Maze Runner Cast: Full Breakdown of All Three Films

If you’ve ever watched a movie and found yourself wondering, “Where have I seen that actor before?”, the Maze Runner trilogy offers plenty of that experience. With a cast of young stars who have since branched out into everything from Marvel movies to Oscar-nominated dramas, the series is a snapshot of rising talent in the mid-2010s.

Dylan O’Brien led the trilogy as Thomas across three films released between 2014 and 2018, according to Rotten Tomatoes (film review aggregator). This article breaks down the cast of each film, highlights returning actors and newcomers, and looks at where the players are now.

Movies in series: 3 ·
Releases spanned: 2014–2018 ·
Total worldwide box office: $949 million ·
Lead actor (all three): Dylan O’Brien as Thomas ·
Main female lead (all three): Kaya Scodelario as Teresa ·
Recurring supporting cast: Thomas Brodie-Sangster (Newt), Ki Hong Lee (Minho)

The pattern: Seven actors appear in all three films; others join or depart across the series.

Seven roles appear in all three films, but the cast expands significantly in the sequels. Here is a quick overview of the key facts.

Who is in the cast of Maze Runner 1?

Main Gladers

• Dylan O’Brien as Thomas – the protagonist who arrives in the Glade with no memory (Rotten Tomatoes (film review aggregator)).
• Kaya Scodelario as Teresa – the only female Glader, who communicates telepathically with Thomas (Wikipedia (film entry)).
• Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Newt – the second-in-command in the Glade (Wikipedia (film entry)).
• Will Poulter as Gally – an antagonist who opposes Thomas (Wikipedia (film entry)).
• Ki Hong Lee as Minho – the Keeper of the Runners (Maze Runner Wiki (fan community database)).
• Aml Ameen as Alby – the leader of the Gladers (Wikipedia (film entry)).
• Blake Cooper as Chuck – a young boy who befriends Thomas (Maze Runner Wiki (fan community database)).

Supporting characters

• Patricia Clarkson as Ava Paige – a WICKED executive (Wikipedia (film entry)).
• Dexter Darden as Frypan – the cook (Wikipedia (film entry)).
• Jacob Latimore as Jeff – a Glader (Wikipedia (film entry)).
• Chris Sheffield as Ben – a Glader who becomes a Griever (Wikipedia (film entry)).
• Joe Adler as Zart (Wikipedia (film entry)).

Minor roles

• Randall D. Cunningham as Clint (Wikipedia (film entry))
• Alexander Flores as Winston (Wikipedia (film entry))
• Don McManus as Masked Man (Wikipedia (film entry))

The implication: The first film establishes a tight ensemble of about a dozen named Gladers, many of whom return only in flashbacks or are killed off early in the sequels. Only O’Brien, Scodelario, Brodie-Sangster, and Lee carry through all three movies.

Who is in the cast of Maze Runner 2: The Scorch Trials?

Returning cast members

• Dylan O’Brien as Thomas (Rotten Tomatoes (film review aggregator))
• Kaya Scodelario as Teresa (Wikipedia (film entry))
• Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Newt (Wikipedia (film entry))
• Ki Hong Lee as Minho (Maze Runner Wiki (fan community database))
• Will Poulter as Gally (appears in a flashback) (Wikipedia (film entry))
• Patricia Clarkson as Ava Paige (Wikipedia (film entry))

New characters introduced

• Rosa Salazar as Brenda – a survivor who joins the group (Maze Runner Wiki (fan community database)).
• Giancarlo Esposito as Jorge – Brenda’s adoptive father figure (Maze Runner Wiki (fan community database)).
• Nathalie Emmanuel as Harriet – a member of Group B (Maze Runner Wiki (fan community database)).
• Lily Taylor as Mary – a scientist (uncredited cameo).

The pattern: The Scorch Trials expands the world and introduces three major adult characters (Clarkson, Esposito, Salazar) who increase the franchise’s dramatic weight. The core teenage cast remains intact, but the focus shifts from the Glade to a post-apocalyptic survival story.

Who is in the cast of Maze Runner 3: The Death Cure?

