'The Last of Us' Fans Just Got the Worst News Possible, and Yes, It Really Is That Bad

In a shocking announcement, Neil Druckmann recently revealed through his various social media accounts that he will be stepping away from his creative duties on the HBO television adaptation of The Last of Us, based on the two video games he wrote and directed. This means that any commitments the game developer had for the already announced Season 3 of The Last of Us are no longer in effect. Given the track record of video game adaptations that lack involvement from the original creators, this news bodes poorly for the future of the series and its upcoming third season.

Ever since the live-action adaptation of The Last of Us was in development, whether in its early iterations as a feature film or as the Emmy-winning television series it is today, Druckmann has been involved with it every step of the way. Now that his vision for the world of The Last of Us will no longer be present, there is a chance that crucial changes to the source material could occur, potentially upending the work the team accomplished in the first two seasons of the series. The result could be a series with an inconsistent vision, leaving viewers wondering what could have been had Druckmann seen the series through to its conclusion.

Video Game Adaptations That Lack Involvement From the Original Creators Tend To Fail

The biggest concern stemming from this news is the possibility of even more drastic changes to the story of The Last of Us Part II, which has already been confirmed to continue being adapted in Season 3. Kaitlyn Dever is set to become the lead for the next batch of episodes, mirroring the double-album structure of the game, which had players controlling Ellie for the first half, followed by Abby in the second half, and finally playing an epilogue as Ellie. It was an ambitious narrative that challenged players' empathy (or lack thereof). Now, the third season of the series will show Abby's perspective during Ellie's three days in Seattle.

Craig Mazin has already teased that Abby's side of the story will be much more ambitious than the previous season, as well as the possibility of more episodes than in Season 2. The Last of Us Season 3 is arguably much more crucial to the overall story of The Last of Us Part II, as the audience's shifting perception of Abby will depend entirely on the quality of the writing, direction, and acting. With Druckmann no longer involved with any facet of production in such a high-stakes season for the series, it's hard not to have some level of concern about how it could turn out.

The creator of an IP leaving an adaptation is never a good sign — adaptations that don't involve those who created the source material almost always end up not being good. One of the most prominent examples is another Naughty Dog property, Uncharted. Released in 2022 and directed by Ruben Fleischer, this adaptation didn't involve series creator Amy Hennig or Uncharted 4 director Neil Druckmann in a creative capacity, resulting in a middling adaptation that mixes and matches stories from various games in the series. While a box office success, the film ultimately received negative reviews, a fate that could also befall the third (and possibly fourth) seasons of The Last of Us.

Neil Druckmann's Departure From HBO's 'The Last of Us' Was at the Worst Time

Druckmann cites his duties as Studio Head of Naughty Dog and his work as writer and director on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet as reasons for stepping away. Interestingly, Halley Gross is also no longer involved with the series creatively, which some see as a worrying sign for the show's direction​​​​​​. Gross, who has previous writing credits with the HBO series Westworld, had co-written The Last of Us Part II with Druckmann, and she has no current responsibilities with Naughty Dog (besides starring in Intergalactic as a character in the game). All of this suggests that perhaps the mixed audience reactions and harsh social media attention also played a role in Druckmann's (and possibly Gross's) decision.

Now, Craig Mazin will serve as the sole writer of The Last of Us Season 3, a heavy responsibility he must now shoulder alone, without the game's original creator. Druckmann is not only intimately familiar with the world and characters, but has also directed some of the best episodes of the series: the action-packed second episode of the first season titled "Infected," and the intimate and heartwrenching Joel flashback episode in Season 2 titled "The Price," making his departure from the show hit that much harder. The major changes introduced in Season 2 of The Last of Us have already created a scenario where Mazin and the team face an uphill battle in Season 3, and Druckmann's absence could mean that it doesn't end well.

Mazin's interpretation of the world and characters has been hit or miss, with his controversial comments about Ellie's competency compared to Abby drawing the ire of some fans. In other instances, such as the Emmy-winning episode "Long Long Time," the writer/showrunner appears to have a profound understanding of the game's world and the themes that make it so captivating to audiences. Humanizing and making Joel's murderer someone viewers can empathize with is an incredibly tall task for anyone, and it's hard to gauge how Mazin will handle the rest of the story without Druckmann to consult or have in the writers' room.

The Enduring Legacy of HBO's Adaptation of 'The Last of Us' Is in Jeopardy

HBO's The Last of Us appears to have experienced a sort of sophomore slump following the universal acclaim it received upon its premiere in 2023. Changes in character interactions and the way Mazin, Druckmann, and Bella Ramsey brought Ellie's quest for vengeance to life have elicited a mixed reaction, sharply dividing fans of both the game and the show. Still, the core themes of the second game remain intact for now, but it's hard to say that they will stay that way, given the trajectory the show is headed towards, with the absence of key creative figures.

It will be interesting to see how the next season of The Last of Us unfolds, and whether Mazin and the rest of the team can continue to create a faithful adaptation without a key member of their team. With discussions of a fourth season still ongoing, the future of the HBO adaptation and its enduring legacy as one of the more successful video game adaptations suddenly feels like it is in jeopardy. Hopefully, the production team can find a path forward by building on the foundations that Mazin and Druckmann previously established, remaining faithful to the source material while making it engaging for television audiences. The Last of Us is streaming on HBO Max.