'The Last of Us' creators say there may be 'a lot more infected' in season 2 after complaints about their absence in season one
Liane Hentscher/HBO
- "The Last of Us" co-creator Craig Mazin hinted at more infected in season two of the show.
- Season one contained fewer infected than its video game source material, and viewers took note.
- The show's creators have previously explained its relative lack of violence compared to the game.
"The Last of Us" co-creator Craig Mazin hinted at the possibility of more infected in season two of the HBO drama after some fans bemoaned their relative absence in season one compared to the game.
"There is more 'The Last of Us' to come," Mazin said at a virtual press conference, Variety reported. "It's quite possible that there will be a lot more infected later. And perhaps different kinds."
"The Last of Us" is centered on a fungal pandemic that has transformed some humans into cordyceps-controlled, zombie-like monsters. In the video game, players regularly encounter and kill infected, ranging from just-turned Runners to Bloaters completely covered in fungus. And while the show had some memorable sequences where Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) had to kill or dodge infected, they weren't nearly as prevalent in the show as in the game, raising some questions about the severity of the pandemic.
Liane Hentscher/HBO
According to Variety, Druckmann said at the press conference that action sequences that didn't "move character" or served purely as "spectacle" were easy to cut from the series. Previously, in a PlayStation Blog interview, Mazin said that a lack of video game healing mechanics in the more realistic TV series meant that violence also had a greater lasting impact on characters.
In an interview with GQ UK, Mazin elaborated on the possibility of showing more infected in season two, having learned that audiences were requesting more of them on-screen.
"I think we have some really interesting things coming that will be very satisfying without burying you," he said.
Season two will launch an ongoing adaptation of "The Last of Us Part II," the second game in the series, which features new types of infected. Mazin and Druckmann confirmed to GQ UK that the sequel adaptation will span multiple seasons — although they wouldn't confirm how many.
"Some of the stuff I'm most excited for [in 'Part II'] are the changes we've discussed and seeing the story come to life again in this other version," Druckmann told GQ UK. "And I think it's exciting because it leans into those feelings you had from the game, really heavily, in a new way."