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The Last of Us season 3 is officially in development, and HBO's post-apocalyptic drama fans have much to anticipate. Announced in April 2025, just weeks before season 2's premiere, the renewal was hardly surprising. With critical and commercial success and a dedicated fanbase around the series, a third installment of The Last of Us felt like an obvious decision.
HBO's initial greenlight is also in line with remarks from showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, who extensively argued that the occurrences in the video game sequel, The Last of Us Part II, couldn't be showcased in one season in an interview with GQ in March 2025.
Since its arrival, The Last of Us has revolutionized what can be achieved in video game adaptations, combining survival horror with deep emotional storytelling. Based in a post-pandemic world devastated by an outbreak of fungus, the show tracks Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) as they travel through love, loss, and vengeance in a society that has been destroyed.
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Season 2 resumed after the tearful end of season 1, and brought in important new figures such as Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) and Dina (Isabela Merced), setting the stage for even greater conflict. Now that HBO has officially announced The Last of Us season 3, everyone is waiting to see what happens next.
What is the latest news on The Last of Us season 3?
HBO's renewal of The Last of Us season 3 in April 2025 was announced as confirmation of what many fans had already been speculating. In different interviews with The Hollywood Reporter and Collider, Craig Mazin had previously hinted that season 2 would only be scratching the surface of The Last of Us Part II and that several seasons would be required to do justice to the video game's story.
They said,
"We approached season two with the goal of creating something we could be proud of."
In an interview for The Hollywood Reporter, Mazin mentioned,
"We approached season two with the goal of creating something we could be proud of. The end results have exceeded even our most ambitious goals. We look forward to continuing the story of The Last of Us with season three.”
In an interview with Collider, Mazin stated there's a "decent chance" season 3 of The Last of Us will have more than the seven episodes. One big change viewers can look forward to is a fuller investigation of Abby's history. Actress Catherine O'Hara, who plays therapist Gail Lynden, explained to Variety that season three will
"center more on the Abby story."
The show will probably reveal more of Abby's history, her trauma, and ethical nuance, reshaping her from a villain in Ellie's book to a heroine in her own saga. This pivot will set The Last of Us season 3 apart as a bold, character-driven installment.
What happened at the end of The Last of Us season 2?
The season 2 finale was nothing short of harrowing. After Ellie embarked on a path of vengeance for Joel’s death, she and her group, including Dina, Jesse (Young Mazino), and Tommy (Gabriel Luna), were eventually hunted down by Abby and her fellow W.L.F. operatives.
In a climactic confrontation in a Seattle theater, Jesse was killed by a shot from Abby, and Tommy was severely injured. The confrontation ended with Abby holding a gun to Ellie's head, and Ellie having surrendered. When Abby was about to fire, the screen went black, and then a gunshot sound was heard.
The vague ending created infinite fan theories. Who got shot? Did Ellie live? Was Abby's narrative just starting? Co-creator Neil Druckmann clarified in a post-finale press conference that this ending was always the organic ending point for season 2.
It left enough loose ends to warrant The Last of Us season 3 while leaving room for both Ellie and Abby's narratives to grow.
Season 2 saw a few major characters dying, among them were Nora (Tati Gabrielle), Mel (Ariela Barer), and Owen (Spencer Lord). They were all part of Abby's group and were killed by Ellie on her mission. Their demise will certainly have emotional consequences that will be answered in The Last of Us season 3.
When is The Last of Us season 3 coming out?
HBO has not yet made an official announcement for the release of The Last of Us season 3, but fans do have some understanding of the timeline. Isabela Merced told Variety in May 2025 that production on season 3 will start in 2026.
Given the show's high production value, intricate post-apocalyptic world-building, and VFX demands, fans probably won't see the next installment until late 2026 or early 2027. While the wait may be long, the creators have hinted that The Last of Us season 3 may not be the final chapter.
Craig Mazin told Collider that “there’s no way to complete this narrative in a third season,” and a fourth season will likely be needed to finish adapting The Last of Us Part II. If that is the case, then season three will act as a bridge, going deep into Abby's point of view while picking up Ellie and Dina's emotional storyline.
The key relationship in The Last of Us season 3 will probably be between Ellie and Dina, both are mourning and coming to terms with Jesse's sudden demise.
Interested viewers can watch The Last of Us season 3 on HBO when it releases.
