Neil Druckmann, creator of “The Last of Us” and head of the prosperous Naughty Dog game studio, knows well the troubled history of adapting video game content into other mediums. He’s seen it done badly by filmmakers who don’t understand the game and therefore mangle its essence in the translation to TV or film.

HBO’s The Last of Us Season 2 is one of the most anticipated shows of 2025. Series co-creator Neil Druckmann, one of the architects of the Naughty Dog video game, loves how fans who watched the series first are now giving the game a shot.

Kaitlyn Dever is set to play Abby, the anti-hero of season 2. In the game, the player controls both Ellie and Abby, with each storyline being of equal importance (and emotional intensity for that matter). Jeffrey Wright is set to reprise his villain role from the game as Isaac.

The game series wasn't able to tell a particular story, but the TV show will.