‘The Last of Us’ co-creator, Neil Druckmann, steps back ahead of Season 3

Neil Druckmann, co-creator of HBO’s The Last of Us and the mind behind the original PlayStation games, is stepping away from day-to-day creative duties on the series ahead of its third season. While he will remain on board as executive producer and co-creator, sources confirm Druckmann will not write or direct any episodes in the upcoming season.

In a statement, Druckmann explained that with Season 2 completed, now is the right time to fully focus on his next chapter at Naughty Dog. “I’ve made the difficult decision to step away from my creative involvement in The Last of Us on HBO,” he said. “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.”

During the show's first two seasons, Druckmann worked closely with showrunner Craig Mazin, writing or co-writing five episodes and directing two. His involvement ensured the TV adaptation stayed faithful to the emotional and narrative depth of the games.

Craig Mazin, who will now lead Season 3 without Druckmann’s direct input, praised his collaborator: “It’s been a creative dream to work with Neil. While he focuses on his next game, I’ll continue working with our amazing cast and crew to bring this story to life.”

Season 3 is expected to pick up from The Last of Us Part II, focusing on new and returning characters, including Kaitlyn Dever’s Abby. Whether it will be the final season remains to be seen.