Neil Druckmann on Continuing 'The Last of Us' TV Show Beyond Games

Amid uncertainties surrounding the future of The Last of Us video game series, fans eagerly await what lies ahead after HBO's adaptation covers the events of the second game in Seasons 2 and 3. Earlier this month, Neil Druckmann, the series creator, hinted at a potential end, stating, "I guess the only thing I would say is don’t bet on there being more of ‘Last of Us.’ This could be it."

This statement raises a pivotal question: If there's no The Last of Us 3, will Naughty Dog and Druckmann continue the TV series beyond the game's storyline? IGN posed this query to Druckmann during the red carpet event for The Last of Us Season 2 premiere. Druckmann explained that while he envisions an ending for The Last of Us saga, he remains uncertain about the opportunity to develop The Last of Us 3. He emphasized his approach to storytelling: "I have to have an ending. When I made The Last of Us 1, I didn’t know if there was going to be a sequel, so that had to be a definitive ending. When I worked on Uncharted 4, I don’t know if we’ll ever get to do it again. I need it to be a definitive ending. Last of Us 2, same way. All these things have to line up."

Druckmann's commitment to delivering a complete narrative underscores his philosophy: "I don’t know how long I’ll keep doing this or whether I’ll be given another opportunity. So I leave nothing on the line. Right now it’s like, we have an ending in mind. And that ending will be it. That ending will be it for this story."

The feasibility of Druckmann dedicating time to The Last of Us 3 is in question, given his involvement in the ongoing TV series and the newly announced PlayStation game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. Druckmann elaborated, "As far as everything else, and you’re asking me about future games, my time so much is, we have to finish this season. We’re not quite done. We’re almost there. Knock on wood we get to do it again. Season 3, there’s a lot more story we have to cover, as you know with game two. And then my hands are pretty full with Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet."

The Last of Us Season 2 Character Posters

3 ImagesIn February 2024, Druckmann hinted at a potential "concept" for The Last of Us 3 during the Grounded 2: Making The Last of Us Part 2 event. He reflected on the thematic continuity from the first game's focus on "the unconditional love a parent feels for their child" to the second game's exploration of "the pursuit of justice at any cost, justice for the ones you love." He expressed satisfaction with the current narrative closure, stating, "If we never get to do it again, this is a fine ending point. Last bite of the apple, the story's done."

Druckmann also highlighted the creative freedom at Naughty Dog, saying, "The great thing about working at Naughty Dog is that we don't have to. It's always like, 'we would love another Last of Us, but if you guys feel you're passionate about something else, we'll support this other thing.' Very privileged position to be in, I never take that for granted. I've been just thinking about it, 'is there a concept there?' And for now years, I haven't been able to find that concept. But recently, that's changed, and I don't have a story, but I do have that concept that to me is as exciting as 1, as exciting as 2, is its own thing, and yet has this throughline for all three. So it does feel like there's probably one more chapter to this story."