While speaking to Deadline at The White Lotus Season 3 premiere, Orsi provided an update on The Last of Us, including a confirmation of how many seasons HBO is expecting to green-light in order to adapt the remainder of the story, in whatever form that it takes.
“We don’t have a complete or final plan, but I think it’s looking like four seasons. I wouldn’t want to confirm that, but it’s looking like this season and then two more seasons after this and we’re done.”
'The Last of Us Part II' Always Needed More Time
From the beginning, showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann have made it clear that adapting The Last of Us Part II would require multiple seasons due to the game’s hugely expanded story and scope, as well as the new characters and their related arcs that we need to experience.
With Season 2 all finished, and set for a seven-episode run this spring, it seems that Orsi’s comments are indicating that the network is prepared to see the adaptation through to its natural conclusion rather than stretching it beyond its intended scope, but then again, we can't say for sure. What we do know is that The Last of Us was a cultural phenomenon upon its release and that, if more seasons come together after these initial four, it's probably something they won't want to turn their noses up at, particularly if the story from a potential Part III is as good as the first two installments have been.
