The Last of Us creators, Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin, recently discussed their plans for the show’s second season and how its timeline compares to the original video games.
The Last of Us is based on an acclaimed PlayStation 3 video game of the same name and features Pedro Pascal as Joel Miller and Bella Ramsey as Ellie. The series focuses on the relationship between Miller and Ellie, a teenage orphan, as they navigate through a zombie-infested United States.
Joel soon realizes that Ellie has a unique immunity to the fungal infection that has been raging in the US, which convinces him to take up the mission of escorting the teenager and lead her to the Fireflies, a militant revolutionary faction.
In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Druckmann and Mazin talked about their plans for season 2 moving forward. Season 1 is expected to adapt the entirety of the first game in the PlayStation series, so many have been wondering if season 2 will follow the same suit by taking up The Last of Us Part II.
Mazin confirms the same and explains that he likes to avoid “fillers” in his stories, which means season 2 will closely follow the second part of the video game. Read the entire statement below:
We have no plans to tell any stories beyond adapting the games. We won’t run into the same issue as Game of Thrones since Part II doesn’t end on a cliffhanger.
Druckmann
I don’t have any interest in a spinning-plates-go-on-forever show. When it becomes a perpetual motion machine, it just can’t help but get kind of … stupid. Endings mean everything to me.
Mazin
As we can see, Mazin is pretty clear about his intentions concerning the series. He mentions that he does not want to continue the show for an endless time just because the studio can afford it. Druckmann, who also created the original video games, also confirms that they will stick to the narrative of the game and not stretch the show beyond what we see in the original games.
In other words, The Last of Us will be a pretty faithful and true adaptation of its source material. Considering season 2 will closely follow Part II of the video game, fans are in for an emotional rollercoaster. Season 2 will therefore deal with the consequences of Miller and Ellie’s actions in season 1.
The two also have to deal with their past, which they previously considered done and dusted. However, the creators’ decision to adapt The Last of Us Part II could prove to be controversial, as the original game received mixed opinions from fans.
In the game, players had to control the antagonist for a significant amount of time, which did not sit well with a big chunk of the fanbase. Druckmann received heavy criticism for the same. So, it will be interesting to see whether Druckmann decides to make any changes in the series in this regard.
Druckmann also mentioned at the end of the second game that there’s “more story to tell,” which means that The Last of Us Part III might be on the cards. If the video game gets a third part, it will give Druckmann and Mazin an opportunity to go forward with the series for another season as well.
About The Last Of Us
The Last of Us is an HBO TV series adaptation of the award-winning video game of the same name originally developed by Naughty Dog.
It is set in 2033, as a fungal infestation plagues humans, turning them feral and blind before finally finishing them off. The series follows Joel’s journey to escort an immune 14-year-old Ellie to the Fireflies, who hope to study her to procure a vaccine.
The cast comprises Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, both famed for their roles in Games of Thrones, along with Gabriel Luna, Merle Dandridge, and Nico Parker. The show was renewed for season 2.
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