Lorin Williams July 5th, 2025 - 11:50 AM
The same week The Last of Us creator and Naughty Dog Studios President Neil Druckmann (Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier) announced his departure from the TV adaptation, writer Halley Gross (Westworld, Broad City) has followed suit. In an Instagram post, Gross stated she would leave her “day-to-day work” on the HBO original series. View the entire post below.
View this post on Instagram
Gross expresses gratitude for the opportunity to work on the project along with Craig Mazin (Chernobyl, Identity Thief), Druckmann, the cast, and crew. Much like Druckmann, Gross stated she has “some truly rad projects” ahead that she will seemingly focus on.
Premiering two years ago, The Last of Us is based on the best-selling PlayStation video game set in an apocalyptic United States ravaged by violence after an infectious parasite turns humans into zombies. Joel Miller, a scarred survivor, is tasked with smuggling a young girl, Ellie, from Boston to the West in search of an alleged cure to the virus. After forming a paternal bond with the teenage girl, Joel places the fate of humanity in his hands when he discovers Ellie’s life is the key to widespread immunity.
The second season premiered in April, with a shortened seven episodes. The season explored the first half of The Last of Us: Part II, the game’s sequel, which found Ellie and Joel living peacefully five years later. However, their harmonious growing pains are disrupted by violent revenge as sins from the past come to collect an unpaid debt. Season two’s story received divisive reactions amongst game purists and fans of the TV series. Both mediums introduced the protagonist, Abby, played by Kaitlyn Dever (No One Will Save You, Apple Cider Vinegar) in the series. It was confirmed that the third season will leave Ellie’s perspective to follow Abby’s journey.
Paired with the mixed reaction to the second season, fans are split on what Gross’s leaving will mean for the upcoming third season.
TLOU also lost Halley Gross, the co-writer with Druckmann on the second game? Oh the series is COOKED, I’m still gonna watch it though so I can complain about it and also because I need people I can talk about the ending with (if it lasts that long)
— alexhamilton.bsky.social (@SKRollins) July 4, 2025
Craig Mazin’s taking full control. Neil Druckmann and Halley Gross are out.
Kaitlyn Dever steps up.
Fewer writers. Bigger risks.
Season 3 might be the boldest chapter yet — or the most divisive.— The NowSphere (@ReadNowSphere) July 4, 2025
It’s hilarious that Neil Druckmann and Halley Gross are both leaving Craig Mazin to face the wrath of viewers by himself while he tries to redeem the most hated character in the series. https://t.co/GNsRttWnWK
— Eli Sanza (@ejunkie2014) July 4, 2025
update: neil druckmann and halley gross jumped ship instead. neil avoiding the seraphite-wlf storyline is probably for the best though. but damn this show is beyond cooked if they let craig keep his job https://t.co/0m5MjEndtd
— leah (@parksandrexy) July 3, 2025
Until the series returns, both seasons of The Last of Us are available to stream on Max.
