HBO's The Last Of Us Season 2 May Feature 'Lost' Scenes From The Video Game

This article contains mild spoilers for "The Last of Us Part II."

Beloved by both fans and critics alike, HBO's "The Last of Us" was a smashing success that invited plenty of new fans into the horror of the hit Naughty Dog franchise while also staying fairly faithful to the video game that it's based on. However, as fans who have played the sequel will well know, things are going to look a lot different when Season 2 of the series comes along.

This is because of a shocking plot twist that changes the trajectory of Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and Joel's (Pedro Pascal) story in "The Last of Us: Part 2." Still, it looks like HBO may have plans for that eventuality. Neil Druckmann, the co-creator of the original game and co-showrunner of the HBO series, told Entertainment Weekly that at least one of the cut or lost scenes from the game could end up in Season 2 of the acclaimed series.

"As a tease, I will say there is at least one element from a cut level that is planned [for] the show," Druckmann said. "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 conversation came in reference to the upgraded version of "The Last of Us Part 2" that is set to release on PlayStation 5 on January 19, 2024. 

While this was not a feature in the upgraded version of the first game, which was adapted into Season 1 of the show, it sounds like Naughty Dog wants to entice people further to play the remastered version of the sequel with the lost levels. According to Neil Druckmann, these levels will offer an insight into the second game's development and will increase fan appreciation for the work behind the franchise. "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," Druckmann explained. 

This news will no doubt be exciting for all fans, whether they have played the games or not, as it means the HBO series may yet offer even more surprises regardless of your familiarity with the franchise. Could we see more resource collection and the customary moving of pallets and ladders around in Season 2 of "The Last of Us?" 

On a more serious note, we may also see more flashbacks with certain key characters or elements that help to flesh out some of the second game's side characters. Either way, the news makes it clear that we could be seeing more original material in the hit show's upcoming second season, and that's good news for fans of all stripes.