Season 3 Will Be "More Like Season 1," Says Mazin — Fans Aren't Buying It
Craig Mazin wants fans to know that The Last of Us season 3 won't look like the shortened second season.
In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the showrunner promised a return to the scale of the series' debut.
"We're kind of fiddling around with that... it's a little bit of a trade secret at the moment," Mazin said when pressed about episode count. "But I will say that season 3 will be longer than season 2. Season three will be more on par with season 1. More bang for the buck."
Season 2 clocked in at just seven episodes, compared to the nine-episode first season. Mazin's comments suggest HBO is committing more time and budget to adapting the next part of the story — though not everyone is convinced.
Abby takes the spotlight
Season 3 will focus primarily on Kaitlyn Dever's Abby, covering her side of events during the "Seattle Day One" timeline teased in the season 2 cliffhanger. Fans of the game already know what this means: long stretches from Abby's perspective that mirror Ellie and Dina's hunt for her in Seattle.
The setup is faithful to The Last of Us Part II, which splits its 40+ hour gameplay into three parts: Ellie's journey in Seattle, Abby's perspective over the same stretch of days, and the later "Farm" section.
More seasons incoming
Composer Gustavo Santaolalla recently hinted that the story won't end with season 3.
"There'll be at least two more seasons, no question," he said, backing up earlier comments from Mazin and Neil Druckmann that Ellie and Abby's arcs need more room to play out.
HBO boss Casey Bloys has also floated the possibility of "two more seasons or one more long season."
Fans aren't buying the reassurance
On social media, Mazin's "more bang for your buck" promise has been met with skepticism. Some fans argue that trimming season 2 down to seven episodes was already a mistake, and that confidence in HBO's handling of the adaptation is wearing thin.
One fan bluntly wrote,
"Season 2 felt rushed and now they want us to trust them again? Not happening."
Another added, "Longer than season 2 isn't saying much. Season 1 had heart — season 2 was filler."
The mixed reception underlines the pressure HBO faces as it shifts the spotlight from Bella Ramsey's Ellie to Kaitlyn Dever's Abby. Whether a longer season 3 can win over a divided fanbase remains to be seen — but Mazin has made his pitch, and the audience response so far is clear: they're not buying it.