There was quite a resurgence for The Last of Us this year thanks to the hit HBO live-action adaptation. Naughty Dog was known for delivering cinematic gameplay experiences, so the adaptation was likely rather easy to pull off. The show was a big hit at its release, and the series not only picked up veteran players of the game but also a slew of newcomers to the franchise. With season two already given the thumbs up by HBO during the airing of the first season, things were looking up. That was until the strikes happened.
I’m sure you’re all too familiar with the strikes still. It was this year that strikes burst up for the Hollywood scene, and it caused several productions to halt. Nothing was produced or filmed for those attached to the unions connected to the strike. Ultimately, that left The Last of Us season 2 in limbo. We knew that the production was ready to get cracking into the next season, but with the strikes, there wasn’t anything that could be done. Now, thanks to a report from Variety, we’re finding out that production is expected to begin sometime in early 2024.
This comes from a press conference featuring HBO boss Casey Bloys. Variety reported that Casey Bloys confirmed that the network didn’t feature The Last of Us for the 2024 slate presentation. However, it’s speculated that production will at least start up early next year. That could mean we won’t see the next season of the series until sometime in 2025. It’s an unfortunate wait for fans, but it will hopefully be worth the wait. We already know that the sequel game, The Last of Us Part II, is far too large for the production to cover in just a single season.
So, while we won’t have a second season until sometime in 2025, it’s at least reassuring that a third season is likely not far behind. We can offer a bit more insight for those who haven’t following the series or even the video games. The Last of Us is set in a post-apocalyptic world where humanity was stricken with a new disease. Those who remain alive are forced into small settlements where resources are scarce. Likewise, the threats beyond the safety of their walls include hostile factions and deadly zombie-like creatures.
With the first season being so beloved and racking up quite a bit of attention from the likes of both critics and fans, it’s certainly going to be interesting to see how the second season holds up. There were plenty of split opinions regarding The Last of Us Part II. How the show will adapt the narrative storyline remains to be seen.
