HBO series The Last of Us production updates

HBO has ordered a third season of ‘The Last of Us’, which is expected to focus on the narrative of the second video game. This upcoming season will feature a significant shift in perspective by centering on the character Abby, played by Kaitlyn Dever, while Bella Ramsey returns as Ellie.

Craig Mazin will serve as the sole showrunner for the third season following Neil Druckmann’s decision to step away from television production to focus on Naughty Dog game development. However, Naughty Dog head Neil Druckmann has since confirmed that the studio is not finished with the franchise. While Druckmann and the studio may not be involved in the creative direction of the third season, he noted that Naughty Dog remains the ‘steward of the intellectual property’ and indicated that several projects within the franchise are currently in development.

Production has resumed in Vancouver, with leaked set footage suggesting the season may utilize flashbacks to feature characters such as Tommy (Gabriel Luna) and Jesse (Young Mazino), despite Jesse’s death in the previous season. The upcoming episodes are expected to explore events occurring in Seattle.

While an official release date has not been confirmed, HBO leadership has suggested a possible 2027 release window for the approximately nine episodes expected.