THE LAST OF HIM

‘Last of Us’ Co-Creator Departs Before Season 3

Neil Druckmann will not be writing or directing any episodes in the new season, instead focusing on future gaming projects.

The Last of Us co-creator and executive director Neil Druckmann announced that he would be creatively stepping down from the hit HBO show ahead of its third season. Druckmann revealed his decision on Naughty Dog’s Instagram Wednesday, which is the gaming developer behind the award-winning PlayStation video game The Last of Us. “I’ve made the difficult decision to step away from my creative involvement in The Last of Us on HBO,” he said in a statement. “Co-creating the show has been a career highlight. It’s been an honor to work alongside Craig Mazin to executive produce, direct and write on the last two seasons.” Druckmann added that he was “deeply thankful for the thoughtful approach and dedication the talented cast and crew took to adapting” the game and continuing to produce part two. “It’s been a creative dream to work with Neil and bring an adaptation of his brilliant work to life on HBO,” the show’s co-creator Craig Mazin said in a statement, noting that he “couldn’t have asked for a more generous creative partner.” Druckmann will now focus on writing and directing Naughty Dog’s next game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, and his responsibilities as Studio Head and Head of Creative. Druckmann will still be credited as an executive producer on the show.