The Last of Us Season 3 January 2026 Updates: Filming, Abby, Cast & 2027 Release

As of January 2026, The Last of Us Season 3 is officially in pre-production. Filming is set to begin this February, and Kaitlyn Dever (Abby) confirmed she’ll be heading to Canada soon to start preparing. Most of the shooting will take place in Vancouver, under the working title Mega Sword.

HBO is targeting a 2027 release. Industry insiders are betting on an April premiere, which fits the current production timeline.

Abby Gets the Spotlight

This season is shifting focus to Abby. Viewers will see the story unfold from her perspective, following her journey in Seattle alongside Ellie’s path from Season 2.

Bella Ramsey (Ellie) and Pedro Pascal (Joel) are back. Pascal’s role will mostly appear in flashbacks. Kate Herron, known for Loki, will direct several episodes this season, bringing her own flair to the story.

What’s Next for the Series

HBO chairman Casey Bloys hinted that Season 3 might be the show’s final chapter, though the decision ultimately lies with showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann. Mazin has suggested that a fourth season could still be needed to fully capture the game’s story.

Behind the scenes, Neil Druckmann has stepped back from his main creative role, leaving Craig Mazin as the sole lead writer for this season.

Should Season 3 Be the End?

I think Season 3 should probably close the series. After the second game, there’s very little source material left to adapt. Trying to stretch the remaining story, like the ranch and California sections, into a full season risks feeling thin. Those parts might only cover three episodes at most.

A 10-episode run could work if the first seven or eight episodes focused entirely on Abby’s story in Seattle. The final episodes could then wrap up the epilogue and give the story a proper conclusion. Personally, I’d prefer ending it here and only revisiting the franchise if a third video game ever comes out.

Reflections on Season 2 and the “Quality Drop”

Season 2, in my view, was a massive disappointment. It represents one of the sharpest quality drops between seasons I’ve seen. The writing betrayed the characters and tone that made the first season and the games so compelling.

For me, the show became almost unwatchable after Joel’s death. The heart of the story .. the relationship between him and Ellie was gone, leaving the series feeling hollow. The lack of action and infected encounters is shocking for an adaptation of a third-person shooter! Surprisingly few infected and combat sequences appear, which makes the show feel strangely restrained.

Thoughts on Casting and Characterization

Bella Ramsey was miscast as the older Ellie. She looks too young for the five-year time skip and doesn’t fully capture the ruthless, revenge-driven character from the second game. That said, the bigger problem is the writing. Showrunners chose to make Ellie a “bit**y little child” rather than the mature, hardened character from the source material.

The show also seems afraid to let its protagonists look like the “bad guys”. The brutal violence that Joel and Ellie commit in the games is often softened or neutered on screen, diluting the emotional and narrative impact.

Concerns About Production and Creators

I’m not very optimistic about Season 3 now that Neil Druckmann has stepped back from the series to work on other projects. The pacing in previous seasons has been frustrating, entire episodes focused on side stories while the main characters barely interact. This slows the momentum and makes long waits between seasons even harder to endure.

Waiting two or three years for a shortened season of seven or eight episodes feels like a tragedy for fans invested in the story. Season 3 needs to find a balance between faithful adaptation and engaging pacing, or the series risks losing its audience entirely.