As if fans aren't already reeling from a major season 2 plot twist, it appears The Last of Us is now headed for even more changes.
The Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey led show first premiered in 2023, and released its second season earlier this year.
It already has been renewed for a third season, which will likely release in 2027, however before it has even started production, its co-creator Neil Druckmann has exited the series.
© GettyIn a statement shared to the The Naughty Dog Instagram account, the PlayStation-owned video game studio behind The Last of Us franchise, Neil said: "With work completed on season 2 and before any meaningful work starts on season 3, now is the right time for me to transition my complete focus to Naughty Dog and its future projects, including writing and directing our exciting next game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, along with my responsibilities as Studio Head and Head of Creative."
"Co-creating the show has been a career highlight," he noted, adding: "It's been an honor to work alongside Craig Mazin to executive produce, direct and write on the last two seasons." Per Variety, Neil was "instrumental" in creating The Last of Us video games for Naughty Dog, which first released in 2013, and he then co-created the HBO show with Craig ten years later.
His statement proceeded: "I'm deeply thankful for the thoughtful approach and dedication the talented cast and crew took to adapting The Last of Us Part I and the continued adaptation of The Last of Us Part II."
© GettyAlong with Neil's exit is Halley Gross' departure; she co-wrote The Last of Us Part II with Neil and worked as an executive producer and writer on the show.
Her own statement on Instagram read: "With great care and consideration, I've decided to take a step back from my day-to-day work on HBO's The Last of Us to make space for what comes next."
© WireImage"I'm so appreciative of how special this experience has been. Working alongside Neil, Craig, HBO, and this remarkable cast and crew has been life changing. The stories we told — about love, loss, and what it means to be human in a terrifying world — are exactly why I love this franchise," she continued.
"I have some truly rad projects ahead that I can't wait to share, but for now, I want to express my gratitude to everyone who brought Ellie and Joel's world to life with such care."
© HBO/Warner MediaNeil's co-creator Craig has also already released a statement reacting to Neil and Halley's exits. "It's been a creative dream to work with Neil and bring an adaptation of his brilliant work to life on HBO."
"I couldn't have asked for a more generous creative partner. As a true fan of Naughty Dog and Neil's work in video games, I'm beyond excited to play his next game. While he focuses on that, I'll continue to work with our brilliant cast and crew to deliver the show our audience has come to expect. We are so grateful to Neil and Halley Gross for entrusting the incredible story of The Last of Us Part II to us, and we're just as grateful to the millions of people around the world who tune in."
