In a significant development for HBO’s acclaimed series The Last of Us, two prominent writers are departing from the project, as announced on Instagram yesterday. Neil Druckmann, a co-creator of the franchise, and Halley Gross, who contributed to The Last of Us Part 2 and has been a regular writer for the show, will step away before the production of the third season begins.
Both Druckmann and Gross served as executive producers and played crucial roles in writing episodes, with Druckmann also taking on directing duties. The duo collaborated on the screenplay for the second game, The Last of Us Part 2.
In his announcement, Druckmann stated in a post:
“I’ve made the difficult decision to step away from my creative involvement in The Last of Us on HBO. With work completed on season 2 and prior to the commencement of significant work on season 3, now is the right time for me to concentrate fully on Naughty Dog and its future projects, including writing and directing our new game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, as well as my ongoing responsibilities as Studio Head and Head of Creative.”
Druckmann also reflected on his experience, saying, “Co-creating the show has been a career highlight. It’s been an honor to work alongside Craig Mazin to executive produce, direct, and write on the last two seasons. I’m deeply thankful for the thoughtful approach and dedication the talented cast and crew took to adapt The Last of Us Part I and the continued adaptation of The Last of Us Part II.”
Gross shared her own thoughts in a separate announcement, stating in her post:
“With great care and consideration, I’ve decided to take a step back from my day-to-day work on HBO’s The Last of Us to make space for what comes next. I’m so appreciative of how special this experience has been. Working alongside Neil, Craig, HBO, and this remarkable cast and crew has been life-changing. The stories we told—about love, loss, and what it means to be human in a terrifying world—are exactly why I love this franchise.”
Gross concluded by expressing her excitement for future projects and gratitude to the team that brought the show’s characters to life: “I have some truly rad projects ahead that I can’t wait to share, but for now, I want to express my gratitude to everyone who brought Ellie and Joel’s world to life with such care.”
Craig Mazin, the series’s showrunner and the primary writer, will remain involved in the project as before.
The Last of Us premiered on HBO in 2023, with its first season, which directly adapted the first video game, garnering significant viewership and critical accolades. The decision to split the second game’s narrative into two seasons was made later on. While the second season was generally well-received by critics, it did evoke mixed reactions from fans.
