The Last of Us TV showrunner discusses series’ overall length

It sounds like we’ll see around four seasons of The Last of Us, according to co-creator and showrunner Craig Mazin.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Mazin was asked how many seasons the show would likely need to tell all of its story. In response, Mazin stated that “four seems like a good number”.

“You never know,” he said. “It can end up being three or five. But four seems like a good number. Some seasons, because of the story we’re telling, will need fewer episodes and some will need more.”

The Last of Us debuted on HBO last year to rave reviews and a positive critical response. A second season is now in pre-production, though casting has been held up by the ongoing Hollywood strikes.

While the series’ first season adapted the whole of the franchise’s first video game, Mazin has said that the plot of The Last of Us: Part 2 will be spread across multiple seasons.

So, does that mean we see two seasons adapting Part 2, and then a final season to wrap up?

“What I can certainly confirm is that [The Last of Us: Part 2’s narrative] does not fit into one season,” Mazin concluded.

The Last of Us developer Naughty Dog is yet to officially announce a third game, though creator Neil Druckmann said back in 2021 that he’d written a The Last of Us: Part 3 story outline he hopes will eventually see the light of day.

Judging by the huge popularity of the video game and TV series, a third game feels likely.

Last month, Mazim said he was keen to get back to work on the show, which is currently due to return in 2025.

“We’re going to do other things that are in the game and we’re gonna do some things that are in the game but we’re gonna do them differently in our own method,” he teased. “No matter if you have played the game or not. You will be surprised as the season unfolds. We have some interesting twists and turns.”