The Last of Us Season 3 Locks In Filming Timeline After Major Recast
HBO’s The Last of Us is lining up Season 3: after a recent recast, series villain Kaitlyn Dever is prepping to return to production, signaling cameras could start rolling any day.
If you have been waiting for real movement on The Last of Us Season 3, here it is: Abby herself is suiting up. Kaitlyn Dever says she is heading into prep in a matter of days, which usually means cameras are not far behind. It is the most concrete sign yet that Season 3 is gearing up.
Dever is about to start prep — and Abby is taking center stage
"I am getting mentally and physically prepped right now. I go up in a couple days, actually, to start prep over there. I am so excited to kind of take on a much bigger role in the season."
That is Dever talking to Deadline, and it lines up with the arc from the game The Last of Us Part II, where the story pivots to Abby, digs into her history, and reframes the conflict.
"The fans are really going to like it, I think, the shifting perspective onto Abby, getting some more context onto her storyline and going back in time with this season."
Why this matters for the timeline
Dever saying she is physically heading into prep is the clearest production update we have had since HBO chief Casey Bloys floated a 2027 release window. Yes, 2027. So, plan accordingly. It also tracks with what co-creator Craig Mazin has been hinting at: Season 3 may breathe a little more, with a different pace and potentially more episodes than Season 2.
Where Season 2 left us
The Season 2 finale slammed the brakes at a nasty cliffhanger: Abby faced off with Ellie in that Seattle theater, the screen cut to black before anything was resolved, and then the show jumped back to a 'Seattle Day 1' setup. In other words, the narrative shifted perspectives right as the season ended. Season 3 is set to commit to that shift and tell the other side of the story.
Who is back
- Bella Ramsey as Ellie
- Isabela Merced as Dina
- Gabriel Luna as Tommy
And obviously, Kaitlyn Dever is back as Abby — not just appearing, but moving into the spotlight.
The bottom line
Prep is starting imminently, the Abby-focused perspective is happening, and HBO is still pointing to 2027 for release. No official date yet, but this is the first real sign that Season 3 is headed from rumor mill to reality. Now we wait for cameras to roll — and for that theater standoff to finally pay off.