The Last of Us television series creators, Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, recently discussed plans for season 2. Based on the 2013 PlayStation 3 video game of the same name, the HBO adaptation stars Pedro Pascal as weathered survivor Joel Miller. It centers on his relationship with the precocious 14-year-old orphan Ellie, portrayed by Game of Thrones star Bella Ramsey. After a smuggling deal falls through, Joel and his partner Tess (Anna Torv) are recruited by Marlene (Merle Dandridge) to escort Ellie across the zombie-infested United States to the militant revolutionary faction known as the Fireflies. Although Joel is initially reluctant to accept the task, he soon understands its importance when he learns Ellie carries a rare immunity to the fungal infection plaguing the world.

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Mazin and Druckmann teased plans for The Last of Us season 2 and beyond. With season 1 expected to cover the entirety of the first game in The Last of Us video game series, many speculated if season 2 would encompass the narrative of The Last of Us Part II. Mazin explained that he does not like "filler" in his stories, indicating that the second season adheres closely to the sequel game. Read more of what The Last of Us creators said below:

Druckmann: We have no plans to tell any stories beyond adapting the games. We won’t run into the same issue as Game of Thrones since Part II doesn’t end on a cliffhanger.

Mazin: I don’t have any interest in a spinning-plates-go-on-forever show. When it becomes a perpetual motion machine, it just can’t help but get kind of … stupid. Endings mean everything to me.

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What To Expect For Last Of Us Season 2

Ellie pointing a gun in The Last Of Us Part II

Mazin and Druckmann's comments indicate that The Last of Us season 2 will likely follow the story of The Last of Us Part II video game. Mazin, a self-professed super-fan of both games, admitted that he has no desire to continue the show needlessly simply because the studio can. As many television series stay long past their welcome, Druckmann shares in Mazin's sentiment, stating that he has no narrative planned beyond the scope of the video game series.

If The Last of Us season 2 adhered to The Last of Us Part II's heart-wrenching story, the season will take the audience on a dramatic thrill ride as the central characters spiral into darkness. Without delving too deeply into spoilers for The Last of Us Part II, the following season for the HBO adaptation will likely focus on the consequences of Joel and Ellie's actions in season 1, with a previously thought dead-and-buried past reaching their doorstep. However, such a decision to retell The Last of Us Part II will be controversial among fans as the game's reception was decidedly split due to its daring storytelling structure. The game had the player control the antagonist for much of the game, causing significant frustration in a portion of the fanbase, resulting in targeted harassment against Druckmann and the actors.

Druckmann, who created the original video games, also teased a third The Last of Us entry in the works stating that he believes "there's more story to tell." A third game would allow Mazin and HBO to extend the life of the series to season 3 if successful. With The Last of Us series premiere just over a week away, audiences can finally see the critically-acclaimed video game brought to life.

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Source: THR