The Last of Us co-creator Craig Mazin has explained why the HBO show will likely end after Season 3 or 4.
Based on the popular video game franchise developed by Naughty Dog, the first season of The Last of Us premiered on HBO in January 2023. Created by Mazin and Neil Druckmann, the show primarily stars Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie.
The Last of Us Season 2 is scheduled to premiere next month. The new season is set five years after the events of the first season.
Why will The Last of Us likely end after Season 3 or 4?
While it’s not immediately clear how many seasons of The Last of Us there will be when all is said and done, Mazin told Variety that they’ve maybe got “one or two more seasons” left after The Last of Us Season 2.
“It’s getting harder to make because every episode gets big,” Mazin said. “You don’t want to wait four years for a 17-episode finish, or whatever it is…I’ve been feeling scared lately about like, ‘Oh, yeah, I have to start thinking about Season 3.’ I remember having this feeling when we were finishing Season 1, where I was like, ‘How the f— are we going to top this?’ Now, of course, I’m like, ‘How the f— are we going to top this?’”
Joining the cast for the new season are Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, Young Mazino as Jesse, Isabela Merced as Dina, Danny Ramirez as Manny, Jeffrey Wright as Isaac Dixon, Joe Pantoliano, Catherine O’Hara in an undisclosed role, and more.
The Last of Us Season 2 will premiere on HBO on April 13, 2025. The season will have seven episodes in total.
The first season of The Last of Us, meanwhile, is currently available to stream on Max.
