But Mazin and Druckmann knew that making Season 2 would be a far more daunting endeavor. Along with the usual pressures of following an overnight smash, "Part II" upends fundamental things fans loved about the first game. It alienates Joel and Ellie from each other, pushes the story to jaw-dropping extremes and forces players to empathize with — by playing as — the game's central antagonist, Abby (who will be played by "Dopesick" Emmy nominee Kaitlyn Dever). While "Part II" was lauded as one of the best games ever made when it debuted in June 2020, its provocations also caused a cascade of online fan fury that still percolates. On top of all that, "Part II" is such a colossal experience, taking almost twice as long to complete as "Part I," that adapting it would necessitate telling the story over multiple seasons.
None of that fazed Mazin; if anything, it made him more eager to get to work.
"One of the notes that I resent the most is 'We loved this thing — more of it, please!'" he says. "No. You love it because that's the right amount of it. When you do more, what makes it special starts to dissipate. It becomes comfort food. And if there's one thing about 'The Last of Us,' it is not comfortable."
Druckmann leans forward, turning a thought around in his head. "I hope this doesn't sound arrogant," he says. "But I think you have to have a certain level of success to have the confidence to do what we're doing, both in the game and in the show. Because on paper, it looks so risky. But this is where I love working with Craig, because he thinks like me. Sometimes, you have a feeling the story has to be this and only this, and you just have to commit."
Mazin turns to Druckmann. "If there's one thing that you and I share, we have no problem going all in. Sometimes you just move all your narrative chips into the middle and say, 'Fuck it, we're doing it.'"
