The Last of Us Season 3 is set to start filming without completed scripts, according to showrunner Craig Mazin.
HBO is moving forward on The Last of Us Season 3 — a season centered around Abby, one of the most deeply unpopular characters in modern gaming — by beginning production before all the scripts are finished. Showrunner Craig Mazin has admitted that while some writing is underway, the full slate of episodes won’t be complete before cameras roll.
A screenshot of Bella Ramsey as Ellie in The Last of Us HBO Series – HBO Max
That decision alone would raise eyebrows, but paired with the fan resentment already surrounding Abby’s storyline, it signals a dangerous gamble for a franchise that’s already losing momentum.
The show is heading into uncharted territory once again — this time by beginning production on Season 3 before all the scripts are finished. Showrunner Craig Mazin recently admitted that while work is underway, the season’s writing will overlap with filming, meaning cameras will roll before the entire narrative is locked down.
This revelation comes at a time when fan confidence in the franchise has already taken a major hit.
A Season Marked by Backlash
Season 2 of The Last of Us saw an undeniable drop in momentum. While critics hailed the series as a prestige drama, many longtime fans voiced disappointment at its pacing, unchanged controversial structure, and narrative focus. Audience ratings plummeted on platforms like Rotten Tomatoes, where the audience score sat far below the critics’ average.
Abby and Joel in The Last of Us Season 2 – Max
The decline showed up in viewership as well. The Season 2 finale drew just 3.7 million cross-platform viewers on Memorial Day weekend — a staggering 55% decline from the Season 1 finale’s 8.2 million. In television terms, that’s not just a stumble; it’s a collapse. HBO’s golden goose has been bleeding audience interest, and Season 3 faces an uphill battle to win viewers back.
Neil Druckmann’s Departure
Complicating matters further is the fact that Neil Druckmann, the original creative force behind The Last of Us at Naughty Dog, has stepped away from the show ahead of Season 3.
Neil Druckmann speaking at the 2014 San Diego Comic Con International, for “The Last of Us”, at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Druckmann’s absence from Season 3 isn’t necessarily the setback some in the press might frame it as. In fact, for many fans, it could be seen as a relief. Druckmann is widely blamed for the controversial creative choices that alienated much of the audience in The Last of Us Part II — particularly the shocking death of Joel and the decision to shift the franchise’s focus toward Abby.
Abby in The Last of Us Part II (2020), Naughty Dog
Far from backing down, Druckmann has consistently defended those decisions, showing little willingness to listen to widespread audience criticism. His departure from the HBO series leaves Craig Mazin in full control, and while Mazin faces a steep challenge in regaining fan trust, the removal of Druckmann’s influence could be viewed as a chance to steer the story in a direction less beholden to the divisive elements that fractured the fanbase.
Déjà Vu at Marvel: Avengers Doomsday
This approach isn’t unique to HBO. Marvel Studios is taking a similar gamble with Avengers: Doomsday. Actress Rebecca Romijn recently acknowledged that the script wasn’t complete even while she was filming scenes, admitting she wasn’t sure if her part was finished or not.
Rebecca Romjin as Mystique in X-Men – Disney+
Meanwhile, Marvel boss Kevin Feige casually described the process as ongoing “plussing” — industry shorthand for tinkering on the fly.
Both situations raise the same fundamental question: if studios are spending hundreds of millions on these tentpole projects, why would they risk shooting without finalized scripts?
Why This Is a Terrible Idea
Starting production before the writing is complete is like building a skyscraper while still designing the top floors. Sure, you can start pouring concrete, but you risk expensive do-overs and structural problems down the line.
Abby in The Last of Us Season 2 – Max
In television, this often leads to disjointed storylines, bloated budgets, and inconsistent character arcs. Fans can tell when a show is improvising instead of delivering a carefully crafted narrative. The Game of Thrones fiasco is still fresh in viewers’ minds, and HBO should know better than to repeat mistakes that alienate their core audience.
Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones (2019), HBO
For The Last of Us, the danger is especially high. The series already faces declining ratings and fractured fan trust that even the absence of Neil Druckmann can’t undo. Overlapping writing and filming could easily compound those issues, leading to a third season that feels more like a patchwork of half-finished ideas than a cohesive story.
Is HBO Making a Fatal Mistake?
The fact that HBO is pressing forward with The Last of Us Season 3 filming without completed scripts should raise alarms. It’s one thing to polish dialogue during production, but it’s another to start shooting with entire chunks of the story unfinished.
Bella Ramsey as Ellie Williams in The Last of Us (2023), HBO
Audiences have already sent a message by tuning out of Season 2. If HBO wants to restore confidence, it needs to prioritize storytelling over production schedules. Otherwise, the Last of Us franchise could find itself joining Marvel as a cautionary tale of what happens when studios gamble with half-baked scripts and millions on the line.
What do you think about The Last of Us Season 3 shooting without completed scripts? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
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