Before The Last of Us season 3 begins filming in 2026, there will be a recast in the role of Abby's friend and fellow Wolf, Manny. Danny Ramirez, known for his work in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Top Gun: Maverick, and more recently, Captain America: Brave New World, will have to say goodbye to Manny due to scheduling conflicts.
Manny, like the rest of Abby's crew, was present during the brutal death of Joel Miller, the man responsible for taking out a Firefly hospital and killing Abby's father, while saving Ellie. Though audiences spent more time with Abby's other friends, all of whom suffered tragic fates, it was clear Manny's karma isn't far behind.
Ramirez's schedule has gotten quite full as IMDb provided a list of 6 upcoming projects for the actor, including the release of the highly anticipated Avengers: Doomsday, The Juice, Samo Lives, and De Noche, which will also star fellow The Last of Us and Avengers: Doomsday actor Pedro Pascal. We have yet to learn who will be playing Manny in season 3.
While the story for The Last of Us season 1 mostly focused on Joel's journey from Outbreak Day to Ellie's rescue, and season 2 placed Ellie at the forefront, seeking retribution for Joel's death, season 3 will have audiences follow Abby's story. This will hopefully provide some backstory to the character, how she goes from a Firefly to Wolf, ultimately leading to how she finds Joel's location at Jackson.
It's unclear when HBO will announce an official replacement for Ramirez, but with The Last of Us season 3 set to begin production as early as Spring 2026, it is likely the role will be recast early in the new year. As for Ramirez, he's expected to film Avengers: Secret Wars around that same time in the new year, which is likely what created some conflict in his schedule.
While Ramirez will not be back for season 3, the new season is expected to feature the returns of Bella Ramsey, Kaitlyn Dever, Isabela Merced, and Gabriel Luna, among others. Pedro Pascal's role in the season remains unclear, but there is hope he will appear in some capacity via flashback storylines following his character's death in season 2.
Stream The Last of Us on HBO and HBO Max. Season 3 is expected to arrive sometime in 2027.