It seems more change is coming on The Last of Us, and this time Marvel might end up being to blame.
Danny Ramirez will no longer be returning for the third season of HBO’s hit video game adaptation, exiting the show after just one season. Ramirez’s exit comes as a result of a scheduling conflict that will prevent him from filming season 3. No further details have been provided on what project has forced Ramirez to pull out of the series, but there is a good chance it could be Marvel-related.
Filming for Avengers: Secret Wars is expected to begin in Summer 2026 which is around the same time The Last of Us season 3 is rumored to begin in Spring or Summer. Although the cast of Avengers: Secret Wars has not been confirmed, it is expected that Ramirez will return as Joaquin Torres/Falcon – Ramirez was one of the initial actors confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday via Marvel’s chair-themed live stream.
With production on season 3 of The Last of Us ramping up in the coming months, HBO is expected to announce Ramirez’s replacement at a later date.
Joining the cast in season 2, Ramirez played former Fireflies member Manny, a loyal soldier whose sunny outlook hides the pain of old wounds and fears of failing his friends. As one of Abby’s closest friends, Manny was among those who helped her seek and find Joel so that she could exact her revenge for killing her father at the Firefly hospital.
It’s unclear how large a role Manny is intended to have in the third season, or where his character might go next as the show pushes ahead. With the role being recast, we imagine that the plan is for Manny to remain a key recurring character in the new season or possibly take on a larger role.
This marks the second major change for the show heading into its third season following the announcement that Neil Druckman, who co-created and directed The Last of Us video games and has been a key player in the show’s creation, would be taking a step back from his role on the show in season 3. While Druckman will remain on board as co-creator and executive producer, he will not write or direct any season 3 episodes.
It'll be interesting to see how this shift alters the direction of the show in season 3, which has an uphill battle ahead already. Many fans reported decreased interest in the series following the events of season 2, and the season's viewership reflected this with a sizable decline in viewership.