Neil Druckmann may have indicated that Naughty Dog is ready to move on from The Last of Us series, but a new rumor from prominent industry insider Daniel Richstman (@DanielRPK) claims that The Last of Us Part 3 is already in development.
It's claimed that the game is currently in "advanced production" with some actors already cast. Some films have also reportedly already been filmed.
Richtman's claim comes at an interesting time as Neil Druckmann, studio head and head of creative at Naughty Dog, just recently suggested that there wouldn't be a third game in the post-apocalyptic action-adventure series.
“I was waiting for this question,” Druckmann told Variety when asked about the possibility of a third installment in the video game series. “I guess the only thing I would say is don’t bet on there being more of The Last of Us. This could be it.”
Druckmann's answer to the question came as a huge surprise, especially given the success of The Last of Us series. Both The Last of Us and The Last of Us Part 2 are both considered critical and commercial successes. The series has won numerous awards and the first game is considered by many to be one of the greatest video games ever made. They are both also among the top-selling PlayStation games ever.
One would think that Sony would be urging Naughty Dog to develop another installment in the series, but back in 2023 Druckmann told Buzzfeed that they would only move forward with a new game if they had a story worth telling.
“It’s up to us whether we want to continue it or not,” Druckmann said, noting Sony’s hands-off approach to Naughty Dog sequels. “Our process is the same thing we did when we did Part 2, which is if we can come up with a compelling story that has this universal message and statement about love — just like the first and second game did — then we will tell that story. If we can’t come up with something, we have a very strong ending with Part 2 and that will be the end.”
Perhaps Naughty Dog thought of a compelling enough story, or maybe they are exploring some things. Just because the game is reportedly in development does not mean that it's a guarantee. If you recall, there was also a live service spin-off of The Last of Us in development, and that got canceled. So nothing is a sure thing until officially announced — and even then it's not guaranteed to be released. So perhaps that's why Druckmann was hesitant to talk about Part 3.
In the meantime, Naughty Dog fans can look forward to Naughty Dog's next major project, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. The upcoming action-adventure game, which has been in development since 2020, was first revealed at The Game Awards in December 2024 with an intriguing trailer.
There's also HBO's adaptation of The Last of Us. The success of the games led to HBO's critically acclaimed television series. Season 1 is based on the first game, while Season 2 will cover the events of the second game. However, Part 2 will be adapted into at least two seasons, which is hopefully good news for Joel's fans. The Last of Us Season 2 is set to premiere on HBO on April 13, 2025.