The Last of Us Part 2 brought a new chapter of Joel and Ellie's life into the spotlight, as the events of the game offered an even more harrowing story to players. Although there is some divided opinion on The Last of Us Part 2, it hasn't stopped the popularity of the series, as the franchise has now been given the live action treatment on Max.

The first season of The Last of Us proved to be a hit. Not only did longtime fans of the game tune in, but the story of Ellie and Joel was introduced to an entirely new audience as well. With season 2 of The Last of Us on the horizon, there are questions surrounding how the game's lengthy story will be approached. The Last of Us Part 2 is considerably longer than the first game, and this has led Naughty Dog's Neil Druckmann and showrunner Craig Mazin to consider splitting the second game into three seasons.

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The Last of Us Part 2 Spanning Multiple Seasons is a Bold Move

A recent interview with Druckmann and Mazin revealed that the story of The Last of Us Part 2 could extend until season 4 of the series. On one hand, the prospect of multiple seasons is exciting, but on the other hand, there are plenty of issues that could arise from stretching out the story this long.

Potential Issues With Making The Last of Us Part 2 Last Multiple Seasons

The Last of Us Part 2 is almost twice the length as its predecessor. Where The Last of Us takes about 14 hours to complete, Part 2 can take anywhere from 20 to 30 hours, depending on how thoroughly one plays, so it's completely understandable that the second game may be expanded through several seasons. However, there is also the risk of adding too much filler or unnecessary side content, which could soak up valuable time, not to mention how long production takes. By the time TLoU season 2 releases, it will have been two years since the first season premiered, meaning that at this rate, season 4 wouldn't be expected until 2029.

If the show's actors noticeably aged during this span of time, this could present a continuity issue as well. Ellie's journey in The Last of Us Part 2 is an intense physical and mental trial, but it doesn't take years to accomplish. However, this is far less of a concern than making each season bloated with unnecessary information. Mazin has stated, "We don’t think that we’re going to be able to tell the story even within two seasons because we’re taking our time and going down interesting pathways, which we did a little bit in Season 1, too".

The second season of The Last of Us will be shorter than the first.

The Benefits of Making The Last of Us Part 2 Multiple Seasons

Although there is the risk of too much filler content, there is also the opportunity for multiple seasons to properly flesh out the stories of so many new characters on the way. There is so much new lore that The Last of Us 2 throws at players, that multiple seasons are necessary and arguably unavoidable if the writers want to do the story justice. From the Seraphites to the WLF, this would be hard to pull off with just one season, especially since the second season is only seven episodes long.

We don’t think that we’re going to be able to tell the story even within two seasons because we’re taking our time and going down interesting pathways, which we did a little bit in Season 1, too.

Most importantly, The Last of Us 2 spanning multiple seasons, gives Naughty Dog time to release The Last of Us 3 before the show is finished with Part 2's story. At the moment, there is no official confirmation of The Last of Us 3, but it feels inevitable. The potential for The Last of Us show adaptation to get ahead of the games is worrisome, so spending several years on The Last of Us Part 2's story could actually be the best outcome for those ready for Ellie's next chapter.