“Fans Of The Game Will Eat [That] Up”: The Last Of Us Creator Hypes Season 2 Change To Original Game

The Last of Us creator Neil Druckmann has hyped up a season 2 change to the original game, offering a new experience for those familiar with the upcoming storyline. The Last of Us season 2 will be adapting parts of 2020’s The Last of Us Part II, which takes place four years after the events of the original game. The TV series will likely adapt core elements of the game, including the aftermath of Joel (Pedro Pascal) rescuing Ellie (Bella Ramsey) from the Fireflies, who intended to kill her in hopes of making a cure for the Cordyceps mutation.

Speaking with Variety, Druckmann confirmed The Last of Us season 2 will include a major scene that offers deeper backstory for an important character than the video game series provided. The creator explains how he wants the series to compliment the games, citing changes made to Bill's (Nick Offerman) story in season 1. While he didn't confirm which character would be getting more backstory, he did hint it would compliment their video game counterpart as well. Check out what Druckmann had to say below:

What I’ve really enjoyed now is sometimes there are these people that have watched the show and then went and played the game and talked about, what a cool experience. The game sometimes hints at stuff that we just don’t have time to get into the show that the game can, and vice versa. If you experience both, they’re both richer for it. And I love hearing that experience from people. They tell me, like, ‘I watch the show and then I play the game, and I really like how different the Bill sequence is, and that gave me this other insight into him.’ And there’s stuff in this season that I’m really excited about — stuff that we hinted at — one scene in particular comes to mind that I think fans of the game will eat up, because it really kind of tells you a lot of backstory of this important character that there wasn’t really a way for us to even do that in the game.

What Druckmann’s Confirmation Means For The Last Of Us Season 2

The Show Will Follow A Similar Formula To Season 1

Much like season 1, it appears The Last of Us characters will be getting a major focus on their backstories, a departure from the games that added more depth to the people Joel and Ellie met on their travels. In season 1, this included an extended opening focused on Joel’s daughter, Sarah (Nico Parker), episode 3’s love story between Bill and Frank (Murray Bartlett), and scenes of Henry (Lamar Johnson) and Sam (Keivonn Montreal Woodard) hiding from the Kansas City revolutionaries. Similar stories are possible for the new cast members getting introduced in season 2.

Given Druckmann’s excitement for a deeper exploration of this unknown character, it’s likely to be someone who has a major role in The Last of Us Part II. While it’s unclear who will be getting more backstory during season 2, three major contenders include the new antagonist, Abby (Kaitlyn Dever), Ellie’s love interest, Dina (Isabela Merced), and militia leader Isaac Dixon (Jeffrey Wright). There’s also potential that the end of The Last of Us season 1 connects to their deeper characterization, especially given the unexpected ways some of them are impacted by Joel’s destruction of the Fireflies.

Our Take On The Last Of Us Season 2’s Expanded Character Story

Who It Is Will Impact The Season’s Direction

Although it’s unclear which character in The Last of Us season 2 will be getting an expanded backstory, their additional sequences could offer a different perspective on them than the games allowed. Depending on which character Druckmann is referring to, this could change the season’s direction, aiming a larger spotlight on a character less seen in the games. However, with their identity still a mystery, it will be some time before who the creator is referring to gets revealed.