With the April 13 season 2 premiere now only days away, HBO reveals that The Last of Us will return for season 3. There's no word yet, however, on how many episodes the new season will consist of or when it may release. Francesca Orsi, Executive Vice President, HBO Programming, Head of HBO Drama Series and Films, shared the following statement about the renewal, praising the acclaimed series' sophomore outing:
“It can’t be overemphasized how proud HBO is for the outstanding achievement we believe the second season of THE LAST OF US is. Craig, Neil, Carolyn and the entire executive producer team, cast and crew have delivered a masterful follow-up and we’re thrilled to carry the power of Craig and Neil’s storytelling into what we know will be an equally moving and extraordinary third season.”
Co-creator Craig Mazin shared his comment on the renewal, expressing thanks to HBO and excitement about continuing the series:
“We approached season two with the goal of creating something we could be proud of. The end results have exceeded even our most ambitious goals, thanks to our continued collaboration with HBO and the impeccable work of our unparalleled cast and crew. We look forward to continuing the story of THE LAST OF US with season three!”
Finally, co-creator Neil Druckmann addressed The Last of Us season 3 as well, thanking Mazin and the fans for supporting the show:
What This Means For The Last Of Us
The HBO Show's Future Explained
The acclaimed The Last of Us season 1 adapts the entirety of Naughty Dog's debut video game in the series, with Joel and Ellie ending the season in essentially the same place as their game counterparts. Naughty Dog's sequel game, The Last of Us Part II, serves as the basis for season 2 of the HBO show, but the sophomore outing adapts only a portion of this story. Both Mazin and Druckmann have been open about the fact that telling the story of the sequel video game will take multiple seasons.
The Last of Us creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann have thought about the show’s future, but what do their plans for seasons 2, 3, and 4 mean?
One thing that has been made clear, however, is that Mazin and Druckmann, the latter of whom also wrote the video game source material, will not be taking the show beyond the events of The Last of Us Part II. "I am not going to go past the game," Mazin told The Hollywood Reporter, "I’ll just say that flat out."
Druckmann recently addressed the chances of a The Last of Us Part III game, telling Variety that it may not happen: "I guess the only thing I would say is don’t bet on there being more of [The] Last of Us. This could be it."
Our Take On The Last Of Us Season 3
Why Future Seasons Could Be Controversial
With Mazin and Druckmann at the helm, The Last of Us season 3 is sure to feature all the best parts of the show once more. The sequel video game does feature some divisive storytelling decisions and characters, however, meaning that seasons 2, 3, and beyond could end up being more divisive than the debut installment, at least with general audiences. While many questions remain about the story to come in The Last of Us season 3, fans can, at the very least, rest assured that more episodes are on the way.
The Last of Us season 2 premieres on Sunday, April 13 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.
Source: HBO
