The Last of Us season 3 adds John Goodman, Laura Bailey and Ian Alexander

HBO has confirmed three new cast members for the third season of The Last of Us, bringing John Goodman, Laura Bailey and Ian Alexander into its live-action adaptation of Naughty Dog's games.

The announcement came on September 26, known as The Last of Us Day. Bailey and Alexander previously played important characters in The Last of Us Part II, but both will take on different roles in the television series.

Goodman will portray Joey, while Alexander will play Paco. HBO describes the characters as a friendly pair who call themselves the "Heroes of the Highway."

Neither character appeared in The Last of Us Part II, suggesting the show will introduce additional story material. HBO has not explained how they will become involved in the main storyline or whether they will have recurring roles.

Goodman is known for The Big Lebowski, 10 Cloverfield Lane and The Righteous Gemstones. Alexander previously appeared in The OA and Star Trek: Discovery.

Bailey, who voiced and performed motion capture for Abby Anderson in The Last of Us Part II, will portray Elizabeth, one of the leaders of the Seraphites. The religious faction was introduced in the show's second season and plays an important role in Seattle's conflict with the Washington Liberation Front.

Elizabeth was referenced but never directly encountered in the game, giving the television adaptation room to explore her character further. Bailey previously made a brief appearance as a nurse during the hospital sequence in Season 1.

Her return follows the show's approach of casting original game performers in different roles. Ashley Johnson, who played Ellie in the games, portrayed Ellie's mother, Anna, while original Joel actor Troy Baker appeared as James.

The third season will continue adapting The Last of Us Part II, with Kaitlyn Dever's Abby taking a more prominent role following Season 2's ending. Alexander's original character, Lev, will be played by Kyriana Kratter in the television adaptation, while Michelle Mao will portray Lev's sister, Yara.

Patrick Wilson will also join as Jerry Anderson, Abby's father, while Jorge Lendeborg Jr. replaces Danny Ramirez as Manny. Other announced additions include Peter Sarsgaard, Jason Ritter and Clea DuVall.

Craig Mazin remains the show's lead creative figure following Neil Druckmann's decision to step away from the HBO adaptation after Season 2. The upcoming season will continue exploring the characters and events introduced during the second season.

The Last of Us season 3 is expected to premiere in 2027, although HBO has not confirmed an exact release date or episode count. The upcoming season is expected to conclude the adaptation, although HBO previously discussed extending the story beyond three seasons.

The latest casting announcement adds more characters to Abby's storyline. However, HBO has not yet revealed how extensively the new additions will feature in Season 3.