The television adaptation of The Last of Us, which has comfortably cemented itself as a ratings juggernaut for HBO, is officially eyeing a 2027 release for its third season.

Casey Bloys, the content chief at HBO, spilled the details on the network's future roadmap during an interview with Variety published on the 15th (US time). As for The Last of Us, director Neil Druckmann is set to step aside post-Season 2, leaving Craig Mazin—who has served as an executive producer since the start—to steer the ship.

Bloys noted that Mazin was keen on tackling The Last of Us following the success of Chernobyl, while Druckmann provided a solid blueprint from the very beginning. Bloys remarked, "Many folks don't quite realise that Druckmann has a day job running Naughty Dog and managing game development. It is perfectly understandable why Druckmann needs to focus on that," adding, "Mazin is a pro, so we are confident it will be in safe hands. We have no concerns whatsoever."

Looking ahead, Bloys confirmed that the aim is to have Season 3 arrive in 2027. Bloys stated, "Mazin is currently weighing up whether to split the remaining story into two more seasons or perhaps one extended run. Nothing is set in stone, but we are following Mazin’s lead." Mazin previously suggested back in May that a fourth season might be necessary to wrap up the narrative properly.

While the first two seasons were firmly fixed on Joel and Ellie, Season 3 shifts the spotlight to Abby. On this change in perspective, Bloys commented, "This title has benefited greatly from the source material, and the first two seasons have certainly found their footing. I personally enjoy taking established material and viewing it through a different lens."

In other news, The Last of Us Season 2 has secured nominations in 14 categories at the 77th Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Drama Series. Naughty Dog representative Neil Druckmann shared, "It has been a massive joy for our studio to see the story of The Last of Us Part 2 find new life and a fresh legion of fans."