The Last of Us Season 2 has seven episodes, compared to nine for Season 1. Why is Season 1 shorter? And how many seasons will the show have overall? The key creatives behind the series have now weighed in to share some insight on both topics.
Speaking at the Season 2 premiere, showrunner Craig Mazin said it was clear early on that the story of The Last of Us: Part II the game would not have fit nicely in one season, so the decision was made to break it into at least two seasons. “We just sort of thought, ‘How would we want to lay this out going forward all the way to the end, and where is an interesting point to end a season?,'” he said.
“It could have been nine episodes; it could have been six. It happened to be seven because that’s where the story went to for this season,” Mazin added. “Next season? We’re not actually sure how many it might be because we have to lay it out again.”
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, writer Neil Druckmann said he and Mazin know where The Last of Us TV show is going to end. “We know the final destination. We know where the story ends,” he said. “And we know some of the stops along the way.”
Druckmann said he and Mazin “know where we’re going,” but he can’t say how many seasons The Last of Us will run for until he can meet back up with the writers to plot it all out. “That’s what we’re going to figure out next, if we get to do it again,” he said.
Before this, HBO management said The Last of Us could end with its fourth season.
The showrunners also previously discussed how The Last of Us TV series will not go beyond the events of the games, which some took to mean a potential future season of the show could dig into the story of a possible future The Last of Us: Part III game. But that remains to be seen, given that Druckmann has suggested we might not get a third game.
The Last of Us Season 2 arrives Sunday, April 13. Season 2 brings back Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie, with Kaitlyn Dever joining the cast as Abby. Alongside the three are Young Mazino as Jesse, Isabela Merced as Dina, and Catherine O’Hara as Joel’s therapist, Gail. The Matrix actor Joe Pantoliano plays Eugene, a character referenced in the game but never seen.
