The Last of Us' Joel Confirmed To Return In New Project, We're So Back

The Last of Us star has confirmed that he’d be open to returning in a brand new Naughty Dog project.

Troy Baker is one of the most popular actors in the video game industry, having not only played the likes of Joel Miller in The Last of Us, but also Nathan Drake’s brother, Sam, in Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, and, more recently, the lead in the newly released Mouse: P.I. for Hire.

However, while also starring in a plethora of other major roles, such as Indiana Jones in The Great Circle, it might be fair to say that his role as Joel in The Last of Us is the most famous.

Troy Baker Is Open to a Joel Return!

Before we proceed, even though you’re probably aware already, just in case, there will be major spoilers for The Last of Us Part II below. So you have been warned.

When talking to Eurogamer, Baker said, “I hope that Pedro [Pascal] is not the last person to play Joel.” Of course, Pedro plays Joel in the live-action HBO TV series.

“I want to see this character proliferate and be iterated on in multiple mediums, whether it be TV, film, more games, comic books. I see people who cosplay as [Joel] all the time; he made an impact. I definitely know we've not seen the last of Joel, whether that be Naughty Dog or somebody else," he added.

How Could Joel Return in The Last of Us?

Here’s the final spoiler warning: Joel was killed in a brutal death scene in the sequel, as an act of revenge after he killed Abby’s father in The Last of Us Part I when rescuing Ellie from the Fireflies operating table that would have most certainly killed her.

The Last of Us Part II Remastered, Sony Interactive Entertainment

Joel’s death caused shockwaves across the video game industry and was considered to be such a bad move by Naughty Dog that even passionate fans of the original had abandoned it.

So, with that in mind, there’s no way that Joel could star in a sequel such as The Last of Us Part III. If he did return in the third game, it would have to be during flashback scenes.

That being said, it would be interesting to know what Joel was truly like from the first day of the cordyceps virus outbreak and when he first met Ellie 20 years later. A prequel could certainly be a way to go, whether it’s a standalone game or as chapters or DLC for The Last of Us Part III.

Exactly Why Was Joel Killed in The Last of Us Part II?

The Fireflies wanted to remove a mutated Cordyceps fungus from Ellie’s brain, in the hope of creating a vaccine. However, as in-game documents revealed, there were others like Ellie, whom the Fireflies believed to be humanity's saviour, but they all died when being operated on.

To be fair, Ellie or Joel wasn't consulted about the risks before taking her to the theatre. So, being the dad that he is, whether it was right or wrong, he stopped the Fireflies from killing Ellie. In the process, he shot Abby’s father dead, who was a surgeon about to operate on Ellie.

Has The Last of Us III Been Confirmed?

No, it has not been officially confirmed at the time of writing, but Naughty Dog president Neil Druckmann has provided several hints that we will get The Last of Us Part III one day. If or when it’s officially announced, we’ll be sure to let you know.

READ MORE: Why Indiana Jones' Troy Baker Originally Turned Down Game Awards Nominated Role