Now that HBO’sThe Last of Usseason 1 has finished, fans have wondered what’s in store for season 2. While details remain scarce, creators have confirmed that telling the story ofThe Last of Us: Part 2will take more than one season.
The Last of Us: Part 2picks up five years after the end ofThe Last of Us: Part 1and explores the consequences of Joel and Ellie’s actions in the previous game. Even before the season 1 finale aired, fans were already speculating how the second season would be handled. Typical topics of speculation have been whether Ellie will be recast in favor of an older actor and if the showrunners plan on fitting the entirety of the events ofThe Last of Us: Part 2into just the second season. So far, it sounds likeBella Ramsey will returnand that there will be multiple seasons ofThe Last of Usfollowing season 1.
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In an interview withGQ,The Last of Usseries co-creators Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin confirmed that they will use multiple seasons to fully explore the story ofThe Last of Us: Part 2. However, they did not confirm how many seasons. When asked if they were planning on two or three more seasons, Mazin said, “You have noted correctly that we will not say how many. But more than one is factually correct.” Mazin also seemingly confirmed thatThe Last of Uswill include more encounters with infectedin season 2, saying, “…we learned by watching the audience watch the show. I personally have noted how much they liked those encounters. And I think we have some really interesting things coming that will be very satisfying without burying you.”
That’s not the only detail aboutThe Last of Usseason 2 that Mazin and Druckmann discussed. As with season 1, season 2 will slightly stray from the game. In what ways, Mazin and Druckmann wouldn’t say, but both discussed how they found some scenes less impactful when translated for the show due to the lack of character interaction. Both emphasized their commitment to impactful, character-driven storytelling and willingness to forgo some of the game’s memorable scenes in favor of moments that build the characters' stories better. When asked what scenes from the game weren’t in season 1, Mazin referred tothe absence of the hotel basement scenefromThe Last of Us: Part 1, saying that while that section of the game is terrifying, it doesn’t work as well when it’s presented as part of a television show.
Although the length of the series is still unclear, fans can rest assured thatThe Last of Usseason 2 won’t be hampered by the impossible task of fitting a huge game likeThe Last of Us: Part 2into nine hour-long episodes. Giving the second game’s story, so much room means that the pacing of future seasons could be slower or that some episodes could be dedicated to exploring stories only hinted at in the game, likeThe Last of Usepisode 3 of season 1. However many seasons follow the first, there will most likely never be enough to fully satiate fans of the bleak, gripping world ofThe Last of Us.
The Last of Usseason 1 is available to stream now on HBO Max.
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