The Last Of Us fans hyped as third instalment teased

The Last of Us’ second season is almost upon us, yet it’s the show’s third season that’s already being teased.

Yesterday was quite the day for The Last of Us fans, after Entertainment Weekly delivered major insight into the show’s upcoming second season.

Initially, it was a new set of stills that set the internet alight, offering fresh glimpses at the returning Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey back in action as Joel and Ellie.

So too though did these images feature several new characters, including the likes of Dina, Jesse, Abby, Owen, Mel, and Nora - names that’ll be very familiar to those of us who have played The Last of Us Part II.

The screenshots featured alongside a new interview with returning showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, with Druckmann also being the mastermind behind the video game series.

In that interview, it was teased that the upcoming second season will restore cut game content and mark the debut of a teased but unseen character. That sounds a lot like the Seraphite prophet.

Druckmann also explained that Kaitlyn Dever, who’ll be portraying Abby, wasn’t asked to bulk up for the role, explaining that this version of the story is “more about the drama” than the physicality.

The duo of Druckmann and Mazin also offered a tease of what lies beyond season two.

ICYMI: Take a look at the trailer for season two below.

While HBO hasn’t officially greenlit a third season of The Last of Us just yet, the plan is certainly for one to go ahead.

“I think it's pretty likely that our story will extend past a season 3. How far past? I can't say. And that's not to say that there are not other stories that could be told, but this story is the one that Neil and I are telling,” Mazin explained to Entertainment Weekly.

Druckmann added, “We have a plan. We know what we need to do going forward, but we couldn't tell you right now exactly how many episodes or how many seasons it would take to get there.”

If the viewing figures remain high, it sounds as if we could be seeing a fourth season eventually arrive too - perhaps even a fifth.

I’m imagining that Mazin and Druckmann are remaining cagey as there are quite a few question marks around The Last of Us Part III.

It’s not been officially announced by Naughty Dog but Druckmann has publicly confirmed that he’s settled on an idea for the game that would conclude the trilogy.

Ideally, that game could do with launching before the show ‘catches up’ with the story.

If The Last of Us Part II is stretched out across a third season, potentially a fourth, does that buy Naughty Dog enough time to release the final game in the series?

It’s certainly an interesting question to ponder.

The Last of Us returns for its second season this April.