Neil Druckmann departs HBO series adaptation of The Last Of Us

Neil Druckmann, the mastermind behind The Last Of Us, is stepping away from the HBO show before the third season. Druckmann, who wrote and co-directed the original video game and co-created the TV adaptation with Craig Mazin, made the announcement on the Naughty Dog Instagram account. He mentioned that after completing season 2 and before starting on season 3, he felt it was the right time to shift his focus to future projects at Naughty Dog, including writing and directing their next game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. Druckmann expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to work on the show and praised the cast and crew for their dedication to bringing The Last of Us to life.

This news comes as a surprise to fans, considering Druckmann’s long history with The Last Of Us, from its inception as a graduate student to his current role as co-showrunner and director. Despite his exit, Druckmann will retain his co-creator credit and remain an executive producer on the show.

The departure of Halley Gross, co-writer of The Last Of Us Part II, from the TV series as well could suggest tensions between Naughty Dog and HBO. Gross also expressed appreciation for the experience of working on the show and hinted at future projects in her statement.

The second season of The Last Of Us faced controversy due to changes from the source material, causing mixed reactions from fans. While Druckmann had previously shown support for Mazin and HBO, the exits of both Druckmann and Gross may indicate underlying issues between the creative teams.

Despite the shakeup, fans of The Last Of Us can look forward to what comes next for the series as the show continues to evolve and adapt the beloved game franchise for television.