Summary
HBO’s live-action take onThe Last of Ushas already been a huge success for the network, with the TV show being lauded for its excellent cast and the respect it pays to the games that started it all. Season one of the show was a fast-paced experience that covered the entire narrative of 2013’sTLoU, and now it’s exciting to see whether the show will be able to wrap up the more complex story ofThe Last of Us 2in its second season or not.
Season two ofThe Last of Uscould take on any wild shape at this point regarding how it wants to deliver the sequel’s story, but recent rumors may finally offer some insight. These rumors point towards the narrative of the second game potentially requiring multiple seasons to fully cover. If true, there could be relief in knowing that the show won’t lean on the plot ofThe Last of Us 3before the game even has a chance to launch.
It Seems That The Last of Us TV Show Will Not Narratively Extend Beyond the Games
Covering theentirety of the firstLast of Us' story in a single seasonwas a tough task for the TV show, but it was the right one considering its straightforward and linear design. Now, rumors seem to corroborate that the show’s portrayal ofPart 2’s narrative will extend beyond its second season.
This has been a popular rumor for some time, withNeil Druckmann,The Last of Usco-creator and writer for both the games and the show, often hinting at his desire for the events of the second game to go beyond a single season. The validity behind this claim has only been strengthened recently, with reputed industry insider Daniel Richtman claiming that season two of the show will only span seven episodes.
The rumored length ofThe Last of Us' second season has not been officially confirmed by HBO.
The Long Production Cycle of The Last of Us Should Give Part 3 Plenty of Breathing Room
Thenarrative ofThe Last of Us 2is much longer and multifacetedthan its predecessor, which itself was covered by the show in nine episodes, all but confirming that the events of the second game will take at least two seasons to be fully covered in the show.
If the third season of the show follows this same production cycle as the first, then the events of the second game may not be fully covered for years to come. While this is a long wait, it will at least ensure thatThe Last of Us' HBO show doesn’t surpass its source material.
Neil Druckmann has also been vocal about wanting to createThe Last of Us 3, officially confirming the project’s existence in early February. Of course, it will be some time before a project such as this is released, but the game has more than enough time to launch before the franchise’s live-action counterpart exhausts the narrative ofThe Last of Us 2. The success of HBO’sThe Last of Usspeaks for itself, yet the lengthy production times between seasons should mean thatThe Last of Us 3will get the spotlight it deserves before being inevitably being adapted to TV.
