The Last Of Us Loses One Of Its Showrunners As Production On Season 3 Begins

HBO's The Last of Us has lost one of its key showrunners before production on season 3 gets underway.

Neil Druckmann, the creator and writer of The Last of Us video game franchise and studio head at Naughty Dog, has stepped away from HBO's TV adaptation of his acclaimed video game series. Druckmann's official statement to his Naughty Dog team was posted on Naughty Dog's Instagram account.

What Neil Druckmann's Absence Means For The Last Of Us Season 3

Druckmann Was Very Involved In The Creative Process Of Seasons 1 & 2

Neil Druckmann's sudden exit from HBO's The Last of Us between seasons 2 and 3 is certainly shocking. As the original source of all things The Last of Us, having written the first 2013 video game and directed its 2020 follow-up, Druckmann's influence is undoubtedly felt across the first two seasons of HBO's adaptation.

Druckmann also directed two episodes of the HBO adaptation, season 1's "Infected" and season 2's "The Price," both of which are considered to be two of the greatest episodes in the series. His co-creator, Craig Mazin of Chernobyl acclaim, will presumably become the sole showrunner of HBO's third season of The Last of Us.

Druckmann lists the main reason for leaving HBO's adaptation of The Last of Us is to give his full attention to the development of Naughty Dog's upcoming video game epic, Intergalactic: The Heretic Project. The game, set for a 2027 release, will take place thousands of years in the future and follows a bounty hunter who gets stranded on a distant planet.

Druckmann specifically noted that he decided to step back from his creative involvement in HBO's The Last of Us season 3. This may indicate that he will retain his position as an executive producer on the Emmy-winning show. However, it now seems highly unlikely that he will return to write or direct any of season 3's episodes.

Our Take On Druckmann Leaving HBO's The Last Of Us

The Video Game Already Establishes A Narrative Blueprint For Season 3

The Last of Us season 3 will continue to adapt the 2020 video game The Last of Us Part II, as told through the eyes of Kaitlyn Dever's Abby character. Since the game provides a clear narrative of what is to unfold in The Last of Us season 3, Druckmann's between-seasons exit is arguably less drastic since a blueprint is already firmly established.

Fans have already begun to speculate that Druckmann's exit has to do with reasons other than his responsibilities as Naughty Dog's head of creative and studio head. The Last of Us season 2 received just a 37% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes compared to season 1's 86%.

Neither HBO nor Mazin has responded publicly to Druckmann's exit at the time of writing. The Last of Us season 3 is still expected to begin filming in 2025 or early 2026.