HBO’s The Last of Us is still a week away, but showrunner Craig Mazin already has his sights set on the future. The live-action show is set to adapt the events of 2013’s iconic video game, and based on marketing, it looks like the entirety of Naughty Dog’s groundbreaking story will find its way into the network’s 9-episode series.
Luckily for Mazin and the fans, there is an equally acclaimed sequel ripe for adapting should HBO want more seasons. The Last of Us Part II was released in 2020 and takes place several years after its predecessor. The game is notably longer, and features more characters than the first installment, meaning Mazin and franchise creator Neil Druckmann could likely get multiple seasons out of it.
In an exclusive interview with Comic Book, Mazin revealed he’s fully on board to adapt Part II:
Personally, I don’t have a great desire to go beyond what’s there currently but I know that the story of the second game is way bigger and far more complicated than the story of the first game which means there’s more story to adapt.
Craig Mazin
He did go on to clarify, however, that he would not take the story past the end point of the games. The Last of Us Part III has been rumored to be in development for some time, but as of now, has not been officially announced. As such, it could be a while before fans see any live-action The Last of Us past two or three initial seasons.
So, if folks show up and watch this season of The Last of Us, everybody on our side and on HBO is excited to keep going and tell that story but, again, I’m a believer in endings. I don’t want to feel like we’re suddenly just treading water. I think every episode of television, if you’re going to make a television show, it’s kind of a crazy, arrogant thing to do, to expect people to watch your show. Every episode has to deliver. Every single one.
Craig Mazin
The Last of Us lands on HBO on January 15th.
Source: Comic Book
