The Last of Us Season 2 to Include Cut Content from The Last of Us Part 2

When The Last of Us Part II Remastered comes to PlayStation 5 in January, the game will have "Lost Levels" to play. These sections will represent content cut from the original PS4 version, and will feature a mix of playable elements and commentary from the developers at Naughty Dog. The goal is to explain why that content didn't make it into the finished product, but it appears one element from a Lost Level might make it into the HBO series. In a statement provided to EW, The Last of Us creator Neil Druckmann revealed just that, while also noting that things could change during production. 

"As a tease, I will say there is at least one element from a cut level that is planned [for] the show," Druckmann told EW. "I say that with the caveat that we haven't started filming the show yet and all things are subject to change based on what we ultimately feel will be best for the show."

The Lost Levels

The first season of The Last of Us took some creative liberties with the source material, expanding on certain elements from the first game, while also working in parts from the Left Behind DLC. Given that, it's not surprising that Druckmann might be looking to pull in elements from outside The Last of Us Part II for the new season. However, Druckmann was quick to note that the Lost Levels are not meant to act as some sort of teaser for Season 2 of the HBO series. 

"The Lost Levels are very much focused on offering a sneak peek into The Last of Us Part II's original development and deepen fans' appreciation for the studio's creative work," Druckmann told EW. "While the TV show has diverged from the original works to suit the medium and likely will again, these levels are not meant to be indicative of work on the HBO show, which is separate from Part II Remastered's development."

The Last of Us Season 2 Release Window

While the first season of The Last of Us covered the events of the first game, The Last of Us Part II will be broken up into multiple seasons, as previously confirmed by writer and executive producer Craig Mazin. At this time, we don't know exactly how many seasons HBO will get out of the second game, or how many episodes each one will be. If Mazin and Druckmann are planning to add in some elements cut from the game, that could fill things out even further. 

Unfortunately, there is no release date for The Last of Us Season 2 just yet. As Druckmann mentioned, filming hasn't even begun just yet, so there's a good chance the new season won't even air until 2025. That means fans could be waiting a long time to find out any cut content that makes it into Season 2. 

Are you excited for the next season of The Last of Us? Do you plan on checking out The Last of Us Part II Remastered? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!