The Last of Us Secures Season 3 Renewal Before Season 2 Premiere on HBO

The Last of Us Secures a Third Season at HBO

HBO isn’t waiting around to see how viewers react to Season 2. The network has doubled down and officially renewed The Last of Us for Season 3, dropping the news in April 2025 days before Season 2 is set to premiere. That kind of early vote of confidence isn’t common in the TV world, especially with a series that’s been under a constant microscope since its debut. The move speaks volumes about HBO’s trust in the show’s creators and the loyalty of the audience.

Season 2, which premieres April 13, 2025, is expected to tackle some of the most controversial and expansive storylines pulled from the acclaimed PlayStation game, The Last of Us Part II. Yet even before fans have seen what’s next for Joel and Ellie on screen, the network has given the green light to keep the story unfolding beyond the current chapter.

What’s Coming in Season 3: Abby, WLF, and Seraphites

Season 3 will shift the spotlight onto Abby, a polarizing and complex character central to the events of Part II. The showrunners, Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, have both hinted that the coming season aims to dig even deeper into Abby’s world. Fans can expect an exploration of her backstory, her connections within the Washington Liberation Front (WLF), and her entanglement with the rival Seraphite faction—a conflict marked by tension, survival, and shifting loyalties.

If Season 2’s finale cliffhanger—featuring Abby awakening in Seattle—wasn’t tantalizing enough, Season 3 promises to pick up the momentum right there. Conversations around the storylines suggest the creators are not just limiting themselves to the confines of the video game script. They want to honor the source material but give themselves space to expand, showing sides of Abby and the WLF-Seraphite rivalry that the game’s players haven’t seen before.

Despite the buzz, production on Season 3 hasn’t even started. Insiders are saying fans should brace for a wait; with the scale of production and a heavy dose of post-production required for a show of this caliber, a 2027 debut seems most likely. The pattern matches the lengthy gap between Seasons 1 and 2, a result of careful writing and the demands of a globe-trotting shoot.

One thing is clear: The showrunners are walking a tightrope. Fans love when the show sticks close to what they know from the games, but Mazin and Druckmann have been equally praised for adding original moments and emotional layers not seen in the source material. Their ambition is to keep that balance, making things fresh for returning fans while keeping newcomers locked in.

The Last of Us is still available for streaming on HBO Max in the U.S. and on Sky/NOW in the U.K. With the early renewal and plans for a high-stakes Season 3, the show is carving out its place as a TV juggernaut, not just a video game adaptation.