Director Neil Druckmann confirmed writing on the third instalment has begun
If you haven’t played either of the two games in The Last of Us series before, you’re missing out on one of the most cinematic gaming experiences you will likely ever come across.
Set in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by an infection that turns people into rotting, pustulous, overgrown zombie-like creatures, the narrative-driven game has some of the most emotional storytelling ever seen in video games.
The most recent entry, The Last of Us Part II, broke gamers spirits with its harsh and harrowing plot in June 2020, posing serious questions about human nature and the lengths people will go to for revenge.
The sequel sold over 4 million copies on the weekend of its release and became the most awarded game in history. Now, it has been confirmed by the game’s director, Neil Druckmann, that work has already started on the third game. Kind of…
Speaking on the Script Apart podcast, alongside his co-writer Halley Gross, Druckmann informed host, Al Horner, that some writing for the third entry in the series has been done. Cue excitement and future emotional turmoil.
Being probed on the future of the franchise, he said that the studio had been thinking about it “quite a bit”. Hesitating, he says, “I don’t know how much I want to reveal” but does indicate that he and “Halley did write an outline for a story”. However, he goes on to explain that The Last of Us Part III is not currently being made.
Although he admitted Naughty Dog are still debating whether to explore other avenues and, potentially, new IPs, Druckmann admitted that he “hope[d] one day it can see the light of day – that explores a little bit what happens after this game. We’ll see”.
The studio is known for fan-favourite series like Crash Bandicoot and the Uncharted games – the latter being where their narrative stripes were first earned, with the games being made into a movie featuring Tom Holland.
Horner also goes on to reference the TV adaptation being developed by HBO after the staggering success of the sequel and the fans undying love for the original game. Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey have already been cast as the main characters, Joel and Ellie.
Druckmann highlights how the series is really being looked after by Craig Mazin – known for series like Chernobyl and the Borderlands games – but that the team is bringing “different sensibilities” to the tablet.
He reiterated that Mazin is “a huge gamer, loved this game so much and understands these characters so fully”, so it’s clear that story and the quality of writing are going to be the main focus. How the TV series will feed into prospective plans for The Last of Us Part III, who knows?
If you have played Part II, you’ll certainly be wondering where The Last of Us Part III will take the series next and what kind of equally difficult subject matter it will throw at gamers this time around.
