Neil Druckmann, co-creator of The Last of Us and president of Naughty Dog, has revealed that neither he nor the game studio had a creative role in the upcoming third season of HBO's television adaptation. Druckmann explained to The Washington Post that he stepped away from the show's production to concentrate on Naughty Dog's video game development, including the recently announced Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.
While Druckmann was deeply involved in the first two seasons of The Last of Us, co-writing episodes and directing segments, his participation in Season 3 was limited to its conclusion. He stated that Naughty Dog is "the steward of this IP," and despite the TV series potentially wrapping up after its third season, he hinted at continued expansion of The Last of Us universe in other forms. Druckmann teased that "a couple projects in the works" are nearing a point where they can be discussed, suggesting that fans have not seen the last of The Last of Us.
This is not the first time Druckmann has alluded to future endeavors related to the franchise. Earlier this year, he suggested that more entries in The Last of Us game series are planned, with a potential third game having been heavily hinted at. Naughty Dog has confirmed the development of at least two new games since 2023, one of which is Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, leaving the identity of the second project a mystery. The studio previously dedicated significant resources to The Last of Us Online, a project that was ultimately canceled.
Troy Baker, the original voice and performance actor for Joel in the game series, also recently commented on the future of the character, stating, "I definitely know we've not seen the last of Joel."