John Goodman Joins ‘The Last of Us’ Season 3 in New Role

HBO’s post-apocalyptic hit “The Last of Us” is gearing up for its third season, and the upcoming chapter is adding several new faces to its expanding cast.

Emmy winner John Goodman has officially joined Season 3, alongside Ian Alexander and Laura Bailey.

Fans of the video games may recognize Alexander and Bailey for their roles in The Last of Us Part II. Alexander provided the voice and performance for Lev, while Bailey famously voiced Abby. For the HBO series, however, both actors will take on completely different characters.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Goodman and Alexander will portray Joey and Paco, respectively, a pair of friends who refer to themselves as the “Heroes of the Highway.” Bailey will play Elizabeth, one of the leaders of the religious group known as the Seraphites.

The third season follows the events of Season 2, which jumped five years forward from the first season and continued the story of Ellie and Abby in a world devastated by a fungal pandemic.

While HBO has kept specific Season 3 plot details under wraps, the new season is expected to shift heavily toward Abby’s perspective, with the Seraphites playing a major role in the story.

Kaitlyn Dever will return as Abby and is expected to take center stage in the new season, while Bella Ramsey returns as Ellie. The cast also includes Isabela Merced, Gabriel Luna, and Jeffrey Wright.

Season 3 will additionally feature Jason Ritter, Patrick Wilson, Clea DuVall, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Ariella Barer, Tati Gabrielle, and Spencer Lord.

The Last of Us co-creator Neil Druckmann stepped away from his role as co-showrunner ahead of Season 3, leaving Craig Mazin, the creator of Chernobyl, as the series’ sole showrunner.

HBO is currently expected to premiere “The Last of Us” Season 3 in 2027.