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Bella Ramsey Has a Message for The Last of Us Critics: “You Don’t Have to Watch It”
HBO’s adaptation of The Last of Us was a massive success in its first season, earning widespread critical acclaim and strong viewership. The series was praised for its faithful yet enriching take on the beloved video game, anchored by powerful performances from its lead actors. However, the second season proved to be more divisive among audiences. While critics still largely praised the show, a vocal segment of fans expressed disappointment with the direction of The Last of Us‘ story and its characters, resulting in a significant decline in audience scores and viewership compared to the breakout first season. Star Bella Ramsey, who portrays Ellie, is aware of the backlash and has a clear message for those who were unhappy with the show’s sophomore effort.
“There’s nothing I can do about it anyway,” Ramsey stated during an appearance on The Awardist podcast. “The show is out. There’s nothing that can be changed or altered. So I’m like, there’s not really any point in reading or looking at anything. People are, of course, entitled to their opinions. But it doesn’t affect the show. It doesn’t affect how the show continues or anything in any way. They’re very separate things to me. So no, I just don’t really engage.”
“You don’t have to watch it,” Ramsey added, offering a straightforward piece of advice for viewers who were particularly displeased with the new season. “If you hate it that much, the game exists. You can just play the game again. If you do want to watch it, hope you enjoy it.”
Is Season 3 of The Last of Us in Trouble?
Despite the divisive reception to its second season, the future of The Last of Us at HBO appears secure. The network showed immense confidence in the series by renewing it for a third season in April 2025, even before the second season premiered. Showrunner Craig Mazin and game creator Neil Druckmann have been open about their long-term plans, stating that adapting the complex narrative of the second game, The Last of Us Part II, would require more than one season. Mazin has even suggested The Last of Us may require a fourth season to be fully realized.
However, the creative team of The Last of Us is undergoing a significant shift. