There's no denying that The Walking Dead and The Last of Us are currently two of the biggest zombie franchises in the world, but the latter needs to be very careful not to fall into the same trap as the former. Both shows have originated from source material that is successful in its own right, but the live-action adaptations increased their popularity tenfold. Although The Walking Dead TV shows create a timeline that's far more extensive than The Last of Us, the unfortunate possibility still exists that The Last of Us could slowly grow far more than it should.
The Last of Us season 2 cast will be a mix of familiar faces and established characters. Although The Walking Dead has focused more on the introduction of new personnel, The Last of Us TV show and game series hasn't shied away from it either. Both zombie franchises share several differences and similarities in how they approach their story, but one has chosen a different path when it comes to honoring its respective source material. Although The Last of Us season 1's ending marked the conclusion of a faithful adaptation of the first game, such accuracy may not last forever.
The Last Of Us TV Show Can't Go Beyond The Source Material Like The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead's numerous spinoff shows have watered down the source material
Although The Walking Dead began by drawing heavily on the comics, the adaptation has essentially become a force of its own. All the spinoffs and sequel shows may be loosely rooted in what happened in the source material, but they're largely original storylines that revolve around existing and original characters. So far, The Last of Us has only adapted the first game in the series, and it did so with stunning accuracy while only making a few tasteful changes and additions. Hopefully, the success of the HBO show doesn't result in it continuing beyond the final moments of the games.
The Walking Dead saga doesn't particularly focus on a single group of characters. Instead, the franchise communicates the message of human resilience, and the revolving door of survivors helps to solidify those themes. Inversely, The Last of Us thrives on the strength of individuals' storylines. Without following the longer story of characters like Ellie, the world loses all meaning - unlike that of The Walking Dead. So, while The Last of Us seasons 2 and 3 will cover the events of The Last of Us Part II game, the adaptation needs to resist getting carried away without additional source material.
The Last Of Us' True Ending Relies On The Last Of Us Part 3 Happening
The third TLOU game has yet to be made
Although The Last of Us Part II includes an ending that could be interpreted as the finale, creator Neil Druckmann has confirmed that Naughty Dog is in the early stages of turning the game series into a trilogy. So, even for those who have played the games, it's currently impossible to tell how either version of the story will end. Druckmann is also heavily involved with the live-action adaptation of his work, so he'll be aware of the fact that anything he includes in the game stands the chance of making the jump to the show.
The Last of Us Part III is likely to be a few years away, so there's plenty of time to adapt Part II over the course of the next two seasons.
The Last of Us Part III is likely to be a few years away, so there's plenty of time to adapt Part II over the course of the next two seasons. Given the roughly 2-year gap between seasons 1 and 2, it's reasonable to assume that a similar wait will occur each time. When Part II is fully adapted, the third (and possibly final) game should be much closer to release. Once that is adapted, it remains to be seen if HBO's The Last of Us will follow The Walking Dead's divisive framework and simply keep the story going.
