HBO's The Last of Us adaptation has been a major success from the beginning, cementing itself among the gold standard of video game adaptations right next to other major players, not least Prime Video's Fallout series. The Last of Us season 3 isn't expected to premiere until 2027, but even so, we're seeing some major casting news.
The Last of Us season 3 could well be the final season of the show, although this is not officially confirmed. Given its place in the timeline compared to where the games ended, it's around midway through the story of Naughty Dog's The Last of Us Part II. The world is opening up massively, covering perspectives beyond just Ellie (Bella Ramsey). In fact, the final scene of season 2 shifted perspective to Abby (Kaitlyn Dever), resetting the timeline to show her side of the story in the upcoming third season.
According to Deadline, season 3 will tell the story from Abby's perspective. Of course, Abby had an explosive introduction into season 2, beating Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal) to death in the season's second episode. The Deadline report reveals that Ariela Barer, Tati Gabrielle, and Spencer Lord will all reprise their roles as Mel, Nora and Owen respectively. Collectively, they're known as the Salt Lake City crew, and Abby's closest allies. They have been promoted to series regulars for the upcoming season.
Patrick Wilson has joined #TheLastOfUs Season 3 as Jerry, the father of Abby (Kaitlyn Dever).
— Variety (@Variety) March 16, 2026
Read more about the latest casting update: https://t.co/mljFbUDdln pic.twitter.com/I8dZsaADQ8
Jason Ritter and Patrick Wilson join The Last of Us season 3
In addition to the cast promotions, the series has also added two new series regulars to its cast: Jason Ritter (Matlock) and Patrick Wilson (The Conjuring, Insidious).
Widely known and regarded for his roles in horror franchises, Wilson joins The Last of Us in a highly prominent role. He plays Jerry, the father of Abby who was killed by Joel in the Firefly hospital during the finale of season 1. His death was the catalyst for the entire plot of season 2 and beyond.
Meanwhile, Jason Ritter will play Hanley, a WLF soldier. As for as we can tell, Ritter's character did not appear in the video games, so he is an original character to the show. As it happens, Ritter has previously appeared on the show, having played a Clicker back in season 1 during one of the episodes which featured his wife, Melanie Lynskey, as revolutionary leader Kathleen.
Both of these castings continue to push the idea that The Last of Us season 3 will be heavily focused on Abby's perspective. The third season began filming in  British Columbia in March 2026. Given that it has a massive production, the season is not expected to premiere until sometime in 2027. We'll keep you posted on all the latest updates!