HBO’s flagship video game adaptation,The Last of Us, is coming back for another season, but it will bemissing a key component from the post-apocalyptic franchise. One of the best aspects of the award-winning series is how faithful it is to the source material, thanks to the game’s original creator having a significant role as co-showrunner. However, a behind-the-scenes shuffle will forceThe Last of Usto continue on without one-half of its creative braintrust.
Per The Ankler,The Last of Uscreator, writer, and director Neil Druckmann has left the HBO series ahead of Season 3. Fortunately, it does not seem the creative split was personal, as Druckmann had plenty of praise for his creative partner, Craig Mazin, who will end up writing all of the scripts for the third season. However, as development began to ramp up, Druckmann figured that it was the right time to depart the show and focus on his next ambitious project. His unexpected departure was due to his commitment with video game studio Naughty Dog and his next triple-A title,Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. Check out Druckmann’s official statement, via Naughty Dog:
“I’ve made the difficult decision to step away from my creative involvement inThe Last of Uson HBO. With work completed on season 2 and before any meaningful work starts on season 3, now is the right time for me to transition my complete focus to Naughty Dog and its future projects, including writing and directing our exciting next game,Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, along with my responsibilities as Studio Head and Head of Creative.
“Co-creating the show has been a career highlight. It’s been an honor to work alongside Craig Mazin to executive produce, direct and write on the last two seasons. I’m deeply thankful of the thoughtful approach and dedication the talented cast and crew took to adapting The Last of Us Part I and their continued adaptation of The Last of Us Part II.
‘The Last of Us’ Showrunner Defends Season 2’s Most Ridiculed Line
Craig Mazin provided his brief thoughts and reaction to a scene from ‘The Last of Us’ season 2 that hasn’t had the best reception online.
The creative rupture on HBO’sThe Last of Usis a devastating outcome, especially since Druckmann’s work on the series as a writer and director isoften praised as the best in the adaptation. Without his signature flare, which fans of the original video games he created are well aware of, it seemsThe Last of Usis poised to lose some of its best qualities as a faithful reinterpretation of the material. Many have speculated that Druckmann may also be working onThe Last of Us Part IIIsequel, and while that seemed to be on the backburner, perhaps his departure indicates that it is back on the menu for Naughty Dog.
What This Means for Craig Mazin’s ‘The Last of Us’
With Craig Mazin at the helm as the sole showrunner, HBO’sThe Last of Uswill likely feel the effects of Druckmann’s departure in unforeseen ways. Mazin, who created one of the best limited series of all time,Chernobyl, is certainly talented enough to handle the increasingly ambitious storyline inThe Last of UsSeason 3. However, fans of the series may feel worried that the series will further distance itself from the material, especially since the second seasonchanged key aspectsof Ellie’s character arc. Is there cause for concern? We don’t think so, as long as the HBO series steers away from its own worst tendencies.
The Last of UsSeason 2 was controversial for several reasons, some more legitimatethan others, but the cliffhanger finale episode may be the primary culprit. Despite sticking close to the original game, the bait-and-switch to Abby’s perspective of the events of the season may feel like two steps back for some viewers. Additionally, the season felt like it dropped the ball when it came to portraying Ellie’s bloodthirsty quest for vengeance, or in this case, lack thereof. However, if the series keeps close to the material, there is plenty of reason to believe that Season 3 will be the most epic chapter yet in the post-apocalyptic series.
Source:The Ankler
The Last Of Us
The Last of Us is a post-apocalyptic drama series set two decades after a global catastrophe. It follows Joel, a seasoned survivor, who is tasked with escorting Ellie, a teenage girl, across a desolated United States, transforming into a harrowing journey of survival and companionship.
