The second season of The Last of Us will consist of only seven episodes, as confirmed by HBO. The selection of seven directors for the new season had raised questions about whether multiple episodes would be directed by the same person, but this will not be the case.
In an interview with Deadline, co-creators and directors Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann revealed that the sophomore season would only have seven episodes. Many fans may be surprised by this decision, considering the expansive story of The Last of Us: Part II on which the season is based. The first season had nine episodes. Mazin and Druckmann explained that this choice was made to generate interest in future seasons.
"Given the amount of content in Part II, we had to plan out how to divide the story across multiple seasons. We identified natural breaking points, and for this season, the break came after the seventh episode," Mazin told Deadline. They are aiming for at least three seasons, with a possibility of a fourth.
Mazin also discussed the challenges of telling the complex story, saying, "As we explore different narratives and characters, especially from the first season, we are likely to expand in the third season. It would be difficult to cover the story beyond the second season in just one more season."
The series plans to go beyond the video game narratives, building on the success of standalone episodes from the first season. Fans can expect longer episodes in season two and the potential for more seasons if interest remains high. The second season is set to debut on HBO Max in early 2025.
