Ellie and Joel's story isn't quite over yet. Following rave early reviews from critics for the upcoming The Last of Us season 2, HBO has swiftly renewed the hit zombie horror series for a third season ahead of the show's return this weekend. While we're over the moon about this renewal, we're in no way surprised, as a third installment had already been reported to be in development. We just needed that official confirmation from HBO, and now it's here.
Below, we shared what The Last of Us creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann had to say about the show's quick renewal via a Max press release:
"We approached season two with the goal of creating something we could be proud of. The end results have exceeded even our most ambitious goals, thanks to our continued collaboration with HBO and the impeccable work of our unparalleled cast and crew. We look forward to continuing the story of THE LAST OF US with season three!” - Craig Mazin
"To see The Last of Us brought to life so beautifully and faithfully has been a career highlight for me, and I am grateful for the fans' enthusiastic and overwhelming support. Much of that success is thanks to my partner in crime, Craig Mazin, our partnership with HBO, and our team at PlayStation Productions. On behalf of everyone at Naughty Dog, our cast, and crew, thank you so much for allowing us this opportunity. We're thrilled to bring you more of THE LAST OF US!” - Neil Druckmann
When The Last of Us season 2 premieres this Sunday, April 13, on HBO and Max, fans will be taken back to a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by a fungal infection that has decimated much of the population, transforming infected humans into dangerous, zombie-like creatures. The story picks up five years after everything that happened in season 1. Things have become more complicated for Ellie and Joel. They're no longer on good terms, and they find themselves facing new challenges and dangers.
Pedro Pascal returns as Joel, and Bella Ramsey as Ellie. Gabriel Luna and Rutina Wesley also reprise their roles from the first season as Tommy and Maria. Joining the cast in its second installment are Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, Isabela Merced as Dina, Young Mazino as Jesse, Ariela Barer as Mel, Tati Gabrielle as Nora, Spencer Lord as Owen, Danny Ramirez as Manny, and Jeffrey Wright as Isaac. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice's Catherine O’Hara also makes a guest appearance.
The second season consists of seven episodes and will explore the first bit of The Last of Us Part II video game. The Last of Us season 3 is then expected to pick up where season 2 left off, diving deeper into the events of the video game and continuing Joel and Ellie's emotional and turbulent journey.
According to co-creators/executive producers Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, a third installment might not even be enough to tell the complete story, with a fourth season potentially required to fully capture the events of the video game. However, HBO has not yet commissioned a fourth installment. If the show continues to receive strong viewership and critical acclaim, it’s likely that the TV network will greenlight a fourth season to conclude the epic story. We'll just have to wait and see how everything goes. But at least we now know that the story is far from over with the season 3 renewal.
Stay tuned to 1428 Elm for any new updates on The Last of Us season 3!