‘The Last of Us’ Dealing With Major Departures Ahead of Season 3

The Last of Us is undergoing a major behind-the-scenes shakeup, with two creatives exiting the hit HBO video game-based series ahead of Season 3.

Less than two months after The Last of Us Season 2 concluded, both Neil Druckmann and Halley Gross, who co-wrote Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us Part II and worked on the HBO series adaptation, announced they are stepping away from The Last of Us TV show.

“I’ve made the difficult decision to step away from my creative involvement in The Last of Us on HBO,” Druckmann, who co-created The Last of Us series with Craig Mazin and also serves as an executive producer, told fans in a Wednesday, July 2 statement. “With work completed on season 2 and before any meaningful work starts on season 3, 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, along with my responsibilities as Studio Head and Head of Creative.”

Druckmann’s departure leaves Mazin as the show’s sole showrunner. Sources told Deadline that Druckmann will not write or direct any Season 3 episodes, but will continue to have credits as a co-creator and executive producer.

“Co-creating the show has been a career highlight,” he continued. “It’s been an honor to work alongside Craig Mazin to executive produce, direct and write on the last two seasons. I’m deeply thankful for the thoughtful approach and dedication the talented cast and crew took to adapting The Last of Us Part I and the continued adaptation of The Last of Us Part II.”

The same day, Gross, who and worked as an executive producer and writer on the HBO series, announced her departure from The Last of Us.

“With great care and consideration, I’ve decided to take a step back from my day-to-day work on HBO’s The Last of Us to make space for what comes next,” Gross said. “I’m so appreciative of how special this experience has been. Working alongside Neil, Craig, HBO, and this remarkable cast and crew has been life changing. The stories we told – about love, loss, and what it means to be human in a terrifying world – are exactly why I love this franchise. I have some truly rad projects ahead that I can’t wait to share, but for now, I want to express my gratitude to everyone who brought Ellie and Joel’s world to life with such care.”

It’s unclear how Druckmann and Gross’ departures may impact The Last of Us Season 3, which will continue to adapt The Last of Us Part II. In a statement of his own, Mazin vowed to “continue to work with our brilliant cast and crew to deliver the show our audience has come to expect. We are so grateful to Neil and Halley Gross for entrusting the incredible story of The Last of Us Part II to us, and we’re just as grateful to the millions of people around the world who tune in.”