The Last Of Us Season 3: What You Need to Know Now

Below lie spoilers for the entirety of ‘The Last of Us’ series, broadcast on HBO and Max. Proceed with caution if you haven’t completed your viewing yet.

During the progression from development to production of the second season of “The Last of Us,” co-creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann openly discussed their intention to divide the storyline of the video game sequel into two parts. Although HBO did not confirm a third season until the week before the second season’s premiere, it has been officially renewed as part of several upcoming adaptations of video games. Indeed, Season 3 promises to be an exhilarating continuation.

Following the thrilling Season 2 finale that left a key character, along with a few others, in peril, viewers of The Last of Us are now left guessing about Ellie’s destiny for quite some time. As we eagerly await any news, we’re compiling all the major Season 3 updates and making predictions about potential plot developments and which characters might reappear. So join me on Shimmer as we gallop through what we currently know about the upcoming season.

When Will The Last Of Us Season 3 Premiere?

After wrapping up Season 2, “The Last of Us” enthusiasts might find themselves in a prolonged anticipation, eagerly wondering how the surviving characters’ tales unfold on the screen. As of now, no specific arrangements have been announced for the start of filming, let alone a confirmed air date on HBO.

There’s a chance we might not get new episodes until 2027, mirroring the almost two-year gap between season one and two. Fingers crossed the delay isn’t as prolonged this time around.

Craig Mazin’s Plan Has Been To Start Writing Season 3 After Season 2 Ends

At the beginning of April, Craig Mazin, one of the co-showrunners, spoke with GamesRadar+ and was heavily engaged in finalizing details before the Season 2 premiere. Consequently, he wasn’t prepared to discuss the plot for upcoming episodes at that time. However, he mentioned that he would resume work soon after a short break from his computer.

The renewal we received from HBO signifies an immense confidence in it, which implies that viewers won’t have to fret about it getting canceled. They can enjoy Season 2 without worry, as there will undoubtedly be a Season 3. However, I’ll need a couple of weeks before diving back into work. And if there’s one thing I am sure about myself, I’ll be eagerly waiting to get writing again.

I’d be glad if Mazin shares his timeline for outlining the upcoming season on social media, so we can keep track of his progress.

What Will The Last Of Us’ Season 3 Story Be About?

In the upcoming season of “The Last of Us”, it’s certain that the creative team has some unexpected elements planned. However, there are at least two major plotlines that we can confidently say will be explored in depth during Season 3.

Abby’s Story

In Season 2 of “The Last of Us”, Ellie’s part of the heartrending story unfolded, while most scenes focusing on Abby were reserved for Season 3. This narrative split, happening simultaneously, is quite daring because it allows viewers more time to develop animosity towards Abby, who appears to be the antagonist. However, I’m confident that the writers will manage to make us empathize with Abby swiftly enough to understand her unforgivable actions from her perspective.

For further insight, Mazin and Druckmann plan to delve deeper into Abby’s routine as a loyal soldier under Isaac’s WLF command, revealing aspects of her daily life and relationships with other group members. Additionally, they aim to provide more background details about characters like Owen and Mel, whose deaths in the finale were already heart-wrenching, as well as other characters.

The War Between The Wolves And The Scars

In Episode 204, when Isaac, played by Jeffrey Wright, appeared as a harsh and intimidating character, I thought the TV series might offer a brief explanation or backstory to clarify the ongoing struggle between the aggressive WLF soldiers and the enigmatic Seraphites. However, in the subsequent podcast discussion titled “Day One,” Craig Mazin revealed that Season 3 will delve into these questions, explaining that concerns about renewal factored into the choice to postpone such details entirely.

I’m eagerly anticipating the outcome of that trek into the abyss, even though I know it won’t be a pleasant ride. It’s clear that Isaac’s decision to lead his pack of Wolves towards what seems like their demise, with the intent of destroying the Seraphites’ island, wasn’t made over trivial matters.

The Last Of Us Characters And Cast Members Most Likely To Return In Season 3

Ellie (Bella Ramsey) & Dina (Isabela Merced) – Alive, Presumed Alive

I think we can all agree that this duo is the most obvious pair of characters destined to be back on the small screen for The Last of Us Season 3, so it’s not really worth going into the reasons why it’s logical, even if we didn’t see where Dina was after Abby breached the theater.

Joel (Pedro Pascal) – Beaten And Stabbed To Death By Abby

While it definitely seemed like Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann utilized the bulk of the games’ Joel-centric flashbacks in Season 2’s penultimate episode, I can’t help but feel like the co-creators will continue giving viewers emotional pops that coincide with Ellie’s memories, or perhaps even Abby’s nightmares.

Tommy (Gabriel Luna) & Maria (Rutina Wesley) – Alive, Alive

While Maria’s safety isn’t in question by the end of Season 2, Tommy being at the end of Abby’s gun barrel is not the happiest situation for the character. That said, he didn’t appear to be fatally wounded in those final moments, and it didn’t appear as if Abby’s final gunshot was meant for his head.

