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The Last Of Us Season 2 Was Planned For 2025 Prior To Writers' Strike

Whether or not the schedule will change due to the work stoppage is unknown.

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The Last of Us was one of HBO's most popular shows in recent years, and fans are understandably eager to learn when the series might return for its second season. We don't know when that will be, but HBO boss Francesca Orsi has stated that the plan, prior to the start of the Hollywood writers' strike, was for the drama based on Naughty Dog's video game to come back for its sophomore season in 2025.

She told Deadline that it's "too early to tell" how the schedule might be impacted due to the work stoppage, though. "We were looking at The Last Of Us for some time in 2025," Orsi said.

Also in the interview, Orsi said Season 2 will add new cast members, but she "can't get into" that right now. Season 2 is expected to adapt the events of The Last of Us Part II, and one of the central characters of that game, Abby, is expected to appear in Season 2 of the show. Orsi also confirmed that Season 2 will film in Vancouver, as opposed to Calgary from Season 1.

"All I can say is [showrunner Craig Mazin is] 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," Orsi said.

The Last of Us is expected to come back for a third season at some point in the future. Orsi said nothing is locked down yet, however, and HBO is taking things one season at a time.

"I think Craig and [writer Neil Druckmann] are still figuring out where they're going to come to an end," Orsi said. "There's no guarantee at this point that we'll have a Season 3 but I know that they both have a vision for Season 3. Whether that lends itself to doing more [seasons], I don't know yet."

The Hollywood writers' strike is affecting a number of big projects. Marvel's Blade movie is pausing production, while Stranger Things Season 5 is also temporarily shutting down. Some TV series, like House of the Dragon and The Rings of Power, are continuing to film during the strike, albeit with no writers on set.

This is the first writers' strike since 2007-2008. Writers have been picketing outside major studio lots in California for companies like Disney, WB Discovery, and Netflix since the strike began on May 2. The writers are seeking higher pay, better residuals, minimum staffing requirements, and for safeguards to be put in place regarding the use of artificial intelligence for scriptwriting.

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