The third season of the series "The Last of Us" will focus on Abby's story

The Third Season of "The Last of Us" Will Focus on Abby's Story

HBO is moving ahead with the third season (S3) of "The Last of Us," and this time the spotlight shifts — Abby takes center stage. New set photos have surfaced showing Kaitlyn Dever in the role for the first time, and Kirranna Kryttner appears as Lev. Much like The Last of Us Part II, S3 will revisit events through Abby's eyes.

Showrunner Craig Mazin says viewers will be asked to look at the conflict differently. The series, he explains, intentionally blurs the line between hero and villain so audiences must reckon with people they once saw only as adversaries.

Mazin frames the season around the strain of feeling for someone who has hurt you — not abstract slogans but messy, personal choices and loyalties. In other words, the show leans into how group identity and old wounds complicate compassion, esp. when history is involved.

He also singled out Kaitlyn Dever, saying she quickly draws sympathy for Abby. That point matters: Abby's arc in Part II provoked intense reactions, and it’s far from certain that all viewers will flip their stance now — some will, some won’t, and some will sit on the fence.

A premiere is expected in 2027.