HBO has revealed additional casting for the upcoming third season of The Last of Us, which is rumored to be the series' final installment. The new season will feature veteran actor John Goodman alongside Laura Bailey and Ian Alexander, both of whom voiced characters in Naughty Dog's video game franchise. Bailey portrayed Abby in The Last of Us: Part II, while Alexander voiced Lev. In the HBO series, Kaitlyn Dever plays Abby, and Kyriana Kratter is cast as Lev.
Bailey will embody Elizabeth, a leader within the Seraphite faction, and Alexander will play Paco. Both characters are described as "Heroes of the Highway." Goodman, who previously starred in the HBO comedy series The Righteous Gemstones, will portray Joey. Further details about Joey and Paco remain undisclosed.
Bailey's tenure as Abby in the game was notable and met with a significant online backlash, including death threats directed at her newborn child. Goodman's involvement marks his return to HBO following his role in The Righteous Gemstones.
The addition of Bailey and Alexander continues a trend of casting game actors in the HBO adaptation. Previous examples include Merle Dandridge and Jeffrey Wright reprising their roles as Marlene and Isaac, respectively. Ashley Johnson, the original voice of Ellie, appeared as Ellie's mother in Season 1, and Troy Baker, who voiced Joel, played James. Jeffrey Pierce, who originated the role of Tommy in the games, appeared on the show as a new character named Perry.
The future of The Last of Us on HBO has been a subject of discussion. HBO programming executive Casey Bloys has indicated that Season 3 could be the series' last, though he has deferred to showrunner Craig Mazin for a definitive answer. Mazin has previously suggested a need for four seasons to conclude the story. Reports also suggest Mazin is considering consolidating the narrative into a single, extended third season rather than extending to a fourth.
A notable shift for Season 3 is the reduced creative involvement of Naughty Dog, the game's developer. Franchise creator Neil Druckmann has stepped down as a writer and director for the upcoming season. Druckmann has stated his departure is to focus on his work at Naughty Dog, including directing Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet and potentially The Last of Us 3, should it move forward.