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Goodman, Alexander and Bailey join The Last of Us season three
Developed over time first seen 2 months ago
John Goodman, Ian Alexander and Laura Bailey have joined HBO’s third season of The Last of Us. Goodman will play Joey, Alexander will portray Paco, and Bailey will play Elizabeth, a Seraphite leader; Alexander and Bailey previously voiced Lev and Abby respectively in The Last of Us: Part II. The casting continues the series’ practice of bringing performers from the games into its television adaptation.
Season 3 is expected to focus on Abby Anderson’s story and the Seraphites, although plot details remain undisclosed. Other new cast members include Li Jun Li, Peter Sarsgaard, Jason Ritter, Patrick Wilson, Michelle Mao, Clea DuVall and Jorge Lendeborg, who replaces Danny Ramirez as Manny. The season is scheduled for 2027 and may be the series’ final instalment, with creator Craig Mazin reportedly planning it as the conclusion; Pedro Pascal’s Joel is unlikely to return except potentially in flashbacks.
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In short
- John Goodman, Ian Alexander and Laura Bailey join Season 3.
- The story is expected to centre on Abby and the Seraphites.
- Season 3 is scheduled for 2027 and may be the finale.
How this story developed
- 2 months ago Goodman’s Joey and Alexander’s Paco will form a pair known as the “Heroes of the Highway”, while the 2027 season is expected to conclude the series and will centre on Abby’s conflict with the Seraphites after Joel’s death.
- 2 months ago The season’s expanded cast now includes Li Jun Li, Peter Sarsgaard, Jason Ritter, Patrick Wilson, Michelle Mao, Clea DuVall and Jorge Lendeborg, who replaces Danny Ramirez as Manny.
- 2 months ago HBO has cast John Goodman as Joey, Ian Alexander as Paco and Laura Bailey as Elizabeth for The Last of Us season three, with Alexander and Bailey bringing previous video-game voice roles to the adaptation.
Full account
HBO's forthcoming third season of The Last of Us has secured three notable casting additions, with Emmy-winning performer John Goodman joining forces with Ian Alexander and Laura Bailey. Goodman will portray Joey, whilst Alexander takes the role of Paco; the pair are positioned as "Heroes of the Highway" within the narrative framework. Bailey, recognised for her work on The Legend of Vox Machina, will assume the character of Elizabeth, one of the senior figures amongst the Seraphites, a religiously affiliated faction central to the source material.
The appointments carry particular significance given that both Alexander and Bailey previously lent their voices to characters within The Last of Us: Part II video game. Alexander had voiced Lev, whilst Bailey provided the vocal performance for Abby; however, in the live-action television adaptation, these same characters are portrayed by different performers—Kyriana Kratter and Kaitlyn Dever respectively. This represents a continuation of HBO's established practice of engaging performers from the original games to work on the television series, albeit frequently in different capacities. Merle Dandridge and Jeffrey Wright had similarly transitioned from voice acting in the games to live-action roles portraying Marlene and Isaac Dixon respectively, whilst Ashley Johnson had voiced Ellie in the games before appearing as Ellie's mother in the first season's finale.
The third season is anticipated to concentrate upon Abby Anderson's narrative arc, with the Seraphites forming a substantial element of the forthcoming storyline. The expanded ensemble cast encompasses additional recently announced performers, including Jason Ritter, Peter Sarsgaard, Patrick Wilson, and Li Jun Li, amongst others. The season marks significant narrative developments following Joel's death in the second season's conclusion, though Pedro Pascal's physical presence in subsequent episodes remains uncertain, despite the possibility of flashback appearances. Craig Mazin will serve as sole showrunner for the third season, having previously held the position jointly with Neil Druckmann.
Whether this forthcoming season constitutes the final chapter of HBO's adaptation remains somewhat contested between sources. One account indicates that HBO has not formally confirmed the season's conclusive status, with Casey Bloys, Chairman and Chief Executive of HBO and Max Content, declining to verify claims but suggesting that Mazin has "planned it as the final season." Conversely, another source states categorically that "season 3 is the last season," presenting the matter as settled. This second source also emphasises that original franchise creator Neil Druckmann has stepped away from the television project to concentrate upon the development of Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, an upcoming PlayStation 5 title. Additionally, it notes that the second season's reception was less enthusiastic than its predecessor, contextualising audience reaction to narrative choices.
Where outlets differ
From the full account, which is AI-written from the sources:
Source 1 presents Season 3's status as the final season with uncertainty; Source 2 states it as definitive fact
Source 2 emphasises Neil Druckmann's departure from television production to focus on new PS5 game; Source 1 mentions Mazin as sole showrunner without discussing Druckmann's withdrawal
Source 2 discusses the more negative reception of Season 2 compared to Season 1; Source 1 contains no commentary on critical or audience response
Explained simply
The Last of Us is a television drama set after a fungal infection has devastated society, following survivors as they navigate violence, loss and rival groups. It is based on a PlayStation game series, with the second game introducing Abby Anderson and the Seraphites, a religious faction involved in the wider conflict.
The television series is led by showrunner Craig Mazin and stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey as Joel and Ellie. The new season is expected to expand Abby’s story and the show’s wider cast, while Ian Alexander and Laura Bailey are notable to fans because they appeared in the second game, although they will play different characters on screen.
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Originally published by Deadline as “‘The Last Of Us’ Casts John Goodman, Ian Alexander & Laura Bailey For Season 3”.