If Isabela Merced is to be believed, the wait for The Last of Us Season 3 is going to be a long one - Here's why

While not a single frame of The Last of Us Season 3 has been shot, we can be sure that the season finale of The Last of Us Season 2 will set up the events of the third season. We already know that Season 2 is not adapting The Last of Us Part II in its entirety. Thus, the second half of the game will unfold in the third season of the HBO series.

But it seems that the third season might be two years or more away, considering Isabela Merced’s comments in a Varietyinterview published on May 4, 2025. When asked about the production start date for The Last of Us Season 3, the actress responded:

"No, but I think it should be next year."

It should be noted that Merced did not give any type of window for The Last of Us Season 3’s production start date. Season 1 of this HBO series was filmed between July 2021 and June 2022, and the second season was shot between February and August 2024. The first season was shot amidst a global pandemic, and thus, it makes sense that it had the longest production period.

While the current season was filmed a bit quicker, it should be noted that both Seasons 1 and 2 were released nearly a year after the completion of production. Thus, if The Last of Us Season 3 were to begin production at the end of 2026, it might be released only in 2028.

Is it a bit of an overreach to assume that the wait for The Last of Us Season 3 might be long?

Honestly, yes, it might be a bit of an overreach to assume that the waiting period for The Last of Us Season 3 will be longer. Simultaneously, it is also worth noting that Isabela Merced’s star is on the rise, and her role in the current DCU will only solidify her position. Merced’s increasing workload, including her role in the DCU, could potentially impact Season 3’s production timeline.

However, we may get some setup for The Last of Us Season 3 in the finale of Season 2 itself. Merced teased a huge shift in Ellie and Dina’s relationship in the seventh episode of this season, which is also meant to serve as the finale. The actress offered this tease when the interviewer asked her how she was preparing to play out Ellie and Dina's on a rougher phase in their relationship in the third season. Her response was:

"It’s going to be weird acting like I don’t like Bella. It’s going to be hard, because I have such a sweet spot for them now. But I don’t know. I’ve tried to ask Craig, but I don’t think he even really knows yet fully how things are going to be. But I have my own input that I’ve already texted him about with suggestions as to how everyone reacts to the ending of Season 2, and how I think Dina — now that she’s changed so much from the game — how she would react to the events that occur. And I’m so excited to talk about Episode 7, because that to me is a huge shift for their relationship, and what happens when the truth is revealed."

How will the season 2 finale set up The Last of Us Season 3? Speculations explored:

We believe that Ellie might kill Mel and Owen in The Last of Us Season 2 finale. Mel’s death will be horrifying, considering she might be pregnant like she is in the game, and probably this action will shock Dina, who is going through the same. Probably, this is what Merced meant in her comments.

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Do you think that the wait for The Last of Us Season 3 is going to be long? Let us know. Meanwhile, the upcoming episode might bring a lot of viewers back because it is a flashback-focused entry featuring Pedro Pascal's Joel.

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