Jesse (Young Mazino) – Shot To Death By Abby

Honestly, I don’t expect Jesse to get a ton of extra scenes in Season 3, and while it would be good to see more from him and DIna in private, I really only expect to see Jesse return whenever the show returns to that final scene from Abby’s point of view. A sad reason to have the actor back on set, but still.

Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) – Alive

Considering Season 2 ends with her likely aiming to put a bullet between Ellie’s eyes, I’d say the chances are higher than Gail that Abby will return almost immediately when Season 3 kicks off.

Owen (Spencer Lord) & Mel (Ariela Barer) – Both Killed By Ellie

Although Owen and Mel were abruptly removed from the story during their encounter with Ellie, it remains unexplored what their personal tales might be. Consequently, I can speculate that their histories will be further elaborated upon, leading to heartrending backstories that intensify the emotional impact of their eventual tragic endings when they are ultimately witnessed.

Nora (Tati Gabrielle) – Presumed Dead

In the game, Nora, who was the first eliminated from Abby’s group, might not have a particularly intriguing background for the TV series. However, Tati Gabrielle’s outstanding performance in the latter part of “Feel Her Love” is so compelling that it seems likely we’ll uncover some emotionally poignant aspects of her character’s past.

Manny (Danny Ramirez) – Presumed Alive

Manny, one of the key members in Abby’s group, hasn’t had his storyline continued past the Season 2 finale, as he was not featured after his initial appearance in “Day One.” It would be quite surprising if this character didn’t reappear before the end of the season.

Isaac (Jeffrey Wright) – Presumed Alive

In simple terms, I’m eagerly anticipating Season 3 of the HBO series to delve deeper into the enigmatic nature of the WLF leader and the ongoing struggle between the soldiers and the Seraphites, as well as understanding his motivations. Also, I expect Burton, Isaac’s faithful right-hand man played by Ben Ahlers, will continue to be part of the storyline.

The Last Of Us Characters And Cast Members Least Likely To Return In Season 3

Eugene (Joe Pantoliano) – Shot To Death By Joel

As much as I’d love to witness a scene where Joey Pants and Catherine O’Hara were actually on-screen together as married couple Eugene and Gail, I don’t see the need for him to return after such an emotionally gripping guest spot in “The Price.”

Gail (Catherine O’Hara) – Alive

I’m not entirely certain that Gail will reappear in Season 3, given the strong possibility of keeping Catherine O’Hara on the show for a compelling reason. However, if the focus shifts heavily towards Abby’s group in Season 3, it might be challenging to allocate enough screen time for Gail after Eugene’s death has been fully explored. Additionally, Catherine O’Hara herself mentioned to Variety that she wouldn’t return for Season 3 as per showrunner Scott Dekaney (Mazin).

Javier Miller (Tony Dalton) – Fate Unknown, Presumed Dead

In the video games, Joel’s family only consisted of Sarah and Tommy. However, the TV series introduced a character who is revealed as the father of the Miller boys, portrayed as a conscious abuser aiming to halt the cycle of violence in Joel’s life. This character appeared briefly in an important scene that helped illustrate Joel’s role as a surrogate father in “The Price.” It’s likely that he won’t be featured again in future episodes for introspective flashbacks.

Seth (Robert John Burke) – Alive

Despite my anticipation that we might encounter Maria and Gail again, it seems unlikely that “The Last of Us” will grant a second chance for the prejudiced service worker to make amends for his offensive behavior, especially after witnessing Ellie and Dina’s kiss.

Season 3 Likely Won’t Be The Final Season

Despite the long-running success of “The Walking Dead” with its multiple seasons and spinoffs, one might expect “The Last of Us” to follow suit. However, creators Neil Druckman and Craig Mazin have made it clear in interviews that they aim to avoid repeating the mistake made by “Game of Thrones” by not extending the live-action adaptation beyond the already established storyline.

If neither a third video game nor its existence has been officially announced, one might assume that the television series would conclude once the storylines from the second game are fully portrayed. However, surprisingly…

As a devoted fan, I echo Craig Mazin’s sentiments when he mentioned to Collider that he believes the creative team may struggle to fully encompass the remainder of the game’s narrative in Season 3, regardless of its potential length expansion over the second season.

There’s a good possibility that Season 3 will be extended compared to Season 2, given the unique aspects of the storyline and the expanded creative possibilities. We might have some additional space to work with. However, it’s not definite that we can complete this narrative in three seasons. Ideally, we would have enough success to return for a fourth season and wrap up the story. That seems to be the most plausible scenario.

There’s a possibility that Season 3 could conclude with the same suspenseful ending, only seen from a fresh angle. Here’s hoping it doesn’t turn out this way, but it definitely appears plausible.

2025-05-26 05:39