Few actors have starred in as many big-name franchises as Jeffrey Wright. The acclaimed chameleon of the silver screen has appeared in The Batman, James Bond, Westworld, and even Marvel’s animated series, What If…?. Gaming enthusiasts, however, recognize him fondly for his role in The Last of Us, a role that many are hoping he’ll get to reprise in the live-action adaptation.
Wright rightly earned the respect of gaming fans worldwide for his voice acting and motion capture work as Isaac Dixon in The Last of Us Part II. Dixon, the calm yet cruel leader of the Washington Liberation Front, serves as the secondary antagonist of the Naughty Dog sequel.
Now that casting for HBO’s The Last of Us Season 2 is well underway, there’s speculation that Wright could potentially come aboard the live-action series, an assumption he’s not categorically denied.
Speaking to GamesRadar whilst promoting his latest film, American Fiction, the 58-year-old actor gave a pithy response to these rumors, stating, “Anything is possible. We shall see.” Obviously, this isn’t confirmation of anything, but the fact that he didn’t rule out the possibility of reprising his role is a major plus for fans.
Wright wouldn’t be the first actor to appear in both the game and TV adaptations of The Last of Us. Actress Merle Dandridge, who portrays the Fireflies’ leader Marlene in the games, reprised her role in the show’s first season.
Showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann approved this due to her resemblance to her in-game character. Given this, it stands to reason that Wright would be considered for the Dixon role due to the same factor.
Unfortunately, due to the scale of the story, fans are unlikely to see Wright in the upcoming season. According to Mazin and Druckmann, adapting The Last of Us Part II for the small screen requires multiple seasons, unlike the first game, which only needed one.
So far, four actors have been cast in Season 2, including Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, Young Mazino as Jesse, and Isabela Merced as Dina. Catherine O’Hara is the latest actor to join the show’s cast, though her role is yet to be disclosed.
The Last of Us Season 2 is scheduled to premiere next year.
