Bill is a new character in The Last of Us, set as a supporting actor in Joel and Ellie's main storyline, Naughty Dog announced at its San Diego Comic-Con panel. The first look at Bill, who is portrayed via performance capture by William Earl Brown, shows him as a crotchety, tough old man with a safe house that Ellie and Joel break into, apparently setting off all kinds of booby traps along the way.

The introductory cinematic cutscene suggests Joel and Bill have a history, and as is expected for the game, it's not a relationship based mainly on four-letter words and raised voices. The scene sets Joel and Ellie up to scavenge around the town for parts so Bill can build a car for the main duo's escape.

We assume that earlier in his life, Bill helped another group of lost souls survive a zombie apocalypse. He's surprisingly nice for a mean old man.