When HBO first announced The Last of Us TV show, fans were rightly apprehensive since video game tie-ins did not have a good reputation. However, the show took most by surprise and is widely appreciated for its faithfulness to the game’s narrative. As a matter of fact, season 1 of the show, follows the events of The Last of Us Part 1 to a tee, and it was fascinating to see several fan-favorite characters and passionately-hated villains come to life on the silver screen.
Naturally, with the show having garnered a massive viewership, fans have been eagerly anticipating the launch of the second season. The general consensus as well as some leaks and reports suggest that the upcoming season will be based on 2020’s The Last of Us Part 2. Hence, it would be interesting to see how the series portrays Joel’s death, an older Ellie’s quest for revenge, and Abby’s desperation to survive in the post-apocalyptic world.
However, fans have to hold on to that excitement a little longer, since we are sorry to report that filming for The Last of Us Season 2 has been delayed. According to sources, Pedro Pascal, the actor who plays Joel, has an effectively full schedule as of this moment, and cannot find time to sink into the HBO show. Nevertheless, viewers need not get disheartened as HBO has already greenlit the season, and while production will begin in early 2024, it will likely come to our TV screens a year later.
Content from The Last of Us Part 2 remaster might affect the HBO show’s narrative
In November 2023, both Sony and Naughty Dog announced that they would be releasing a PlayStation 5 remaster for The Last of Us Part 2. Apart from graphical enhancements, DualSense integration, and an enhanced photo mode, the remaster would also include a roguelike survival mode called no-return, a guitar-playing minigame, new skins, and three new levels which were created during early development but cut from the main game. These levels, which include Jackson Party, Boar Hunt, and Sewers, are made from Ellie’s perspective and add to the narrative as a whole.
Naturally, when Naughty Dog announced that they were going to include cut content in the remaster, fans wondered if it would affect the narrative of HBO’s The Last of Us Season 2. Well, the studio’s co-president, Neil Druckmann, addressed such questions during an interview with Entertainment Weekly (EW), where he said, “The Lost Levels are very much focused on offering a sneak peek into The Last of Us Part II’s original development and deepen fans’ appreciation for the studio’s creative work.” Moreover, he explained that the remaster additions were not an indication of what is being planned for season 2 of the show and players would learn the actual intention of the “lost levels” and the reason behind their omission while playing.
Still, the added content in the remaster will likely have some say in the HBO show as Druckmann has already admitted how some of the deleted scenes might enhance the narrative. He further teased viewers in the same EW interview, where he said, “As a tease, I will say there is at least one element from a cut level that is planned [for] the show.” However, one must note that HBO’s The Last of Us season 2 hasn’t started filming yet, and everything is subject to change based on the creators’ vision.
