Production of the highly-anticipated second season of HBO’s hit post-apocalyptic show, The Last of Us, has been delayed due to the ongoing strike of Hollywood writers.
According to a report from Variety, while auditions for new cast members were taking place, filming for season two had not yet begun. As a result, actors auditioning for roles had to read dialogue from The Last of Us Part II game, as scripts for the second season are not yet ready. Since much of the dialogue in the show’s first season was taken directly from the game, using it for auditions does not seem like a bad idea.
The show’s co-creator, Craig Mazin, has been seen protesting with other members of the Writers’ Guild of America (WGA). Since Mazin wrote a significant portion of the first season, the delay caused by the strike is expected to affect the release window for the second season.
Previously, the creators of The Last of Us had revealed that due to the show’s revenge-based plot, it would run for more than two seasons. The production team had planned to begin filming the second season late this year or early in 2024. Lead actress Bella Ramsey even stated that the show would likely be released in late 2024 or early 2025.
Fans and critics alike welcomed The Last of Us season one, and it was immediately greenlit for a second season by HBO. The show is confirmed to return with Ramsey and Pedro Pascal as the leads. However, it remains unclear when the season will be released due to the ongoing writers’ strike.
