Summary
The Last of Usshowrunner Neil Druckmann shares his approach to making the show relative to the video game. The Naughty Dog president said he wasn’t worried about the players' reaction.
Druckmann plays a key role inThe Last of Us(2013 )video game series. He co-wrote and co-directed Joel and Elli’s emotional story that reflects their deep relationship as they struggle with survival and moral dilemmas. Druckman was also involved inThe Last of Us Part 2(2020), the ambitious sequel to the hit video game. His dedication to the franchise is evident when the game is adapted for a TV series. He co-created and served as the executive producer with Craig Mazin to ensure that HBO’s live-action adaptation of the video game is faithful to the source material. However, while the show captures the game’s depth and realism, there are some concerns, including Bella Ramsay’s appearance since she’s supposed to look older in the second season, given the seven-year gap between the two games. Druckmann broke his silence about the issue.
Druckmann addressed the said concern in a recent interview with GamesRadar. He clarified that the potential reaction from the video game fans about the TV show doesn’t bother him. He doesn’t want to limit their creativity by forecasting how the players will embrace the series and giving in to the pressure on how they should direct the show. Druckmann is convinced that he and his partner, Mazin, made the right choices for the project and by being true to their creativity, they are honoring their supporters. He said:
I’ve said this before, but I feel like the best way we could respect our fans and honor them is to not worry about them when we’re crafting the thing because outside influence or pressure doesn’t lead you to good creative choices.
When it came to the creative process, Druckmann said that he and Mazin were “very meticulous.” They examined closely every option available to ensure that they picked “the correct one.” He also pointed out that what’s right in the show may not be necessarily the same as the video game. So there might be differences between the two projects. “And it’s a correct one for The Last of Usin this medium, which wouldn’t necessarily be the same correct one forThe Last of Usin the video game format,” he explained. In another interview, Druckmann gave a disappointing update about the video game, telling fans not to bet on another one, seemingly suggesting that the second game could be the last one. When asked ifthe show could continue beyond the game, he didn’t give a direct answer. However, what was clear was that Druckmann already had an ending in his mind. The showrunner believes there has to be a “definitive ending” since he is unsure how long he will keep doing it or if there will still be an opportunity to continue it.
Druckmann’s decision not to impress video game fans regarding the TV series is bold but impressive. It’s easy to give in to what fans want to satisfy them. However, there are too many fans who want different things, which makes it impossible to impress everyone. There’s not one way to make everyone happy, so the best choice is forDruckmann and Mazinto do things their way. After all, Druckmann is behind the video game, so he knows every fiber of it better than anyone, and if he makes any changes in the series, there must be a good reason why he does so. Druckmann has the creative power, so everything depends on him. As forThe Last of UsSeason 2’s reception from video game fans, that’s something they can deal with later or completely ignore since they have already decided to follow their creativity over potential backlash or criticism.
The Last of UsSeason 2 premieres on HBO and Max on May 30, 2025.
