A significant change is underway at HBO’s The Last of Us as it gears up for Season 3. Neil Druckmann, co-creator and director of the acclaimed Naughty Dog video games, will reduce his creative involvement for the new season, as confirmed by sources to Deadline.
Druckmann will not write or direct any episodes for Season 3, although he will retain his roles as co-creator and executive producer. “I’ve made the difficult decision to step away from my creative involvement in The Last of Us on HBO. With work completed on Season 2 and before any meaningful work starts on Season 3, now is the right time for me to transition my complete focus to Naughty Dog and its future projects, including writing and directing our exciting next game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, along with my responsibilities as Studio Head and Head of Creative,” he stated on Wednesday. He went on to express his gratitude, saying, “Co-creating the show has been a career highlight. It’s been an honor to work alongside Craig Mazin to executive produce, direct, and write on the last two seasons. I’m deeply thankful for the thoughtful approach and dedication the talented cast and crew took to adapting The Last of Us Part I and their continued adaptation of The Last of Us Part II.”
Druckmann concluded by expressing his enthusiasm for HBO and PlayStation Productions to continue the narratives of Ellie and Abby in the upcoming season.
The impact of Druckmann’s reduced role on the series remains uncertain. During the first two seasons, he collaborated closely with showrunner Craig Mazin to ensure that the HBO adaptation remained true to the essence of the video games. He is credited as a writer or co-writer on five episodes and has directed two, including the crucial penultimate episode of Season 2.
Mazin also shared his thoughts, stating, “It’s been a creative dream to work with Neil and bring an adaptation of his brilliant work to life on HBO. I couldn’t have asked for a more generous creative partner. As a true fan of Naughty Dog and Neil’s work in video games, I’m beyond excited to play his next game. While he focuses on that, I’ll continue to work with our brilliant cast and crew to deliver the show our audience has come to expect. We are so grateful to Neil and Halley Gross for entrusting the incredible story of The Last of Us Part II to us, and we’re just as grateful to the millions of people around the world who tune in.”
Season 3 is anticipated to continue the storyline from the sequel game, The Last of Us Part II. The previous season concluded on a cliffhanger, hinting that Kaitlyn Dever’s Abby would take center stage in the upcoming episodes. HBO has yet to confirm if this third season will also be the last.
Based on the award-winning video game by Naughty Dog, The Last of Us unfolds 20 years after the collapse of modern civilization. The plot follows Joel, played by Pedro Pascal, a seasoned survivor enlisted to smuggle Ellie (Bella Ramsey), a 14-year-old girl, out of a stringent quarantine zone. What begins as a simple task morphs into a harrowing journey, as they navigate the U.S. and rely on one another for their survival.
Season 2 resumes five years after the first season’s events, with Joel and Ellie embroiled in conflicts amid an even more perilous and unpredictable world than before.
The Ankler was the first to report on Druckmann’s departure from the creative team.
