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Will There Be a Season 3 of "The Last of Us"? What to Know About Ellie's Next Chapter (and If Pedro Pascal Will Return!)

HBO The Last of Usseason 2 wrapped up on May 25 The finale ended on a shocking cliffhanger between Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) Here's what to know aboutThe Last of Usseason 3 The Last of Uswill last for a little longer. HBO's hit post-apocalyptic series wasrenewed for a third installmentin April 2025 — just days before the premiere of season 2. This wasn't exactly a surprise, considering co-creator and showrunnerCraig MazintoldGQin March 2023 that there was "no way" the second installment could chronicle the entire story of the 2020The Last of Us: Part IIvideo game. The Last of Usis set in a world ravaged by a fungal pandemic that transforms humans into aggressive, zombie-like creatures, leading to the collapse of society. The narrative centers on Joel (Pedro Pascal), a hardened survivor, and Ellie (Bella Ramsey), a teenage girl who is immune to the infection. In season 2, episode 2, viewers watched Joel's brutal death, but that wasn't the last that viewers saw of Ellie's guardian. Pascal appeared in episode 6 — a flashback episode. Determined to avenge Joel, Ellie and Dina (Isabela Merced) traveled to Seattle in season 2 to find his killer, Abby (Kaitlyn Dever). The season finale, which aired on May 25, saw Ellie finally come face-to-face with her enemy, but Ellie's path to revenge came with a steep price. So, will fans see more Joel flashbacks in the third installment ofThe Last of Us —and what will the story center on? Here's everything to know aboutThe Last of Usseason 3. Warning:The Last of Usseason 2 spoilers ahead! Liane Hentscher/HBO The Last of Usseason 2 finale sees Abby find Ellie and her friends — Dina, Jesse (Young Mazino) and Tommy (Gabriel Luna) — hiding out in a Seattle theater. This came after Ellie's harrowing attempt to hunt down Abby, which resulted in the deaths of three of Abby's fellow Washington Liberation Front (W.L.F.) members: Nora (Tati Gabrielle), Mel (Ariela Barer) and Owen (Spencer Lord). In the final minutes of episode 7, Abby injures Tommy and shoots Jesse in the head. Ellie surrenders, and just as Abby points her gun at Ellie, the screen goes black. The sound of a gun firing can be heard. After a wild season, ending on this particular scene felt like the right move, co-creator Neil Druckmann said in a finale press conference. "We entertain everything, but no [other endings are] coming to mind, because whatever we entertained didn't stick for very long," he said. "This always felt like the natural end point for the season." Liane Hentscher/HBO Yes, HBO renewedThe Last of Usfor a third season in April 2025. "We approached season two with the goal of creating something we could be proud of," Mazin said in a statement, perThe Hollywood Reporter. "The end results have exceeded even our most ambitious goals. We look forward to continuing the story ofThe Last of Uswith season three." While speaking toColliderin May 2025, Mazin teased that "there's a decent chance" season 3 will be longer than season 2, which consisted of seven episodes. HBO While HBO hasn't released any specific plot details aboutThe Last of Usseason 3,Catherine O'Hara, who plays therapist Gail Lynden, revealed toVarietyin May 2025 that the third installment will center around "the Abby story." This aligns with the season 2 finale, which ended with a flashback of Abby waking up in the W.L.F. barracks three days earlier. "There is another side to this story that we have yet to really delve into. There's no question that Abby is the hero of her story," Mazin said in a finale press conference. " Meanwhile, Merced has said that Dina and Ellie's relationship will be significantly impacted by Jesse's death. "It's going to be weird acting like I don't like Bella. It's going to be hard because I have such a sweet spot for [Ellie and Dina] now," she toldVarietyin May 2025. "I've tried to ask Craig [Mazin], but I don't think he even really knows yet fully how things are going to be." Mazin added that Dina and Ellie's relationship will be "the central relationship of this season" in the finale press conference. More information the audience is craving about the W.L.F. and the Seraphites is also "coming," Mazin told Collider. But viewers might not get all the answers in season 3. "There's no way to complete this narrative in a third season," the co-creator added. "Hopefully, we'll earn our keep enough to come back and finish it in a fourth. That's the most likely outcome." Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic; Jamie McCarthy/Getty Casting forThe Last of Usseason 3 has not been confirmed. However, given that the third installment will focus largely on Abby's story prior to the events of the season 2 finale, it's likely that Dever and her W.L.F. gang (Gabrielle, Barer and Lord) will reprise their roles. HBO Given the show's history with flashback episodes, Pascal may return forThe Last of Usseason 3 in a limited capacity following his character's death in season 2, episode 2. As of now, Pascal hasn't commented on his potential involvement in the third installment. But Mazin says fans should "never say never" to seeing Joel again. "I think next season we probably will have a bit more flexibility," he said in a finale press conference. "We love a side trip. It's one of our favorite things to do. So maybe a side trip to Joel and Tommy terrorizing the countryside." Liane Hentscher/HBO HBO hasn't announced a premiere date forThe Last of Usseason 3. However, Merced toldVarietyin May 2025 that production of the third installment will likely begin in 2026. All episodes ofThe Last of Usseasons 1 and 2 are available to stream onMax. Read the original article onPeople