Fans are getting very excited about The Last of Us season 2's hotly-anticipated return next week, but before it airs, the series' showrunner has revealed that he likely won't be back again if the show is looking to branch off into spin-offs and this will be his final involvement in the franchise. For those who haven't played Naughty Dog's sequel yet and HBO's show is their first dip into The Last of Us' vast ocean, Season 2 will introduce new cast members that include Abby Anderson, Dina, Jesse, and Gail, who is played by Catherine O'Hara.
Gail, who is a therapist living in Jackson and confirmed to be Eugene’s wife, marks a departure from The Last of Us games in which she never appeared. This also somewhat, goes for Eugene, as the ex-firefly had only been mentioned briefly in The Last of Us Part 2 when Dina and Ellie found his secret basement. As if Season 2 needed to be ramped up even more for its eager viewers, showrunner Craig Mazin recently teased that the returning season will have a beautiful episode similar to Bill and Frank's from Season One of HBO's The Last of Us, revealing that the "spectacular" scene will blow viewers away. Now Mazin comments on why he won't be a part of the franchises' spin-offs if there are any.
The Last of Us Showrunner Will Move On From the Franchise After Adaptation of Second Game
Talking to Variety, Craig Mazin revealed what was in store for him as a writer and showrunner for HBO's The Last of Us, stating that even though he is a huge fan of its universe, he likely won't be involved in a continuation of the franchise. Mazin said that this would be his "last Last of Us," which is in reference to his alliance on covering the second adaption of the game, and that he would be moving on from it once it has been adapted. Mazin revealed that if Neil Druckmann created a third Last of Us game, he would "love it" but he wouldn't be around if it got a spin-off as that would be someone else's role.
"As far as additional source material, as a fan of The Last of Us, if Neil has more games, I would love it. For me, as a writer and showrunner, this is my Last of Us. So this will be the last of my Last of Us, covering the events of the first and second game. I think there’s always a world where you could see additional material, like the way House of the Dragon has thrived after the conclusion of Game of Thrones. And I could certainly see myself being somebody that the people making that show, they pick up the phone and call me and say, "How did you do this? Or what do you think about this?" But it won’t be mine to do. Somebody else will be handling that."
What isn't certain, though, is whether Druckmann will be making a third Last of Us game. When asked about the future of the video game franchise, Druckmann revealed that fans shouldn't get their hopes up. "This could be it," expressed Druckmann. However, after the chaos of the sequel leaked online before it was even released, the creator could be holding his cards very close to his chest this time around.
The Last of Us Season 1 is available to stream on Max now, with Season 2 set to premiere on April 13, 2025.
