The Last of Us game director Neil Druckmann exits HBO series ahead of Season 3

Season 3 of HBO's live-action adaptation of The Last of Us is moving forward with some major changes behind the scenes. Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann, who co-created the original video game and has been a key creative force on HBO’s adaptation, is officially stepping away from the series. He won’t be involved in the upcoming third season, marking a significant shift for the show.

The announcement came directly from Naughty Dog on 2 July, 2025 via X (formerly Twitter), where the studio shared a message Druckmann had delivered to the team. In it, he confirmed: “I've made the difficult decision to step away from my creative involvement in The Last of Us on HBO.”

He added that, with Season 2 wrapped and before Season 3 enters full production, “now is the right time for me to transition my complete focus to Naughty Dog and its future projects, including writing and directing our exciting next game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.”

Reflecting on his time working on the series, Druckmann said, “Co-creating the show has been a career highlight. It's been an honour to work alongside Craig Mazin to executive produce, direct and write on the last two seasons.” He also thanked the cast and crew for their thoughtful approach in adapting both The Last of Us Part I and Part II.

Major creative exits raise questions for the Last of Us Season 3

Druckmann’s departure isn’t the only shake-up. Halley Gross, who co-wrote The Last of Us Part II and joined the adaptation’s second season as a writer and executive producer, has also confirmed she’s leaving.

In a statement shared shortly after the news broke, Gross said she was stepping away from her day-to-day duties on the show “to make space for what comes next.” She described the experience as “life changing," writing: “Working alongside Neil, Craig, HBO and this remarkable cast and crew has been life changing. The stories we told, about love, loss and what it means to be human in a terrifying world, are exactly why I love this franchise.”

The exits have raised questions about the creative direction of Season 3. Druckmann was heavily involved in both previous seasons, writing or co-writing five episodes and directing two, including the penultimate episode of Season 2. Gross, meanwhile, helped to shape the adaptation’s second chapter with several writing credits of her own.

Showrunner Craig Mazin, who continues to lead the HBO series, responded to the news in a statement reported by Deadline, calling the collaboration “a creative dream.”

“I couldn’t have asked for a more generous creative partner,” Mazin said of Druckmann. “As a true fan of Naughty Dog and Neil’s work in video games, I’m beyond excited to play his next game. While he focuses on that, I’ll continue to work with our brilliant cast and crew to deliver the show our audience has come to expect.”

He also expressed gratitude for both Druckmann and Gross, saying, “We are so grateful to Neil and Halley Gross for entrusting the incredible story of The Last of Us Part II to us, and we’re just as grateful to the millions of people around the world who tune in.”

Season 3 is expected to continue adapting The Last of Us Part II, with Kaitlyn Dever’s Abby set to take a central role after the Season 2 finale ended on a major cliffhanger. HBO has yet to confirm whether the third season will be the show’s last.

Based on the award-winning game from Naughty Dog, The Last of Us follows Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) as they navigate a post-apocalyptic United States. The second season jumps forward five years and explores the emotional and physical consequences of their choices, introducing new characters and deepening the series’ themes of vengeance, survival, and humanity.

As Season 3 moves forward without two of its most influential voices, fans will be watching closely to see how the show evolves, and how true it remains to the DNA of the beloved game.