The cast of The Last of Us 3 continues to grow, bringing with it a particularly welcome surprise for fans of the video game. Laura Bailey, the longtime voice of Abby in The Last of Us: Part II, has officially joined the cast of HBO’s third season. But she won’t be alone. Alongside her, announcements confirmed the arrivals of John Goodman and Ian Alexander, actors known respectively for Pappa e ciccia, The Big Lebowski, and The Righteous Gemstones, and for The OA and Star Trek: Discovery.
Laura Bailey returns to the The Last of Us universe
As we know, Abby in the series is portrayed by Kaitlyn Dever, so Laura Bailey has been chosen to step into the shoes of another character; she will play Elizabeth, one of the Seraphites’ leaders, the religious sect already introduced in season 2. This nonetheless marks an intriguing return for Bailey to the show’s universe, as she had a brief cameo in the first season, appearing in the operating room during Ellie’s sequence. The new, more substantial role carries particular significance for fans of the video game who had long hoped to see the actress involved in the TV adaptation.
All the new cast entries
Additionally, John Goodman will portray Joey, while Ian Alexander will take on the role of Paco. The two characters are described as a tight-knit pair of friends who call themselves the “highway heroes.” Alexander, as a reminder, is also a familiar face for players: in The Last of Us: Part II he voiced Lev. This announcement thus broadens the link between the HBO series and the original video game material.
What will The Last of Us 3 tell?
Regarding the plot, the third season is expected to continue the story left open by the finale of the second season, further expanding Abby’s arc and the conflict among the various groups vying for territory. As the writers have already hinted, the new cycle will continue drawing from the events and characters of the game’s second volume, telling the story primarily from Abby’s perspective, though it has not yet been revealed how faithful to the source material the adaptation will be. At the heart of the narrative will remain the consequences of the choices made by the protagonists in previous seasons, while the arrival of Elizabeth and the Seraphites could help deepen one of the most important elements of The Last of Us universe: the clash of ideologies and communities in a world devastated by the Cordyceps infection.
When does The Last of Us 3 come out?
The third season is expected to serve as the concluding chapter of HBO’s series, at least according to the plan laid out for the adaptation. After the finale of season 2, which aired in 2025, production of the new cycle temporarily paused due to difficulties in filming certain scenes during preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the locations used by the show. Production has since resumed, and The Last of Us 3 is anticipated to premiere in 2027 on HBO Max and, in Italy, also on Sky and streaming on NOW. For now, no precise date has been announced.
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