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 announced via its social media channels on April 9. "Season 3 is coming." The announcement was accompanied by a video featuring a deep red flare burning brightly in the bottom corner, adding to the ominous tone of the 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 24 nominations. The eagerly awaited Season 2 will feature the return of leads Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal as Ellie and Joel, with Kaitlyn Dever joining the cast as Abby, a soldier driven by revenge after losing someone close to her. The cast for Season 2 also includes notable additions like Young Mazino from Beef, Isabelle Merced from Alien: Romulus, Danny Ramirez from Captain America: Brave New World, and legends Catherine O’Hara and Jeffrey Wright.

Recently, series creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann shared their thoughts with IGN 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." However, Craig Mazin, the showrunner of Chernobyl, offered a different perspective. "That's so interesting, because I think that if I were in Joel's position, I probably would have done what he did," he 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 Season 2 for more insights.