Season two of HBO’s The Last of Us live-action TV series is on its way. In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, the showrunners hinted that the series based on the beloved video game is far from over, despite there being no more source material after season two. They also confirmed the character of Abby will have a different physique than in the game while claiming they “pander to no one.”
Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie in The Last of Us (2023), HBO
The Last of Us series—both the game and its live-action adaptation—have been a controversial topic for quite a while. That mainly centered around developer Naughty Dog dismissing fans’ concerns regarding Part II and copyright striking YouTube videos on the subject, as well as the disgraceful death of beloved character Joel in favor of the divisive character of Abby.
Season one of the live-action series retold the first game. Season two will cover the second. Naughty Dog director and series showrunner Neil Druckmann evidently intends to keep the show going. If true, season three and any seasons after that will be completely fresh material.
The question is, how will they go about it? Joel died early in the second game, so it’s expected that the show will follow that chain of events. Pedro Pascal, who plays Joel in the live-action series, believes his character’s death will be much different from the game. However, there is no confirmation of this yet.
The Last of Us Part II Remastered (2024), Naughty Dog
Additionally, Abby, the character who’s supposed to kill Joel, has also undergone some changes for the show. For instance, it appears she won’t have a masculine physique like in the game. In The Last of Us: Part 2 she’s depicted as having a bodybuilder’s torso, complete with broad shoulders and huge arms.
The series’ co-showrunner Craig Mazin explained this by stating:
“I personally think that there is an amazing opportunity here to delve into someone who is perhaps physically more vulnerable than the Abby in the game, but whose spirit is stronger. And then the question is, ‘Where does her formidable nature come from and how does it manifest?’ That’s something that will be explored now and later.”
In the interview, Neil Druckmann gave his thoughts on changes to the story, dropping a few hints on what he has in store. Druckmann is more aware of the controversy around The Last of Us than anyone. In fact, he was more or less at the center of it. Oddly, he doesn’t seem bothered by it at all in the interview. Rather, it seems he tried to paint himself as the hero.
“[Our] brand is that we pander to no one,” he said (Take a moment to laugh at that one before continuing). “We do what’s best for the story and whatever happens, happens. There’s a very particular story we wanted to tell and we stuck to our guns.”
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
Entertainment Weekly followed that up with praise for the controversial sequel to the beloved video game.
“That strategy continues to pay off,” the article stated. “The Last of Us Part II became a sensation, selling more than four million units over its release weekend alone before going on to win award after award at the Oscars of the gaming industry, The Game Awards.” (Fans of the first game, and indeed most sensible critics, will likely laugh at the obvious shilling)
After that, Mazin revealed that the series will continue beyond a third season. “How far past?” he said. “I can’t say. And that’s not to say that there are not other stories that could be told, but this story is the one that Neil and I are telling.”
Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie in The Last of Us (2023), HBO
Druckmann supported this quite strongly.
“We have a plan,” he told EW. “We know what we need to do going forward, but we couldn’t tell you right now exactly how many episodes or how many seasons it would take to get there.”
This means that the series may indeed continue for quite a while. Fans of the original game should probably expect even more changes and tragedies to befall their favorite characters.
Raven Redgrave, AKA Writing Raven, is the co-host of the Gothic Therapy YouTube channel with her husband MasterOfTheTDS. The channel features a look at pop culture, entertainment, and gaming with insightful commentary, sharp critiques, and a dose of dark humor.
