With the future of *The Last of Us* video game series shrouded in uncertainty, fans are eager to learn what lies ahead once HBO's adaptation covers the events of the second game in Seasons 2 and 3. Earlier this month, Neil Druckmann, the series' creator, hinted at the potential end of the saga, stating, "I guess the only thing I would say is don’t bet on there being more of ‘Last of Us.’ This could be it."
This leaves fans pondering whether Naughty Dog and Druckmann would continue the TV series beyond the game's storyline if there's no *The Last of Us 3*. When IGN posed this question to Druckmann on the red carpet ahead of *The Last of Us* Season 2 premiere, he explained that he has a definitive ending in mind for the story. However, unsure about the prospects of making *The Last of Us 3*, he's determined not to leave any loose ends.
“I have to have an ending,” Druckmann affirmed. “When I made *The Last of Us 1*, I didn’t know if there was going to be a sequel, so that had to be a definitive ending. When I worked on *Uncharted 4*, I don’t know if we’ll ever get to do it again. I need it to be a definitive ending. *Last of Us 2*, same way. All these things have to line up.
“I don’t know how long I’ll keep doing this or whether I’ll be given another opportunity. So I leave nothing on the line.
“Right now it’s like, we have an ending in mind. And that ending will be it. That ending will be it for this story.”
One of the looming questions is whether Druckmann will have the time to develop *The Last of Us 3*, even if it were to be greenlit. He's currently immersed in the TV adaptation, which will cover the events of *The Last of Us 2* over Seasons 2 and 3, and is also working on the newly announced PlayStation game, *Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet*.
“As far as everything else, and you’re asking me about future games, my time so much is, we have to finish this season,” Druckmann elaborated. “We’re not quite done. We’re almost there. Knock on wood we get to do it again. Season 3, there’s a lot more story we have to cover, as you know with game two.
“And then my hands are pretty full with *Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet*.”
The Last of Us Season 2 Character Posters
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In February 2024, Druckmann teased a "concept" for a potential The Last of Us 3 at the end of Grounded 2: Making The Last of Us Part 2, noting that there's "probably one more chapter to this story."
"The first game had such a clean concept of like, the unconditional love a parent feels for their child," he said. "The second one, once we landed on this idea of the pursuit of justice at any cost, justice for the ones you love, we felt like, 'there's a clean concept here and there's a throughline from the first game, about love.' If we never get to do it again, this is a fine ending point. Last bite of the apple, the story's done."
"The great thing about working at Naughty Dog is that we don't have to," he added. "It's always like, 'we would love another *Last of Us*, but if you guys feel you're passionate about something else, we'll support this other thing.' Very privileged position to be in, I never take that for granted. I've been just thinking about it, 'is there a concept there?' And for now years, I haven't been able to find that concept. But recently, that's changed, and I don't have a story, but I do have that concept that to me is as exciting as 1, as exciting as 2, is its own thing, and yet has this throughline for all three. So it does feel like there's probably one more chapter to this story."
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