Although the show enjoyed overwhelmingly positive reviews from fans and critics alike, there was one aspect of The Last of Us season 1 that fans found a little disappointing. According to showrunner Neil Druckmann, season 2 will go above and beyond to remedy that.
Based on the video game of the same name, The Last of Us premiered on HBO Max on January 15, 2023. The first few episodes performed so well that HBO ordered a second season before the first had even finished. Season 2 will begin to adapt the events of The Last of Us Part II - previously, Druckmann and his co-creator Craig Mazin revealed that they felt the second game deserved more than one season to explore the game’s events entirely. With more seasons and a bigger budget ahead, fans have hoped to see more of the franchise's cordyceps-controlled infected, which were kept to a minimum in The Last of Us season 1, most likely for budget and storytelling reasons.
During Kinda Funny's The Last of Us spoilercast, Druckmann confirmed that season 2 contains more infected. "So, we can consider the scripts, consider the people we’re bringing to be part of our team, consider the pre-production. I am very, very excited for the stuff we have planned for the for the second season that, especially for people that wanted more infected, well, just get ready." Although Druckmann's wording is ominous and suggests the change won't bode well for the show's characters, it's exciting news for fans wishing for more infected.
The addition of more infected wasn't just a creative choice. Druckmann acknowledged that the scale of season 2 and the seasons that follow are only possible due to season 1's success. He also noted that adapting The Last of Us Part II will require more time, energy, and money since The Last of Us Part 2 is much bigger and more ambitious than the first. "Look, the second game from set piece, from the number of characters, from how complex the story is… [it] is more ambitious than the first game," he said. "And the success of the first season absolutely affords us a bigger budget, more time. Those are the things that are important to do it properly, right?
While much remains unknown about The Last of Us season 2, fans can be sure it won’t be light on infected. Druckmann and Mazin are prepared to stun audiences with bigger set pieces and crazier combat. Druckmann's comments also bring to mind a scene toward the beginning of The Last of Us Part II that features a horde of infected larger than the one shown in the cul-de-sac scene in season 1 of the show. Though he’s been careful not to reveal too much about his plans for season 2, Druckmann isn’t hiding that he and Mazin are reaching higher and going bigger than in season 1.
The Last of Us season 1 is available to stream now on HBO Max.
Source: Kinda Funny/YouTube