It’s like it’s 2013 all over again. After the conclusion of The last of us‘ season one, we’re all stuck, once again, debating the morality of Joel’s tough decision at the end of both the original video game and the recent television adaptation. And we also stay with anticipation about the second season and what elements of the sequel to the game, The Last of Us Part IIwill make the cut on HBO. So let’s dig into what the TV creatives behind what is hailed as the best video game adaptation of all time had to say to get an idea of ​​what to expect in the future.

Ending with unresolved affection, the bloody and morally uncertain end of The last of us is famous for sparking speculation about its many possible implications. And with a second season confirmed to follow at some point in the future, both newcomers to this world and veterans of its equally violent and emotional sequel (if not more), The Last of Us Part IIwill harbor many questions.

Given how closely the TV show adapted and retained critical elements from the first game, many are likely expecting season two to dive into its sequel with the same vigorous approach. It is not an unreasonable assumption. Let’s dive into what the show’s creators have already shared about the highly anticipated sophomore season, and discuss what’s likely to come as the show continues. I will try to do it without spoiling a drop of what happens in Part IIso if you’re spoiler-averse, keep reading without worry (but be careful with the various links).

when was the second season of The last of us confirmed?

After the initial success of the first season, Ellie actress Bella Ramsey teased that the second season would be possible if the spirits remained favorable about the rest of the show. But it was not until January 27 that HBO made the second season official in a tweet.

And without missing a beat, co-creator of the games and show, Neil Druckmann, added to the speculation about what material the second season would cover with just over a dozen characters, tweeting: “Part II —> HBO.”

So if there was any doubt, yes, there is a second season on the way and, yes, it will focus on Part II. But given the scale of Part IIWhat can we expect from this next season? Are they going to do the whole thing?

The second season will kick off the adaptation of The Last of Us Part IIbut expect changes and multiple seasons

Given Druckmann’s tweet, and how closely the first season stuck to the original game, it almost seems like a given that the second season will jump headlong into the harrowing events of the second game. And given the events of the first season, which cover all the events of the first game and its nine-episode expansion DLC, you’d be forgiven for assuming the show will try to cover as much, if not all, of the second game in its second season. But if you have played Part II,, you know that a direct adaptation is going to be a creative challenge.

Debuting on PlayStation 4 in 2020, The Last of Us Part II it introduced a host of new characters, higher levels of emotional stakes, and very thorough explorations of each character’s history. It gave so much context for what happened and for whom that the game was basically two complete games in one. (Which you shouldn’t try to cram into a weekend. Ask me how I know.)

Craig Mazin, the show’s co-writer and creator, is well aware of this fact. To face the much larger Part II, Mazin has said that fans should expect “multiple seasons” moving forward. Talking with G.Q.Mazin described adapting the sequel as “a daunting task” and that it won’t come without some changes:

I think we know what we’re doing in this case. i’m not saying that in [a] sarcastically, I say it with hope. There will be things that will be different and there will be things that will be identical. There are things that are going to be added and enriched. There are some things that are going to flip.

If the feeling of “different” has you on edge, Mazin and Druckmann also shared part of their collaborative process, which meditates on intentional choices and “niceness,” not changing for the sake of changing. About working on the show, Mazin said:

I wouldn’t say there were major disagreements [over changes]. It wasn’t like for three weeks I said, “Ellie should be a boy.” These things are always small. “Should I say this word or this word?” All the niceties are where Neil [Druckmann] and I invest a lot of our effort and attention, because that’s where we find beauty.

Mazin on season two: “I have such anxiety about doing a good job on this.”

Talking with gizmodoit is clear that Mazin is not accepting changes in the history of Part II slightly. “There is this constant drumbeat of anxiety,” Mazin said. “If you’re looking forward to something, I’m probably looking forward to it. Which means we’re talking and thinking about it.” He described the potential changes as reminiscent of the kinds of adaptive choices we’ve seen in season one:

It will be different. Just as this season was different, sometimes it will be radically different, and sometimes it will be barely different. But it will be different and it will be something of its own. It won’t be exactly like the game. It will be the show that Neil [Druckmann] and i want to do

It seems that the creative aspirations of the second season are in the right place: There will be multiple seasons to accommodate Part IIlong, with deliberate and respectful changes to meet the needs of television drama.

The last of us it will not be an ‘open and continuous drama’

While the multi-season news seems to make sense when you consider the massive scale of Part II, it also runs the risk of reminding us of other zombie dramas that were once great, but are now no longer welcome and just… won’t… die. To that end, Mazin has made it clear that while there will be more seasons to come, he and Druckmann are looking for significant doses of storytelling, not endless marathons of heartbreak and suffering.

speaking to the wrapper in early February, Mazin said that the show’s production is “committed to not making The last of us an open and continuous drama”. He continued:

We are here to tell the story and we are here to come to an end. The ending helps us understand why we are doing something and the fact that there is an ending that is integrated and defined means that the things you see and experience as a viewer are important. […] We will take as much time as necessary to finish telling the story in the best way we want to tell it.

This is likely to be music to the ears of many fans. One of the key strengths of The last of us it’s that while we may have differing opinions about the morality depicted on screen, deliberate, focused storytelling with a clear beginning and end is what makes games so impactful.

But if you were hoping for more details, like who is likely to be cast and who might return, we only know a few hard details on that front and have some open speculation.

Bella Ramsey will return as Ellie

Ellie is about 14 years old in the first game. The second game shows her a few years later as a young adult. It’s not uncommon for shows and movies to use different actors to cover age differences, so naturally some might wonder if Bella Ramsey will return as Ellie.

This one is easy. Speaking at a press conference Recently, Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin said, regarding the second season, that “they are doing it with Bella [Ramsey].” Druckman added:

We’re extremely lucky to have Bella in the things you’ve seen all this season. The only way we would reconsider casting Bella again is if she said, “I don’t want to work with you anymore.” Even then, we’re not sure she’d concede that, we could still force her back. [Laughs]

So there you have it: concrete confirmation that Bella Ramsey will play Ellie in season two.

The second season will have more infected and perhaps a more precise geography.

HBO adaptation of The last of us It reduced the action a bit. At least one iconic scene from the game (in which Joel is seen suspended, prone, and desperately shooting at an infected charge) was not included.

On that front, Mazin has said that while the show was intended to focus about “the power of relationships” and sought to “find meaning within moments of action”, the upcoming season will have more infected. But if you’re like me, a weirdo who majored in geography, well, you might be expecting season two to try and pick locations that are a bit more accurate about where the story takes place.

In January, horror writer. Stephen King expressed skepticism supposedly it was the bank of a river not far from a city on the east coast of the United States:

Craig Mazin did not disagree, saying that during the first season of the show, there was a feeling that “every once in a while you get a bit of ‘Oh, it’s Canada,’ when we don’t want it to be Canada.” While he didn’t share any details on how that harmless little hiccup might be remedied, it’s safe to say that the production is well aware of the challenge of accurately rendering locations on screen.

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With the smoke from Joel’s gunshots barely clearing after Sunday’s season finale, it will likely be a while before the show’s creators share more details about the second season of the show. The last of us. Right now, however, the second season appears to be the start of a multi-season approach that aims to make the most of Part II‘s strong emotional beats and heightened action, and will continue with the same actors who so memorably brought these characters to life.