John Goodman, Ian Alexander, and Laura Bailey are joining the cast of The Last of Us season three, HBO announced on September 26. The network selected the date for the casting reveal because September 26 marks a key date in the franchise’s lore—when the cordyceps outbreak sets the events of both the video games and the TV series in motion.
New Characters and Video Game Connections
Goodman and Alexander are cast as Joey and Paco, a pair described as a “friendly duo” who refer to themselves as the “Heroes of the Highway,” according to HBO’s announcement. Bailey takes on the role of Elizabeth, identified as one of the leaders of a religious sect known as the Seraphites. Both Alexander and Bailey bring franchise history to the television production, having previously provided voice acting work for the video game The Last of Us: Part II. Alexander voiced the character Lev, while Bailey voiced Abby, a central figure whose on-screen counterpart in the HBO series is played by Kaitlyn Dever.
Production Timeline and Creative Leadership
Season three of The Last of Us is scheduled to premiere in 2027, following the conclusion of season two in May 2025. Behind the scenes, co-creator Craig Mazin assumes the role of sole showrunner for the upcoming season. Mazin takes on the position following the departure of co-creator and Naughty Dog game developer Neil Druckmann, who exited the series at the conclusion of season two. The incoming trio joins a returning ensemble that includes Bella Ramsey, Kaitlyn Dever, Isabela Merced, Gabriel Luna, Jeffrey Wright, Ariella Barer, Tati Gabrielle, and Spencer Lord, alongside previously announced season three additions Jason Ritter, Patrick Wilson, Clea DuVall, and Jorge Lendeborg Jr.
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