The Last of Us Part 2brought a new chapter of Joel and Ellie’s life into the spotlight, as the events of the game offered an even more harrowing story to players. Although there is some divided opinion onThe Last of Us Part 2, it hasn’t stopped the popularity of the series, as the franchise has now been given the live action treatment on Max.
The first season ofThe Last of Usproved to be a hit. Not only did longtime fans of the game tune in, but the story of Ellie and Joel was introduced to an entirely new audience as well. Withseason 2 ofThe Last of Uson the horizon, there are questions surrounding how the game’s lengthy story will be approached.The Last of Us Part 2is considerably longer than the first game, and this has led Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann and showrunner Craig Mazin to consider splitting the second game into three seasons.
The Last of Us Part 2 Spanning Multiple Seasons is a Bold Move
A recent interview with Druckmann and Mazin revealed thatthe story ofThe Last of Us Part 2could extend until season 4 of the series. On one hand, the prospect of multiple seasons is exciting, but on the other hand, there are plenty of issues that could arise from stretching out the story this long.
Potential Issues With Making The Last of Us Part 2 Last Multiple Seasons
The Last of Us Part 2is almost twice the length as its predecessor. WhereThe Last of Ustakes about 14 hours to complete,Part 2can take anywhere from 20 to 30 hours, depending on how thoroughly one plays, so it’s completely understandable that the second game may be expanded through several seasons. However, there is also the risk of adding too much filler or unnecessary side content, which could soak up valuable time, not to mention how long production takes.By the timeTLoUseason 2 releases, it will have been two years since the first season premiered, meaning that at this rate, season 4 wouldn’t be expected until 2029.
If the show’s actors noticeably aged during this span of time, this could present a continuity issue as well.Ellie’s journey inThe Last of Us Part 2is an intense physical and mental trial, but it doesn’t take years to accomplish. However, this is far less of a concern than making each season bloated with unnecessary information. Mazin has stated, “We don’t think that we’re going to be able to tell the story even within two seasons because we’re taking our time and going down interesting pathways, which we did a little bit in Season 1, too”.
The second season ofThe Last of Uswill be shorter than the first.
The Benefits of Making The Last of Us Part 2 Multiple Seasons
Although there is the risk of too much filler content, there is also the opportunity for multiple seasons to properly flesh out the stories of so many new characters on the way. There is so much new lore thatThe Last of Us 2throws at players, that multiple seasons are necessary and arguably unavoidable if the writers want to do the story justice.From the Seraphites to the WLF, this would be hard to pull off with just one season, especially since the second season is only seven episodes long.
We don’t think that we’re going to be able to tell the story even within two seasons because we’re taking our time and going down interesting pathways, which we did a little bit in Season 1, too.
Most importantly,The Last of Us 2spanning multiple seasons, gives Naughty Dogtime to releaseThe Last of Us 3before the show is finished withPart 2’s story. At the moment, there is no official confirmation ofThe Last of Us 3, but it feels inevitable. The potential forThe Last of Usshow adaptation to get ahead of the games is worrisome, so spending several years onThe Last of Us Part 2’s story could actually be the best outcome for those ready for Ellie’s next chapter.
The Last of Us Part 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Play the winner of over 300 Game of the Year awards, remastered for the PlayStation®5 console. Relive or play for the first time Ellie and Abby’s story, now with graphical enhancements, new gameplay modes like the roguelike survival experience No Return, full DualSense® wireless controller integration, and more. Five years after their dangerous journey across the post-pandemic United States, Ellie and Joel have settled down in Jackson, Wyoming. Living amongst a thriving community of survivors has allowed them peace and stability, despite the constant threat of the infected and other, more desperate survivors. When a violent event disrupts that peace, Ellie embarks on a relentless journey to carry out justice and find closur
