The Last of Us game creator quits work on TV series

Neil Druckmann, the co-creator and co-showrunner of the hit HBO series The Last of Us, has announced that he is ending his creative involvement with the series.Neil Druckmann will retain his title as co-creator and executive producer, but will no longer have a hand in day-to-day creative decisions, leaving Craig Mazin as the sole showrunner for season three.



Druckmann's (pictured) departure comes on the heels of a second season that caused a split among viewers. This season saw a slight drop in ratings, partly because it was largely based on the second PlayStation game, The Last of Us Part II, which also received mixed reviews and sold less well than the first game. Despite the criticism, the series remains very successful both commercially and critically and is seen as a strong contender for major awards, such as the Emmy Awards.

In a statement, Druckmann said that after wrapping up Season 2 and before work on Season 3 begins in earnest, he has decided that now is the right time to fully focus on his work at game developer Naughty Dog. There, he will focus on future projects, including writing and directing a new game titled Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, while also expanding his responsibilities as studio head and head of creative.

Druckmann called co-creating The Last of Us for HBO an absolute career highlight and expressed his gratitude for the collaboration with Mazin, the dedicated cast and crew, and the way they brought the first game and now the second game to life. He expressed his confidence in HBO and PlayStation Productions to continue Ellie and Abby’s story in a worthy manner in the third season.

Craig Mazin responded with praise for Druckmann, calling their collaboration “a creative dream.” He emphasized that as a huge fan of Naughty Dog and Druckmann’s previous work, he is very much looking forward to playing his new game. Mazin assured the audience that he will continue to work with the talented cast and crew to maintain the high standards of the series and continue to tell the story in a way that does justice to the original material.

Although Druckmann enthusiastically hinted at an “epic” third season in June and spoke about the scale of the story to come, his departure marks a major shift behind the scenes. Still, it seems the series will continue on its course under Mazin’s leadership, and fans can continue to brace themselves for emotional and intense episodes in the upcoming season.