“There’s not as much violent action”: The Last of Us Season 2 Differs in One Key Way to the Game Says Neil Druckmann

“There’s not as much violent action”: The Last of Us Season 2 Differs in One Key Way to the Game Says Neil Druckmann

Episodes of The Last of Us Season 2 will be airing on HBO in April, and the showrunners are starting to make their rounds to promote the highly anticipated show. The first season was praised for faithfully retelling a beloved story; however, it has its fair share of flaws.

The live-action show didn’t prioritize the action sequences and focused more on the drama and character dynamics. This ideology is carried out during the second season’s production and the game’s original director confirmed that not everything will be perfectly recreated in this medium.

The Last of Us Season 2 Will Not Be as Violent as the Source Material

Joel Miller dying in The Last of Us
Kaitlyn Dever’s Abby could change a few things from the original story. Image Credit: Naughty Dog.

During an interview with Entertainment Weekly, director Neil Druckmann sat down and discussed how the show will stand apart from the 2020 game. Druckmann is renowned for developing games about great violence and gore, which may upset some people, but those are key elements in the world he built in The Last of Us. Video games and TV shows are two different mediums, and Druckmann realized he couldn’t adapt everything into the show; fortunately, Craig Mazin, his fellow showrunner, knew where to compromise.

There’s not as much violent action moment to moment”

One of the things most fans hate and love about the source material is the violent action, which is necessary for a video game to keep players hooked. The showrunners struggled in that department, and fans noticed that most combat encounters from the first season were trimmed, skipped, or removed altogether. The Last of Us Part 2 deals with the themes of violence and hate, but fans will see more of this develop through dialogue and drama than physical violence.

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.

It is interesting to see how the show will deviate from the core aspects of certain characters like Abby Anderson, renowned for her impressive physique and military training. In the game, Abby became a substitute playable character for Joel since both characters share a similar build and capability for great violence. Kaitlyn Dever did not bulk up and will likely portray this character differently.

Perhaps the live-action adaptation will dial down the gore and violence to showcase the cast’s acting chops. Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey delivered exceptional performances in the first season, and it is exciting to see Joel and Ellie in a room with new characters.

For more Thumb Wars Film and TV coverage, check out our list of story moments that should be adapted in the second season of The Last of Us or everything confirmed for The Last of Us Part 3.

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