The Last of Us Showrunner Expects Fan "Furor" Around Season 2, "There Usually Is"

HBO premiered the highly anticipated first season of their live-action adaptation of The Last of Us earlier this year, which quickly garnered a significant following. The series had an impressive debut, becoming the network's second-best premiere in the past decade, surpassed only by House of the Dragon. Due to its success, HBO wasted no time in renewing the show for a second season, which has been in development for some time. Initially, filming for The Last of Us Season 2 was expected to commence later this year. However, the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike and the recently announced actor's strike make it highly unlikely that production will proceed as scheduled.

Entertainment Weekly recently conducted an interview with The Last of Us showrunner, Craig Mazin, discussing the series' recent Emmy nominations. Mazin also tantalizingly hinted at the fan "furor" that can be expected from the second season. "I'm never gonna say there are things that are gonna happen in the show that happened in the game. You never know what we're gonna do," Mazin revealed to the magazine. "But I will say that the adventure, the journey is the point. There will be elements that shock people, both from the game and those that are entirely new. And that's perfectly fine, as long as they serve a purpose and are not solely intended for shock value. Our aim is not to create fear on social media. We simply want to tell the story the way we believe it should be told."

When asked about potential controversies, Mazin acknowledged, "Will there be furor? Yeah, probably. I mean, there usually is, starting even with casting. We knew they were the exact right person to cast, but they had to endure months of negativity on social media until people saw what we saw. That, for me, is the essence. We don't operate with the sole purpose of pleasing or avoiding upsetting people on social media. We do what we believe is right and hope that people join us on this journey and find enjoyment in it."

What is The Last of Us about?

HBO describes "The Last of Us" series as follows, "In 2003, a parasitic fungal infection ravages the planet, turning humans into violent creatures known as the Infected. Twenty years later, hardened survivor Joel (Pedro Pascal) is hired to smuggle 14-year-old Ellie (Bella Ramsey) to the rebel Fireflies. But what should be a quick job becomes a harrowing journey in this hit series that brings the acclaimed video game to life."

Joining Pascal (Joel) and Ramsey (Ellie), the star-studded cast of "The Last of Us" series includes Gabriel Luna portraying the character of Tommy, Anna Torv as Tess, Nico Parker as Sarah, Murray Bartlett as Frank, Nick Offerman as Bill, Melanie Lynskey as Kathleen, Storm Reid as Riley, Merle Dandridge as Marlene, Jeffrey Pierce as Perry, Lamar Johnson as Henry, Keivonn Woodard as Sam, Graham Greene as Marlon, and Elaine Miles as Florence. Additionally, the original game stars Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker, known for their roles as Ellie and Joel in the video games, are also set to make appearances.

All episodes of "The Last of Us" are now available for streaming on Max.