The Last of Us showrunner hinted at a Season 4 of the hit HBO series.
The critically-acclaimed PlayStation adaptation has been greenlit for at least one more season (Season 2), but creator Craig Mazin has been operating as if the post-apocalyptic drama will get even more.
Mazin has been quoted as saying, they are "going to be more than one season [more]" if they are going to tell the entire story of The Last of Us Part II video game.
Despite this HBO executives have made it clear "there’s no guarantee" for a Season 3 or anything beyond that.
The Last of Us Getting a Season 4?
According to The Last of Us showrunner Craig Mazin, the beloved HBO series could be getting a Season 4.
Despite only having one more season officially announced, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter Mazin made allusions to a third, and potentially fourth, season.
Speaking about the budget for the upcoming second season of the series, the creator said, "There’s always a budget bump:"
"There’s always a budget bump and then there’s a discussion about why it’s not enough of a budget bump. For as long as I’ve been doing this, I have never, ever, not once, been in a situation on a where I was like, 'What I need is this' and they’re like, 'Okay!' It eventually gets to this [holds hands at same level], so I’m not concerned about that."
Though that comes along with the debate "about what is required to execute a second season, a third season, a fourth season," according to Mazin:
"Even if we have a principal debate about what is required to execute a second season, a third season, a fourth season, what I always know is that they are always working in good faith and appreciate the creative value of the show. It’s not a bloodless, business only decision for them. Maybe on some level there are people for whom it is, but not for [Casey Bloys and Francesca Orsi]. They care and want to back us up."
Mazin added that he has "laid out our vision to HBO for how this series should lay out across [multiple seasons]," further insinuating the show will need more than two seasons:
"We’ve laid out our vision to HBO for how this series should lay out across not one season, but multiple seasons."
"Four seems like a good number," Mazin then revealed, continuing, "Some seasons, because of the story we’re telling, will need fewer episodes and some will need more:"
"You never know. 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 best news is the audience wants more. We will not indulge a desire for more simply to make them happier when they hear how many episodes are announced."
He finished by noting that he hopes "the wisdom of how we lay it out will hopefully be clear" when "all is said and done:"
"And if they don’t like how many episodes are in a season because they want more, well, okay. But when all is said and done, I think the wisdom of how we lay it out will hopefully be clear. I don’t know if any season will actually have the same amount of episodes. But, whatever, the number’s not important. What’s important is when they get to the end of the season, they’re like, 'That was a good season.'"
Why Does The Last of Us Need More Seasons?
Showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann (who also directed both The Last of Us games) have made it clear, they are going to need more than two seasons to tell the story of The Last of Us Part II.
While the first Last of Us video game translated to one season of television fairly seamlessly, Part II gets a little more complicated, utilizing a non-linear timeline, and a myriad of flashbacks.
And even though HBO has only given the green light to Season 2, Mazin and Druckmann seem to be going forward under the notion they will get at least a Season 3 (and as revealed here a Season 4).
Druckmann previously said that he and Mazin already "know where a lot of Season 2 and 3 will go," so these further seasons are either going to happen or HBO's The Last of Us will end uncompleted.
Even those outside of Mazin and Druckmann think the show will be renewed beyond its upcoming Season 2. Star of the games and TV series, Jeffrey Wright told The Direct he thinks they'll have to "stretch [the HBO series] beyond a second season" just because "there’s just so much story to tell in the second game.”
So, now the ball is in HBO's court. The Last of Us was a certified hit for the network, and if its executives want to see this story through to completion it looks as though it is going to need more than just a Season 2.
Season 1 of The Last of Us is available to stream now on Max.
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