The Last of Us Season 3 Adds John Goodman and Game Actors

HBO's The Last of Us Season 3 casts John Goodman, Laura Bailey, and Ian Alexander, with Bailey and Alexander from the games. Season 3 may be the show's last.

Did you ever think you'd see John Goodman in The Last of Us? Well, it's happening. HBO has announced that the beloved actor is joining Season 3, along with two more actors from the games: Laura Bailey and Ian Alexander.

Bailey, who played Abby in The Last of Us: Part II, will take on the role of Elizabeth, one of the Seraphite leaders. Alexander, who portrayed Lev in the game, will play Paco. Goodman will play Joey, and both Joey and Paco are described as "Heroes of the Highway." That's all we know for now, but it's enough to get us excited.

For those who played the games, seeing Bailey and Alexander join the show is a treat. Bailey's performance as Abby was unforgettable—and controversial. She faced a lot of online hate, with some people even sending death threats to her newborn baby. Despite that, she's back in the franchise, this time in a different role. Alexander's Lev was a fan favorite, and now they'll bring a new character to life.

They're not the first game actors to appear on the show. Merle Dandridge and Jeffrey Wright reprised their roles as Marlene and Isaac, respectively. Ashley Johnson, who played Ellie in the games, appeared as Ellie's mom in Season 1. Troy Baker, the voice of Joel, played James. And Jeffrey Pierce, who was Tommy, showed up as Perry. So this is a nice tradition.

But there's more going on behind the scenes. Season 3 might be the last. HBO programming boss Casey Bloys has said multiple times that he thinks Season 3 could be the final one. However, showrunner Craig Mazin has previously said he needs four seasons to wrap up the story. He's reportedly considering making Season 3 one long season instead of doing a Season 4. So the future is a bit up in the air.

Also, in a big shift, Naughty Dog is not involved creatively in Season 3, and Neil Druckmann stepped down as writer/director. Druckmann said he left to focus on Naughty Dog's games. He's currently directing Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, and if The Last of Us 3 is in the works, he's probably involved in that too.

So, what do you think? Are you excited to see John Goodman in The Last of Us? Will you be tuning in for Season 3? Let us know!