The television series "The Last of Us" has been renewed for a third season

HBO has decided to continue The Last of Us series with a third season even before the premiere of its second season, slated for Sunday, April 13.

This decision follows generally positive reviews of the show's second season, which includes elements from the 2020 PS4 release, The Last of Us Part 2, and features Kaitlyn Dever in the pivotal role of Abby.

The news of the renewal isn’t shocking, as HBO’s programming EVP Francesca Orsi hinted to Deadline back in February that the series might span across four seasons.

Orsi noted, "We don’t have a complete or final plan, but I think it’s looking like four seasons. I wouldn’t want to confirm that, but it’s looking like this season and then two more seasons after this and we’re done."

The first season, featuring Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie, premiered in January 2023 and was met with critical success and impressive ratings, attracting 32 million viewers per episode in the United States.

It became the highest-rated debut season in HBO’s history, surpassing the ratings record held by the Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon, from the previous year.

Season 2 will consist of seven episodes, compared to nine in the inaugural season, and resumes five years following the previous season's conclusion. The show is a collaboration between Craig Mazin, known for writing Chernobyl, and Neil Druckmann from Naughty Dog.