The Last of Us is now officially a multimedia award-winning franchise. After topping sales charts and racking up awards as a first-party PlayStation title, HBO’s live-action adaptation has elevated the franchise even further, winning accolades following the debut of its first season.
With The Last of Us now guaranteed to stay within the mainstream spotlight for the foreseeable future, the possibilities of a prequel series are starting to raise several intriguing possibilities and questions regarding the potential direction of the franchise.
Mind you, it isn’t just fans who’ve offered their 50 cents about exploring The Last of Us beyond Ellie. One of the live-action adaptation’s showrunners, Craig Mazin has expressed openness to expanding the series’ universe, emphasizing that any potential spin-offs must be meaningful and maintain the quality of the original projects.
With Season 2 of The Last of Us set to air in early 2025, Mazin and co-creator Neil Druckmann are focused on adapting the sequel across possibly three seasons. This commitment indicates a dedication to thoroughly exploring the existing narrative before potentially venturing into new stories.
Nick Offerman, who portrayed Bill in the HBO series, revealed that there have been discussions about a spin-off prequel series centered on the characters Bill and Frank. The idea for a mini-series focusing on their lives before they met each other has been pitched, with Offerman even humorously suggesting it could be a musical. While this concept is quite intriguing, it also raises concerns about the potential impact on the characters’ already well-received story arc.
Bill and Frank’s story, as depicted in the series, is a self-contained narrative that effectively conveys the depth of their relationship. Expanding on their backstory might detract from the poignancy and completeness of their portrayal in the series. The appeal of their story lies in its depiction of queer love in a post-apocalyptic setting, and revisiting these characters could risk diminishing the impact of their existing narrative.
Furthermore, co-creator Neil Druckmann, has discussed a separate project that almost became a prequel game that would focus on Ellie’s mother. This aspect of the story, which was further developed in the HBO series, was initially set for a video game adaptation by a different studio. While this project did not materialize, it demonstrates the potential for exploring untold stories set within The Last of Us universe.
Other potential prequel ideas include exploring Joel’s life during the time skip between the initial outbreak and the start of The Last of Us. However, the argument exists that a prequel centered around Joel might not be as compelling, given his morally complex character and the potential challenges of portraying him sympathetically in his earlier, more ruthless days.
Additionally, an interesting spin-off could explore other parts of the world within The Last of Us universe. For example, a British perspective on the outbreak and its aftermath could offer a fresh take on the franchise, highlighting how different regions and cultures might respond to such a crisis. Netflix recently attempted this with Bird Box Barcelona. While it wasn’t met with similar critical acclaim and viewership success as the first film, it does set a precedent. While a prequel to The Last of Us presents exciting narrative possibilities, it also requires careful consideration to ensure that it adds value to the franchise without detracting from the existing storylines.
For now, franchise fans can look forward to playing The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered on PlayStation 5 on January 19. In addition to the promised graphical and performance improvements, the re-release of the award-winning follow-up will include a brand new mode. This is a breath of fresh air following the cancelation of the multiplayer spin-off. Finally, as Bella Ramsey prepares to take on a more physically taxing role in The Last of Us Season 2, HBO has confirmed the casting for Abby.
