In a surprising turn of events, Neil Druckmann has officially announced his exit from The Last of Us TV series at HBO.
In a statement posted to the official Naughty Dog Instagram account, Neil stated, “I’ve made the difficult decision to step away from my creative involvement in The Last of Us on HBO.”
Neil further shared that with Season 2 complete and work on Season 3 not yet underway, he’s transitioning completely to his role at Naughty Dog, including writing and directing the studio’s exhilarating next game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.
“Co-creating the show has been a career highlight,” the 46-year-old writer continued. “It’s been an honor to work alongside Craig Mazin to executive produce, direct and write on the last two seasons. I’m deeply thankful for the thoughtful approach and dedication the talented cast and crew took to adapting The Last of Us Part I and the continued adaptation of The Last of Us Part II.”
Craig Mazin, who continues as showrunner, appreciated Neil’s creative partnership and confirmed the team’s unwavering commitment to take the show to the next level and make waves in the industry.
The Last of Us launched in 2023 to critical accomplishment, with Season 2 introduced earlier this year and Season 3 already greenlit by HBO.
The show is said to be HBO's most successful drama and received 24 Emmy nominations for its first season.
Meanwhile, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, announced in December, will star Tati Gabrielle and feature music by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. A release date has not yet been confirmed.
