HBO’s hit drama The Last of Us is heading into Season 3 with a notable cast change.
Danny Ramirez, who joined the series in its second season, will not return for the upcoming chapter after running into scheduling conflicts, according to Variety.
Ramirez appeared in four episodes of Season 2 as Manny, a former Firefly whose outward optimism masked deeper emotional scars. Introduced as a loyal ally to Abby, Manny was part of the group navigating the violent aftermath of Joel’s actions at the Firefly hospital.
The decision to recast Manny comes as Season 3 is already shaping up to be a shift in perspective. HBO renewed the series early, before Season 2 even premiered. The Season 2 finale hinted that the next season would revisit key events, though this time, the events will be mainly shown through Abby’s point of view.
Co-creator Craig Mazin previously suggested that the show isn’t finished exploring many of its characters—past and present. “We haven’t seen the last of a lot of people who are currently dead in the story,” Mazin said earlier this year.
Behind the scenes, Season 3 will also look slightly different creatively. Neil Druckmann, who co-created the TV adaptation and played a hands-on role in earlier seasons, has stepped back from writing and directing duties to focus on other projects, though he remains involved in The Last of Us as an executive producer.
Ramirez’s departure appears to be strictly logistical. His schedule has become increasingly packed thanks to his expanding film career. The actor is best known to many viewers for his role as Joaquin Torres in Marvel projects like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Captain America: Brave New World, and he’s set to reprise his role as the Falcon in the much-anticipated Avengers: Doomsday.
Production details around Manny’s recasting have not yet been announced.