The Last of Us Creators Reveal Why [Spoilers] Game Physique Wasn’t Required for Her Season 2 Debut

Kaitlyn Dever might not match Abby’s bicep size in The Last of Us, but Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin believe her acting more than makes up for it.

In an exclusive profile with Entertainment Weekly, the showrunners discussed adapting Season 2 from the acclaimed yet controversial video game sequel The Last of Us Part II and what about its story needed to be changed for adaptation purposes. “There’s not as much violent action moment to moment. It’s more about the drama. I’m not saying there’s no action here. It’s just, again, different priorities and how you approach it,” Druckmann said, feeling this ties into live-action Abby not being as jacked as her game counterpart.

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Druckmann also praised Denver for capturing “the spirit of the game,” highlighting Part II’s themes of revenge and violence against people who believe their causes are just. “When you try to pick a hero, it’s tough because we’re human beings, we’re not heroes. For every heroic act, there’s someone who suffers on the other side who may see you reasonably as a villain,” he added, noting, “When you look at Kaitlyn, there’s just something in her eyes where, even no matter what she’s experiencing, you connect. It was important that we found somebody that we could connect to the way we connect to Bella.”

On what fans can expect from this interpretation of Abby and Ellie’s (Bella Ramsey) relationship, Mazin agreed that physical changes won’t take away from how each character’s violent action influences the other in the show. “I personally think that there is an amazing opportunity here to delve into someone who is perhaps physically more vulnerable than the Abby in the game, but whose spirit is stronger,” he explained.

“And then the question is, ‘Where does her formidable nature come from and how does it manifest?’ That’s something that will be explored now and later.” Before joining Season 2, Kaitlyn was one of several high-profile actors who read for Ellie in a potential film adaptation of Naughty Dog’s beloved video game, though this project was ultimately scrapped.

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The Last of Us Season 1 premiered in 2023 to widespread acclaim from critics and audiences alike, becoming one of several high-profile game adaptations released for television alongside Arcane and Fallout. Alongside Abby, several characters from Part II will appear in Season 2 as well, including fellow WLF members Owen, Nora, Mel, and Manny, militia leader Isaac, and Ellie’s girlfriend Dina. Trailers additionally teased characters exclusive to the show, including Catherine O’Hara as a therapist asking Joel (Pedro Pascal) to open up about what he did to save Ellie’s life in The Last of Us finale.

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Unlike Season 1, Druckmann and Mazin will split up Part II’s story into multiple TV seasons, with Season 3 reportedly expected to begin production this summer. Cast member Tati Gabrielle will also play video game protagonist Jordan Mun in Naughty Dog’s upcoming game Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, which unveiled its first trailer at the 2024 Game Awards.

The Last of Us Season 2 premieres on HBO and Max in 2025.

Source: Entertainment Weekly

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The Last Of Us

Drama

Horror

Adventure

Sci-Fi

Thriller

Action

Release Date January 15, 2023

Network HBO Max

Showrunner Craig Mazin

Directors Craig Mazin

Writers Neil Druckmann, Craig Mazin

Cast

See All

Pedro Pascal

Joel Miller

Bella Ramsey

Ellie Williams

Anna Torv

Tess

lamar johnson

Henry Burrell

Franchise(s) The Last of Us

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