How far will HBO’s The Last of Us adaptation go beyond the source material of the original two video games? Not far at all, from the sound of things. In an extensive interview with Deadline, head of HBO programming, Casey Bloys, has suggested that the upcoming third season will indeed be its last. When asked if the third season of The Last of Us (along with the next season of Hacks) would indeed be the end for each show, Bloys said “It certainly seems that way, but on decisions like that, we will defer to the showrunners. So you can ask them.”
Now, this is a very different tune from the one they sang last year. About this time a year ago, HBO was saying that The Last of Us would likely run four seasons. In an interview last year, HBO’s Francesca Orsi said “We don’t have a complete or final plan, but I think it’s looking like four seasons. I wouldn’t want to confirm that, but it’s looking like this season and then two more seasons after this, and we’re done.” However, since then, there has been creative upheaval behind the scenes of The Last of Us. In September, Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann announced he’s leaving The Last of Us before work begins on its third season. That might be where plans changed.
The Last of Us remains a massive hit for HBO, both critically and with viewers. But it’s also an expensive series to produce, along the lines of its Game of Thrones spin-offs. They may be wondering how much a fourth season of the show can draw viewers in. Especially with the total absence of Pedro Pascal as Joel. If season three can end in a successful way, they might not want to overstay their welcome. Whatever the decision is, we expect HBO to announce its plans for The Last of Us before too long.