Pre-production for the third season of "The Last of Us" is ongoing, and HBO has announced two key additions to the cast. The role of Manny will now be played by Jorge Lendeborg Jr., known for the film "Spider-Man: Far From Home." He replaces Danny Ramirez, who was forced to leave the project due to a scheduling conflict.
Clea DuVall ("The First Lady") has also joined the series. The actress has been cast as a representative of the Seraphites — a fanatical religious cult from the universe of The Last of Us. According to the official description, her character is meant to simultaneously create a sense of threat and evoke sympathy.
As the creators previously confirmed, the third season will shift the narrative focus to Abby's side — in the original game, many storylines connected to the Seraphites are tied to her. At the same time, it has not yet been disclosed which specific character from the cult DuVall will play.
Filming for the third season is expected to begin in the summer of 2026, with the premiere set for 2027. Earlier, HBO chief Casey Bloys suggested that the third season could become the final one, although, according to him, the final decision will remain with showrunner Craig Mazin.