Neil Druckmann, head of Naughty Dog, is stepping back from his creative role in HBO’s adaptation of The Last of Us to concentrate on upcoming projects at the studio. Druckmann, who directed and produced the first two seasons in collaboration with Craig Mazin, will now dedicate his time entirely to Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet and his responsibilities as studio head. The second season of The Last of Us debuted in April and concluded its seven-episode run in May.
Druckmann’s Departure from The Last of Us Season 3
In a statement posted on X, Druckmann confirmed that he will not be involved in the creative development of the third season of HBO’s The Last of Us. He described his decision to step away as a challenging one. Having served as an executive producer, writer, and director for the initial seasons, he noted that the timing felt appropriate to shift his focus fully to Naughty Dog’s future endeavors.
“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 before any meaningful work starts on Season 3, now is the right time for me to transition my complete focus to Naughty Dog and its future projects, including writing and directing our exciting next game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, along with my responsibilities as Studio Head and Head of Creative,” he stated.
Druckmann 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 adapting The Last of Us Part I and the continued adaptation of The Last of Us Part II.”
In conjunction with Druckmann’s announcement, Haley Gross, who co-wrote The Last of Us Part II and contributed to the second season’s writing, also revealed that she would be stepping back from her role. In an Instagram statement released on Wednesday, Gross expressed her intent to focus on new projects.
“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,” Gross commented. “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. I have some truly amazing 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.”
The Last of Us has already been confirmed for a third season, which is set to explore the second half of The Last of Us Part II, focusing primarily on Abby, portrayed by Kaitlyn Dever, who was a key figure in the previous season. Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey return as Joel and Ellie, respectively.
Meanwhile, Naughty Dog is actively developing its next game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, which was unveiled during The Game Awards 2024.
