The Last of Us video game creator Neil Druckmann steps away from the HBO series ahead of season 3, which will film in British Columbia.
I’ve made the difficult decision to step away from my creative involvement in The Last of Us on HBO. With work completed on season 2 and before any meaningful work starts on season 3, now is the right time for me to transition my complete focus to Naughty Dog and its future projects, including writing and directing our exciting next game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, along with my responsibilities as Studio Head and Head of Creative.
Co-creating the show has been a career highlight. It’s been an honor to work alongside Craig Mazin to executive produce, direct and write on the last two seasons. I’m deeply thankful of the thoughtful approach and dedication the talented cast and crew took to adapting The Last of Us Part I and their continued adaptation of The Last of Us Part II. — Neil Druckmann.
The Last of Us takes place 20+ years after modern civilization has been destroyed. Joel (Pedro Pascal), a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie (Bella Ramsey), a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal and heartbreaking journey as they both must traverse the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.
Season 2 picked up five years after the events of the first season, Joel and Ellie are drawn into conflict with each other and a world even more dangerous and unpredictable than the one they left behind.
Season 3 will change perspective, following Joel’s killer Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) on her journey to a season 2 finale confrontation with Ellie in the Pinnacle Theater in post-apocalyptic Seattle.
The Last of Us Season 3:
Working title: MEGA SWORD
B.C. filming dates: 2026.
Cast: Kaitlyn Dever, Danny Ramirez, Ariela Barer, Tati Gabrielle, Spencer Lord. Jeffrey Wright, Bella Ramsey, Isabela Merced, Young Mazino, Gabriel Luna.
Sound stages: The Bridge Studios.