Major news, even if we all saw it coming: HBO's The Last of Us has officially been renewed for Season 3, less than a week before the premiere of Season 2 on Max.
"It can’t be for nothing," Max revealed via its social media channels on April 9. "Season 3 is coming." A deep red flare is featured burning bright in the bottom corner of a video accompanying the ominous caption.
It can’t be for nothing. Season 3 is coming. #TheLastOfUs pic.twitter.com/q5HxyvK9O6
— Max (@StreamOnMax) April 9, 2025
The Last of Us premiered in January 2023 to major acclaim, earning praise as the best video game adaptation to date. Season 1 garnered eight Emmy awards from its 24 nominations. The eagerly awaited Season 2 will bring back Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal as Ellie and Joel, with Kaitlyn Dever joining the cast as Abby, a soldier driven by a quest for vengeance after losing someone dear to her. Season 2 also welcomes new talent including Beef star Young Mazino, Alien: Romulus star Isabelle Merced, Captain America: Brave New World star Danny Ramirez, and legends Catherine O’Hara and Jeffrey Wright.
Recently, series creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann shared their thoughts with IGN on the ongoing "Was Joel right?" debate, a central theme in the franchise since the game's 2013 release.
“I believe Joel was right,” said the Naughty Dog studio head. “If I were in Joel's position, I hope I would be able to do what he did to save my daughter.” However, Mazin offered a different perspective. “That's so interesting, because I think that if I were in Joel's position, I probably would have done what he did,” the Chernobyl showrunner noted. “But I'd like to think that I wouldn't. That's the interesting push and pull of the morality of it. And that's why the ending of the first game is so provocative and so wonderful. It just doesn't let you off the hook as a player.”
The Last of Us Season 2 premieres on Max on April 13, 2025. While the release date for Season 3 remains uncertain, you can read IGN's spoiler-free review of The Last of Us Season 2 for more insights.
