The HBO series The Last of Us has already been officially renewed for season 2. It might be the least surprising news of the day considering the show’s widespread success since it premiered nearly two weeks ago. Still, original game director and series executive producer Neil Druckmann is happy to confirm the news and had a few words to share on the matter, per Variety:
I’m humbled, honored, and frankly overwhelmed that so many people have tuned in and connected with our retelling of Joel and Ellie’s journey. The collaboration with Craig Mazin, our incredible cast & crew, and HBO exceeded my already high expectations. Now we have the absolute pleasure of being able to do it again with season two! On behalf of everyone at Naughty Dog & PlayStation, thank you!
HBO says that The Last of Us has continued to draw in those familiar with the show and newcomers, with episode 1 scoring 22 million viewers domestically since its debut. So far, The Last of Us on HBO has largely stayed in line with the story of the game that it is based on, with many fans already spotting multiple moments that have been retold shot for shot in the show. Most of series’s main storyline will likely stay in line with the source material, too, leaving one question: What will The Last of Us season 2 look like?
The video game The Last of Us did receive a sequel, The Last of Us Part II, in 2020. However, that follow-up takes place five years after the events of the original story, with many characters aged up accordingly. It also brought in a whole new cast of characters, with some of them receiving just as much or more screen time than original protagonists Joel and Ellie. In other words, assuming the narrative will continue to fall in line for the games, the team at HBO has its work cut out for it. We likely won’t have to wait five years for The Last of Us season 2, so how it will follow up an already brilliant debut is anyone’s guess — we mostly just know that the new season is official.
The journey continues. #TheLastOfUs will return for another season on @HBOMax. pic.twitter.com/FQNG6vhk1d
— The Last of Us (@TheLastofUsHBO) January 27, 2023
“I’m so grateful to Neil Druckmann and HBO for our partnership, and I’m even more grateful to the millions of people who have joined us on this journey,” executive producer and showrunner Craig Mazin said. “The audience has given us the chance to continue, and as a fan of the characters and world Neil and Naughty Dog created, I couldn’t be more ready to dive back in.”
The next episode of The Last of Us will premiere this Sunday at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT, and we will have an episode review up immediately after its premiere.
