In the wake of Neil Druckmann stepping down from “The Last of Us“, HBO exec Casey Bloys has given an update on when fans can expect the third season. Brace yourselves; it’s going to be a very long wait.
“The series is definitely planned for 2027,” Bloys told Variety.
That’s quite a long wait, but that’s not the only update. The exec reveals to the outlet that showrunner and lead writer Craig Mazin is currently determining how long the series will actually run. Bloys states, “Craig is still working it out whether it will be two more seasons or one more long season. It hasn’t been decided yet, and I’m following Craig’s lead on that.”
Bloys also addressed Druckmann’s departure. “A lot of people don’t realize that Neil has a full time job creating video games and running Naughty Dog,” Bloys concluded. “It’s a really big job that he’s got. So I understand why he needs to focus on that. But I believe he’s given us a good blueprint with the show. And obviously Craig is a pro, so I think we’ll be in excellent shape. I’m not worried at all.”
That’s not entirely unexpected, considering HBO executive Francesca Orsi previously suggested that the series was shaping up for a four-season run.
As for what’s ahead, the upcoming season will primarily tell Abby’s side of the story. It’s the same approach taken by the video game The Last of Us Part II, which the HBO series is adapting across at least two seasons of television. Abby is played by Kaitlyn Dever, who joined the second season of the HBO series.
“The Last of Us“ Season 3 will show us what Abby was up to while Ellie was hunting her down in Seattle. “Abby is the hero of her story,“ series co-creator Craig Mazin recently noted.
The series recently received a whopping sixteen Emmy nominations, but is clearly undergoing some changes ahead of season three. Stay tuned.