‘The Last of Us’ Season 3 Will Be Longer and Packed With Action, Says Showrunner Craig Mazin

The Last of Us is gearing up for its third season, and showrunner Craig Mazin says fans are in for more action and a longer story. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Mazin revealed that season 3 will be longer than season 2 and closer in style to the first season.

“We’re kind of fiddling around with that…it’s a little bit of a trade secret at the moment,” he said. “But I will say that season 3 will be longer than season 2. Season three will be more on par with season 1. More bang for the buck.”

This plan makes sense considering the source material. The Last of Us Part 2, the video game on which the show is based, is divided into three parts: Seattle Day One from Ellie’s perspective, Seattle Day Two from Abby’s perspective, and The Farm, which returns to Ellie.

Season 2 of the show, which had seven episodes, focused on Ellie and Dina as they tracked down Abby and ended on a cliffhanger with Abby waking up and onscreen text reading, “Seattle Day One.”

Season 3 will center on Abby, played by Kaitlyn Dever, and will show what she was doing during the time Ellie and Dina were hunting for her. A fourth season is also likely, which will probably cover The Farm section of the game.

Critics widely praised season 2 of The Last of Us. According to Metacritic, the show earned an 81 out of 100 based on 42 reviews, marking “universal acclaim.”

Rotten Tomatoes reported a 91% approval rating from 268 critics, noting that the season was “a challenging expansion that retains its predecessor’s superb performances and verisimilitude.” Reviewers highlighted the series’ strong action sequences, direction, performances, production design, and writing.

While some mentioned pacing issues and felt the story wasn’t fully complete, the general consensus was that the show continued to set a high standard for video game adaptations.

With season 3 promising to be longer and more in line with the thrilling pace of the first season, fans of The Last of Us can expect “more bang for your buck,” according to Mazin.

The new season aims to expand the story while keeping the intense, emotional, and action-packed tone that has made the show a standout in TV adaptations of video games.

Neil Druckmann, who co-created the series and served as a writer and director alongside showrunner Craig Mazin, is stepping away from the show. This leaves Mazin as the only showrunner moving into the third season

Mazin’s comments suggest that HBO is committed to maintaining the series’ high production standards and giving fans a deeper look at the characters and storylines from the beloved games. Season 3 is shaping up to deliver both new plot twists and the tense, emotional storytelling fans have come to expect.

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