That comes from none other than Naughty Dog creative director Neil Druckmann himself, who recently shared at the Script Apart podcast that he and TLOU2 writing collaborator Halley Gross ( Westworld) have devised how the next chapter will unfold. When that day comes, The Last of Us Part III (or whatever we’ll be calling it) will already have a big head start, because the overall plot of the potential sequel has already been sketched out. With The Last of Us ending 2020 with so much momentum as one of PlayStation’s strongest franchises, it feels all but inevitable that Naughty Dog would dive back in for third installment - at least at some point. TLOU2’s polarizing plot and handling of key characters created plenty of buzz when the game released for the PS4, but that definitely didn’t keep it from flying off the shelves or mute the legion of critics who adored its mature story, well-integrated gameplay, and mind-blowing graphics. But when The Last of Us Part II debuted last June, Naughty Dog’s post-apocalyptic sequel sold hordes of copies, lit up the gaming awards circuit, and spurred a critical mass in the pop culture zeitgeist that’s since led to a big-budget live action series at HBO. The Last of Us was already franchise-making material for Sony before the second installment in Joel and Ellie’s ill-fated adventures ever arrived.
