It’s predicted to be one of the best shows of 2023, and it’s safe to say HBO’s new sci-fi series The Last of Us is living up to expectations.
Starring The Mandalorian‘s Pedro Pascal as Joel and Game of Thrones star Bella Ramsey as Ellie, the new show has been dubbed the best video game adaptation of all time.
The series, based on the wildly popular games of the same name, sees the world torn apart by an infectious disease that causes humans to turn into zombie-like creatures known as the ‘infected’.
Joel is tasked with transporting Ellie across the US as she holds a secret that could change the world – but with danger lurking around every corner, it’s far from an easy feat.
Pascal and Ramsey star alongside an incredible ensemble cast including Nick Offerman (Bill), Gabriel Luna (Tommy) and Nico Parker (Sarah).
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The nine-episode series follows the events of the first game, although it does deviate in some key points across the show.
The showrunners have also made it clear that, while they don’t want the show to go on forever, they’d be eager to come back for more.
Read on to find out everything that’s been said about a possible season 2.
Will there be a The Last of Us season 2?
The Last of Us has not officially been renewed for season 2, but showrunners Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin have said they would feel “lucky” to return with more seasons.
Mazin told RadioTimes.com and other press: “In this world where television series are entirely flexible, they can have as many episodes as apparently they need – and on certain platforms, you can have as much time per episode as you need – things sometimes are getting stretched.
“And I am a very demanding TV watcher. When somebody says to me, ‘You should watch this. Now, you got to get to season 3, episode 9, that’s when it really takes off,’ I’m like, ‘No, I’m not going to do that.’ I want to be in on season 1, episode 1, and I want every episode to justify its existence. I want to feel compelled all the way through.”
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He continued: “I never want to feel like they’re just filling time to create more show. We’re all too smart, we know it when we see it. And for me also, I have no interest in creating a television series that is designed to go on forever. I love endings. And I don’t know what the point of anything is if it isn’t all wrapped together in a perfect circle of beginning to end.
“So to me, the narrative of the first game was gorgeous, it was complete, it deserved a season, we knew how to do it within a season. And so that was was kind of a no brainer. And I promise, if we are lucky enough to get more seasons, and keep telling the story, we will continue to make sure that every episode is is worth its weight.”
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And what have the cast said about the possibility of a second run? Ramsey would clearly be over the moon with more seasons, recently telling Elle that she would come back to The Last of Us “forever”.
“There’s no limits for me,” she added. “They can do as many games as they like, as many series as they like, and I’ll be here, flying back out to Canada.”
When could a potential The Last of Us season 2 be released?
It’s hard to say when a second season could be released if it’s green-lit.
Casting took place during 2020 and season 1 filmed for almost a year, from July 2021 to June 2022.
It seems unlikely that a second season would be released before the end of 2024, but we’ll keep you posted on any further news.
What would The Last of Us season 2 be about?
If it gets the green light, The Last of Us season 2 will likely cover the events of the popular game The Last of Us Part 2, which was released in 2020.
You’ll have to watch the show to find out where Joel and Ellie end up, but the showrunners have mentioned their desire to adapt the second game, meaning they have presumably left season 1 open for a sequel.
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Druckmann previously told The Hollywood Reporter: “We have no plans to tell any stories beyond adapting the games. We won’t run into the same issue as Game of Thrones since Part II doesn’t end on a cliffhanger.”
Mazin added: “I don’t have any interest in a spinning-plates-go-on-forever show. When it becomes a perpetual motion machine, it just can’t help but get kind of … stupid. Endings mean everything to me.”
The Last of Us will be available from 16th January on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW, with an Entertainment Membership for just £9.99.
Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on this week.
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