"The Last of Us Renewed for Season 3 Before Season 2 Debut"

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 widespread acclaim, often hailed as the best video game adaptation to date. Season 1 garnered eight Emmy awards from its 24 nominations. The highly anticipated Season 2 will see Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal reprising their roles as Ellie and Joel, with Kaitlyn Dever joining the cast as Abby, a soldier driven by revenge after losing someone dear to her. Season 2 will also feature notable additions such as 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 perspectives on the ongoing “Was Joel right?” debate, a central theme of the franchise since the game's 2013 release.

“I believe Joel was right,” said Neil Druckmann, head of Naughty Dog. “If I were in Joel's position, I hope I would be able to do what he did to save my daughter.” In contrast, Craig Mazin, the showrunner of Chernobyl, offered a different view. “That's so interesting, because I think that if I were in Joel's position, I probably would have done what he did,” Mazin 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 is set to premiere on Max on April 13, 2025. While the release date for Season 3 remains uncertain, fans can look forward to IGN's spoiler-free review of The Last of Us Season 2 for more insights.