Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO of HBO and Max Content, has indicated that "The Last of Us" television series is likely to conclude with its third season. Speaking at an Emmys afterparty, Bloys stated that he believes showrunner Craig Mazin has planned for the series to end with its third outing, which is anticipated to take place in 2027.
Bloys has previously hinted at this possibility, telling Deadline in January that "it certainly seems that way" when asked about a potential end after Season 3, while deferring final decisions to the showrunners. This contrasts with comments made by Craig Mazin in May 2025, where he suggested a fourth season would be necessary to fully conclude the narrative, stating, "There’s no way to complete this narrative in a third season."
The announcement of a third season for "The Last of Us" preceded the filming of its second season. The show's inaugural season received critical acclaim, earning a nine out of ten from IGN. However, the second season garnered a seven out of ten, with a review noting that it felt like "a sequel that struggles because it’s only half of the story."
Despite the potential end of the HBO adaptation, Naughty Dog, the creator of the game franchise, has confirmed it is not finished with "The Last of Us" IP. Studio head Neil Druckmann recently told The Washington Post that "a couple projects [are] in the works" related to the franchise, although specific details have not yet been shared. Naughty Dog's involvement with HBO's adaptation reportedly decreased for its third season.
Naughty Dog's current focus is on its upcoming title, "Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet," which recently completed its performance capture filming in August. However, the game's absence from Sony's September 2026 PlayStation State of Play left some fans anticipating its reveal disappointed.