As pointed out by the folks over at Bloody Disgusting, a new Deadline interview with HBO Drama Chief Francesca Orsi sheds some new light on what's going on with the network's blockbuster video game adaptation The Last of Us in the wake of the ongoing WGA strike ... and provides a rough timeline about when we might reasonably expect it to return.
Says Orsi:
“We were looking at The Last of Us for some time in 2025. And The White Lotus was ideally looking to go in 2024, but there’s some question about timing of the strike. While everything at this moment is pencils down, I’m hopeful that we can come to terms sooner than later. Otherwise we will have to assess what is the end of the ’24 schedule, what are the shows that are going to be delivered for 2025. At this point, those shows that I’m looking to air wouldn’t necessarily be ready if this strike lasts six to nine months. So yes, that’s a big question for us, but I think we’ll cross that road once we come to it."
She goes on to say that The Last of Us masterminds Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann won't be writing during the strike or making any casting decisions. She also mentions that the show's second season will take a "big swing" in a few ways, one of them involving the show's fearsome Clickers:
“There isn’t much that we can go into on The Last of Us, given that Craig [Mazin] can’t really initiate in any meaningful way from a writing or casting standpoint. But he and Neil [Druckmann] have a good sense of what it is that he’s going to be taking on. We’ll be moving the show from Calgary to Vancouver. All I can say is he’s taking a big swing from both an entertainment standpoint, related to the Clickers, but also just the more nuanced, complex character dynamic between our characters, Joel, Ellie and beyond.”
It's unsurprising to hear that the WGA strike will cause The Last of Us to get going a bit later than expected, but also? That's fine. We're patient, and we believe the WGA should get what they're asking for from the studios. We ain't going here, and will be ready to dive back into The Last of Us whenever it's ready.
Stay tuned for further updates on The Last of Us S2 as they roll in.
