MOVIE NEWS – With just a month to go before The Last of Us Season 2 premieres on HBO and Max, the show is already shattering records. Its latest trailer has drawn an enormous number of views, proving just how eager fans are to see the continuation of Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie’s (Bella Ramsey) journey. With new locations and infected types set to appear, showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann have now revealed a major shift from the game’s story.

During The Last of Us Season 2 Panel at SXSW in Austin, Mazin and Druckmann described the new season as an “escalation” of everything that came before. The new episodes will not only ramp up the action and stakes but also introduce a new dimension to the infected. As Mazin explained:

“It was important to us to always move the ball forward with the infected. It’s not just about having more of them, but making them more meaningful. We didn’t want them to feel like just NPCs. This is definitely a step up, and we’ve been very careful about it.”

Much like in the second game, the showrunners are expanding the different types of infected. But what’s most surprising is that they’re not only changing their designs but also altering how the Cordyceps infection spreads. One of the biggest deviations from the game in Season 1 was the removal of airborne spores. However, that decision is now being reversed.

The Last of Us Season 2 Will Reintroduce Spores

Following Mazin’s comments, Druckmann confirmed the return of spores, with Mazin dropping the reveal immediately afterward. The co-creators explained how they originally changed the infection’s spread, replacing the game’s spores with disturbing tendrils emerging from the infected’s mouths. But as the stakes and emotional weight of the story increase, spores are making a comeback:

Druckmann: “Yeah, there’s an escalation of infected numbers and types. But also, as you see in the trailer, an escalation in how the infection spreads. In Season 1, we introduced something new—the tendrils. That was one way. But in this new shot from the trailer, you see something in the air.”

Mazin: “Spores. Yes. They’re back.”

What made The Last of Us such a strong adaptation wasn’t just its accuracy to the game but its commitment to drama and character development. Some lore changes served the story better, and bringing spores back now adds a new layer of tension. Hopefully, other changes in Season 2 will have a similar impact.

Source: MovieWeb