'The Last of Us' House Cleaning Continues as Game Writer Halley Gross Exits

The creative shakeup on HBO’s The Last of Us continues, as Halley Gross has now announced her departure from the series.

Gross, who served as a writer and producer on the hit show and co-wrote The Last of Us Part II video game with Neil Druckmann, revealed her departure in a post on Instagram, saying she’s stepping back to focus on new projects (the same reason Drukmann gave):

“With great care and consideration, I’ve decided to take a step back from my day-to-day work on HBO’s The Last of Us to make space for what comes next,” Gross wrote. “I’m so appreciative of how special this experience has been. Working alongside Neil, Craig, HBO, and this remarkable cast and crew has been life-changing. The stories we told—about love, loss, and what it means to be human in a terrifying world—are exactly why I love this franchise.”

“I have some truly rad projects ahead that I can’t wait to share, but for now, I want to express my gratitude to everyone who brought Ellie and Joel’s world to life with such care.”

Neil Druckmann commented on her post, writing:

“The game and the show owe much of their success to you. Keep slaying!”

Gross is also known for Westworld and the Batman: Caped Crusader animated series.

Two Big Exits Raise Questions About Season 3

Gross’s departure follows the recent news that Neil Druckmann has also stepped away from his creative role on Season 3. With both of the franchise’s key storytellers gone, it raises questions about where the show heads next.

Season 3 is expected to continue adapting The Last of Us Part II, focusing on Kaitlyn Dever’s Abby, but it remains unclear how closely the show will follow the game without Gross and Druckmann directly involved.

Showrunner Craig Mazin remains in charge of the series.

Creative changes follow controversy

Both Druckmann and Gross’ exit comes amid the viewership for The Last Of Us falling apart following the series adapting the same storyline from the game that fans didn’t like, where Pedro Pascal’s Joel is killed off. The flashback episode later in Season 2 also completely ruined Joel’s character.