Neil Druckmann has stepped back as the co-showrunner of HBO's The Last of Us ahead of season 3.
Before the second season aired last spring, HBO had already renewed the hit series for a third season. As teased by the final scene of the second season finale, the next chapter will focus on Abby and the three days leading up to her confrontation with Ellie in Seattle.
Is Neil Druckmann Still Involved as Co-Showrunner in The Last of Us Season 3?
It was announced that Druckmann has stepped down from serving as co-showrunner of HBO's The Last of Us ahead of season 3.
Craig Mazin is now set to be the sole showrunner by next season. Druckmann is still expected to be involved as an executive producer.
Halley Gross, who co-wrote some of the episodes in season 2 and The Last of Us Part II, is also no longer involved in the series.
"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," Mazin said in a statement.
"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."
Why Did Neil Druckmann Decide to Exit HBO's The Last of Us?
In his statement, Druckmann explained that he decided to step back as co-showrunner of The Last of Us to focus on his projects at Naughty Dog.
He is currently working on the studio's upcoming game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.
"I’ve made the difficult decision to step away from my creative involvement in The Last of Us on HBO," he 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."
Druckmann added, "Co-creating the show has been a career highlight. It’s been an honor to work alongside Craig Mazin to executive produce, direct, and write on the last two seasons. 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."
What do you think of Druckmann's decision to exit? Let us know in the comments.
Keep it locked on Epicstream, your go-to site for film, TV, and celebrity coverage!