HBO revealed the release date and length of The Last of Us' Season 1 finale.
The final chapter in Joel and Ellie's journey will hit HBO and HBO Max on March 12, 2023, and will run for roughly 43 minutes, making it the shortest episode of the entire season. The only other episode that clocks in at under 50 minutes is Episode 4, "Please Hold My Hand." The finale, titled "Look For The Light" as a reference to the Fireflies' motto, will see the show's protagonists finally complete the trek across the United States and link up with the aforementioned militia group in the hopes of created a vaccine to the Cordyceps infection.
The Last of Us has proven to be a roaring success for HBO, earning rave reviews from both fans of Naughty Dog's original video game and critics. Many have heralded it as one of, if not the, best video game adaptation of all time due to how it both faithfully captures the story of Joel and Ellie while enchancing the lore and world around them. While some audiences may be upset that Season 1 is coming to an end, that doesn't mean the saga is over just yet.
HBO has already confirmed that the post-apocalyptic series will return for a second season although when that will be remains unclear. Reports have suggested that filming on the next batch of episodes may begins as early as late 2023 but these have yet to be verified. Fans are also trying to determine how the show will adapt the narrative of The Last of Us Part II given the major in-universe time jump between the first game and it's sequel. Some suspect that Season 1 has already sowed the seeds for its follow-up, a theory that creator and co-showrunner Neil Druckmann has neither confirmed nor denied.
In discussing why The Last of Us Season 1 is consciously setting up characters and plot-points of the second season despite not doing so in the game, co-showrunner and writer Craig Mazin pointed out that television is very different to interactive entertainment. "We had this opportunity Neil didn't have on the first game. We know more now," Mazin said. "It was a chance to show how Joel knew Ellie."
The Last of Us is available to watch on HBO and HBO Max. The Season 1 finale debuts on 12 March.
Source: HBO