present threat of the infected.
What are the zombies in The Last of Us called?
They are named according to the stage of infection:
- Stage 1: Runners. The person has just been infected, and the fungus hasn’t fully spread throughout the body, so they still appear somewhat human—though they are not.
- Stage 2: Stalkers. Two weeks post-infection, the fungus begins visibly growing, and the skin starts to peel. These creatures lose their human sounds and begin to emit croaking noises.
- Stage 3: Clickers. At this stage, the cordyceps has disfigured the body, especially the eyes, which are completely gone. The infected heads resemble large flowers opening from the skull.
- Stage 4: Bloaters or Shamblers. By now, the invading fungus has hardened, forming protective plates. These creatures are slow and clumsy, but highly aggressive.
