Neil Druckmann shares excitement to see how The Last of Us ends after exiting as showrunner

When The Last of Us creator Neil Druckmann announced that he exited the HBO adaptation, it sent shockwaves across the fandom. The video game adaptation has become one of HBO's most esteemed current shows, and it's just about to reach what is perhaps its most pivotal season. There are more moving parts than ever before, and Ellie's quest for revenge is heating up fast.

It's worth noting that while Druckmann will not write or direct any episodes for season 3, he still remains a co-creator and executive producer on the series. He's stepping down rather than moving away completely. One of the main reasons behind his leaving comes down to scheduling conflicts with his work on the upcoming video game Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet—which is headlined by Tati Gabrielle, who played Nora in The Last of Us.

Neil Druckmann talks The Last of Us

While on the Emmys red carpet on Sunday, Druckman shared a thoughtful sentiment in an interview with Deadline. “I’ve been enjoying working on the show so much, especially now that I’ve stepped away from the day-to-day responsibilities," he said. "I’ve been missing it a little bit, missing the people I’ve worked with. I made a lot of really good friends. I’ve worked with really insanely talented people from actors and department heads.”

Additionally, he added that he's excited to see where the creative team, which still includes co-creator Craig Mazin, will take the show next. As players of Naughty Dog's best-selling video games will tell you, the story becomes bigger and more vast than ever. Look no further than Abby (Kaitlyn Dever), who becomes a central character, ushering in a whole new angle and perspective to the story.

“I’m super proud of [the show]. There’s a lot that was very authentic, a lot that we expanded on with the universe and I’m excited to see how we wrap it all up,” he said.

If Druckmann believes that the adaptation is in safe hands, fans should have nothing to worry about.

The Last of Us season 3 doesn't have a release date yet, but don't expect to see it back on our screens anytime soon, considering filming has not begun. We estimate that it'll arrive sometime in 2027. In the meantime, seasons 1 and 2 are streaming on HBO Max.