MAJOR SPOILERS for The Last of Us season 3. The second season of HBO’s acclaimed drama, inspired by the hit video game franchise, wrapped up last month and laid the groundwork for what’s to come.
In the final moments of the season finale, it became clear that the story is shifting its focus toward Abby (played by Kaitlyn Dever). Series co-creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann confirmed this direction during a recent Emmys FYC event.
“I can’t believe that [HBO] let us structure the series in this way,” Druckmaan said. “Meaning like we just ended season two, and season three is going to be starring — spoiler alert — Kaitlyn. I was sure that they wouldn’t let us do this when we started adapting this, but they’ve leaned into what makes, I believe, the story special. And allowed us not only the time but the creative freedom to be able to take these swings, and I think the audience really appreciates that.“
Dever was a significant addition to the new season, but only appeared in a few episodes. So putting Abby front and center for The Last of Us season 3 will be a big change. In an earlier interview, Mazin said, “Abby is the hero of her story. Wherever we go next, we’ll always be centering on somebody, whether it’s Ellie and Dina, or Abby and Owen … [But] everything is under the cloud or sunlight of Joel — what Joel did to Abby and what Abby did to Joel.“
Our own Alex Maidy was a big fan of the second season premiere, saying it proved the first season was not a fluke. “Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann have what it takes to turn the most excruciating emotional experiences into powerful television,” he wrote. “The Last of Us reclaims its much-deserved crown of being one of the best television shows, with this premiere only the tip of the iceberg. Fans of the games will be very pleased with how faithful this premiere is to the source material while expanding beyond what they already know.” You can check out the rest of his review right here.
The Last of Us season 2 will be released on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray on September 23.
