In June last year, it was confirmed that Naughty Dog president Neil Druckmann’s next directorial single player project had entered development, and there’s been plenty of speculation since then about whether that game is going to be a third Last of Us entry. A story outline for a sequel has apparently been ready for a while, and leaks have also claimed that The Last of Us Part 3 is indeed in development– though an actor who has played a major role in both previous titles doesn’t seem to have started working on the game.
Speaking in a recent interview with Dextero, actor Jeffrey Pierce – who plays Tommy in the games – claimed that he hasn’t yet received a script for The Last of Us Part 3, indicating that work on the game may not be at the stage that some may have thought- if it’s even in development, that is.
“At this point it’s not something that has begun in any fashion, at least, not that I know of, and I would hate to set myself up to have expectations about what it would be and then have it be something completely different,” Pierce said.
He added, “I’m going to trust when Neil hands me a script that it’s going to be perfect because that’s the way it’s been up until now. And when that happens and I’m asked about The Last of Us Part 3, I have to say I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Of course, as Pierce himself says, if he was working on Part 3, he wouldn’t let that on in the slightest, so we can’t totally discount the possibility that that’s exactly what he’s doing right now.
Earlier in 2023, it was claimed that motion capture and audio recordings for the unannounced sequel were scheduled for this year.
Either way, in the immediate future, series fans have The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered to look forward. Due out for PS5 on January 19, it will feature a new roguelite mode called No Return, early development slices of cut levels, and more. Owners of the PS4 game will be able to upgrade to the remaster for $10.
Meanwhile, HBO’s second season of The Last of Us will air sometime in 2025.
