Co-creator Neil Druckmann has teased that a moment cut from The Last Of Us Part II will appear in the next season of HBO’s TV series, which films next year.
January sees the release of The Last Of Us Part II Remastered – a current-gen smartening up of the acclaimed 2020 horror videogame sequel. As well as improved graphics, it will also serve as a kind of director’s cut, with a new survival mode joined by what developer Naughty Dog calls a “set of Lost Levels” – scenes that were planned for the game’s original release, but were later cut.
Ahead of the remaster’s launch, Neil Druckmann, who co-created both the games and the TV show, has teased that something from those deleted scenes will find its way into The Last Of Us season two, due to film in 2024.
“As a tease,” Druckmann told Entertainment Weekly, “I will say there is at least one element from a cut level that is planned [for] the show. I say that with the caveat that we haven’t started filming the show yet and all things are subject to change based on what we ultimately feel will be best for the show.”
The word ‘element’ is an interesting one, since it allows all sorts of wriggle-room. Realistically, we could be talking about little more than a background easter egg.
Moving onto the Lost Levels included in the remaster, Druckmann points out that these are being added to give players an idea of the game’s creative development – they aren’t full, playable levels as such.
“Think of these as levels left on the cutting room floor, that for various reasons didn’t make it into the final game,” Druckmann said. “These are a new attempt from us to lift the curtain on the development process, and I hope players appreciate the insight into what did and didn’t make it into the final game.”
Season two of HBO’s hit adaptation will follow the plot of The last Of Us Part II, though as with the first season, it will also diverge from the games’ narrative where Druckmann and co-creator Craig Mazin see fit. “My focus on The Last of Us’ next season has remained the same,” said Druckmann. “Craig and I want to create a great season of television that stays true to the themes and intent of the original Part II story while adapting the story as best we can for a different medium.”
The Last Of Us season two begins filming in Vancouver early next year, and it’s been rumoured that Kaitlyn Dever will be joining the cast (including a returning Bella Ramsey as Ellie and Pedro Pascal as Jordan).
The Last Of Us Part II Remastered releases for PlayStation 5 on 19th January 2024.
