HBO announced today that there will be a Season 2 of their critically acclaimed video game adaptation The Last of Us, but it's clear that showrunner Craig Mazin was thinking about the next installment long before it was official.
After the announcement, game creator and show executive producer Neil Druckmann revealed on Twitter that Season 2 would follow the story of The Last of Us Part II. Speaking to IGN at The Last of Us' red carpet premiere earlier this month, Mazin revealed that they had already "started to talk about" how they would adapt Part II.
“The Last of Us Part 2” is “more than a season’s worth of television” says showrunner Craig Mazin #TheLastofUs pic.twitter.com/hHILDAe1G5
— IGN (@IGN) January 27, 2023
"It's a big animal to take apart, you know?" he said. "Because it's a much bigger story and it's a more complicated story. It's a beautiful story."
"It's more than a season's worth of television, for sure," he added.
This would mark a difference from how the HBO series adapted the first The Last of Us, whose story will be told within Season 1, as Mazin and Druckmann previously confirmed. The first two episodes have largely born this out, aside from a couple of deviations from the game – including one in the most recent episode that has left fans divided.
The Last of Us Episode 2: TV Show vs Game Comparison
Given how well The Last of Us has performed for HBO, it's little shock that the network wants to keep investing in this story. Its debut not only garnered a whopping 22 million viewers, but critical acclaim.
IGN's Simon Cardy gave Season 1 a 9/10, calling it "a stunning adaptation that should thrill newcomers and enrich those already familiar with Joel and Ellie's journey alike."
Alex Stedman is a News Editor with IGN, leading entertainment reporting. When she's not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.