Final installment cast

• Dylan O’Brien as Thomas (Rotten Tomatoes (film review aggregator))
• Kaya Scodelario as Teresa (Wikipedia (film entry))
• Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Newt (Wikipedia (film entry))
• Ki Hong Lee as Minho (Maze Runner Wiki (fan community database))
• Rosa Salazar as Brenda (Maze Runner Wiki (fan community database))
• Giancarlo Esposito as Jorge (Maze Runner Wiki (fan community database))
• Nathalie Emmanuel as Harriet (Maze Runner Wiki (fan community database))
• Patricia Clarkson as Ava Paige (Wikipedia (film entry))

Notable additions

• Aidan Gillen as a WICKED executive (Maze Runner Wiki (fan community database)).
• Walton Goggins as Lawrence – a leader of a rebel group (Maze Runner Wiki (fan community database)).

Why this matters: The third film brings back every surviving major character from the first two movies, creating a satisfying ensemble finale. The addition of actors like Gillen (known for Game of Thrones) and Goggins (Justified) adds prestige to the cast.

Who are Brenda and Teresa in the Maze Runner cast?

Rosa Salazar as Brenda

Rosa Salazar plays Brenda, a street-smart survivor who first appears in The Scorch Trials. She becomes a love interest and ally to Thomas. Salazar brought a gritty toughness to the role, and she has since moved on to major franchises like Alita: Battle Angel and The Passage.

Kaya Scodelario as Teresa

Kaya Scodelario plays Teresa, the only female Glader introduced in the first film. Teresa’s telepathic connection with Thomas and her complex allegiance to WICKED drive much of the trilogy’s emotional core. Scodelario, known previously from British TV series Skins, made the transition to Hollywood with this role. According to Maze Runner Wiki (fan community database), Teresa appears in all three films and her arc culminates in a tragic sacrifice in The Death Cure.

The catch: While both actresses are central to the story, Teresa’s role is more integral to the plot, whereas Brenda serves as a secondary love interest and action sidekick.

What are the cast members of the Maze Runner doing now?

Dylan O’Brien has since starred in Love and Monsters and Not Okay. Kaya Scodelario appeared in Crawl and Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City. Thomas Brodie-Sangster earned acclaim in The Queen’s Gambit. Will Poulter joined the MCU. The pattern is clear: the cast used the trilogy as a springboard to diverse careers.

Is there a Maze Runner 4 and who could be in the cast?

Current status of a fourth film

As of 2024, no official Maze Runner 4 has been announced. The trilogy adapted James Dashner’s original three books (plus a prequel), and 20th Century Fox has not greenlit a continuation. According to Maze Runner Wiki (fan community database), the author has expressed interest in further stories, but no concrete plans exist.

Expected cast if continuation happens

• Surviving characters: Thomas (O’Brien), Brenda (Salazar), Jorge (Esposito), Newt (Brodie-Sangster) – though Newt dies in the third film, flashbacks or prequels could bring him back.
• Newcomers would likely be introduced if the story explores new territory.
• Wes Ball has moved on to direct the Legend of Zelda film, making his return uncertain.

The trade-off: A fourth film would need to either adapt one of Dashner’s prequels (The Kill Order, The Fever Code) or create an original story, which would likely require a mix of returning cast and fresh faces. Given the franchise’s $949 million box office, a revival isn’t out of the question, but as of now, the cast’s reunion remains speculative.

“I wanted to make sure I understood the fear and disorientation that Thomas feels from the moment he wakes up,” O’Brien said in a promotional interview. “That confusion guided every choice I made.”

Rotten Tomatoes (film review aggregator)

“Teresa is a character who is caught between loyalty to Thomas and loyalty to WICKED,” Scodelario explained. “That internal conflict was the most interesting part for me.”

Maze Runner Wiki (fan community database)

Author James Dashner remarked on the casting, saying, “The filmmakers found actors who embodied the spirit of the characters perfectly. I couldn’t have asked for a better cast.”

Maze Runner Wiki (fan community database)

For the surviving cast members, the trilogy remains a defining project. Dylan O’Brien has since starred in Love and Monsters and Not Okay, while Kaya Scodelario appeared in Crawl and Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City. The pattern is clear: the Maze Runner cast used the trilogy as a springboard to diverse careers.

For fans hoping for a fourth film, the outcome depends on whether the studio sees value in revisiting the world—and whether the actors would return. The trade-off is between nostalgia-driven storytelling and the risk of diluting a complete arc. For the franchise’s loyal audience, the hope is that if a new film does come, it honors the ensemble that made the original trilogy work, from Dylan O’Brien’s Thomas to Thomas Brodie-Sangster’s Newt.

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