The Last of Us is getting ready for big Season Three, and according to Deadline, the cast is growing again. Ariela Barer, Tati Gabrielle, and Spencer Lord have all been promoted, and HBO has officially added Patrick Wilson (Watchmen, The Conjuring) and Jason Ritter (Matlock, Parenthood) in recurring roles.
Deadline reports that Ritter has actually been on the show before–he played an uncredited Clicker in two Season One episodes alongside his wife, Melanie Lynskey. This time, he’ll have a full character to play: Hanley, a soldier in the Washington Liberation Front. Wilson will appear as Jerry, the father of Abby (Kaitlyn Dever), a character whose story is expected to be central to the new season.
Based on the Naughty Dog video game, The Last of Us follows Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) as they travel across the country 20 years after a fungal outbreak destroys modern society. “What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal and heartbreaking journey,” the official logline says. Their relationship and the choices they make have shaped the series since the beginning.
Season Two jumped ahead five years and showed Joel and Ellie facing new dangers and growing tensions. While HBO hasn’t shared plot details for Season Three, Deadline notes that the story is expected to focus more on Abby’s point of view. Barer, Gabrielle, and Lord will continue playing Mel, Nora, and Owen after joining the show last season.
Season Three will also bring back Ramsey, Isabela Merced, Gabriel Luna, and Jeffrey Wright. New cast members include Clea DuVall as a seraphite and Jorge Lendeborg Jr. as Manny, taking over the role after Danny Ramirez’s exit.
The series was renewed for Season Three before Season Two even premiered. Craig Mazin (Chernobyl) and Neil Druckmann created the show, though Mazin will now serve as the sole showrunner following Druckmann’s departure.