The Last of Us showrunners tease a more “dangerous” Season 2 with an uptick in infected

Last of Us showrunners Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin have hinted at an even more “physical” season 2 for the HBO show, with the two also discussing how they plan to raise the “bar up and up” in regards to infected action sequences and high-octane moments.

The first season of HBO’s The Last of Us was a giant success for the streaming service. The show broke viewership records, was reviewed positively, and even managed to please the legion of fans who adored the video game it is based on.

As a result, there was no surprise when HBO confirmed that the series had been renewed for season 2. However, given the massive time jump between the story of the first and the second game, audiences are interested to see how the creators further develop the world of The Last of Us.

One criticism the show did face during its debut season was the lack of infected sequences throughout the initial batch of episodes. While the narrative of The Last of Us does focus on the humanity of the characters, the show all but placed the actual apocalypse and infected horrors in the periphery.

In a new interview with Deadline, creators Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin teased that season 2 will be even more deadly than the first, in large part due to the fact the world has grown even more volatile. How this enhancement will require even more physicality from the actors involved.

The Last of Us showrunners hint at a more “physical” season 2

“It’s our actors who are going to have to push themselves even more. As they age up, as time has passed, what does that mean to them physically in their bodies?” he said. “And how do they move, and how do they fight? And what happens as the world gets more and more physical and dangerous?”

The two then discussed how they will be pushing effects to the maximum to help create even more infected moments and scares in season 2.

“We’re certainly also going to push the technology that we use forward. We learned so much, particularly in regard to the infected and how to better deliver scenes with them. So, we’re just going to keep moving the bar up and up and up. That’s kind of our call to arms.”

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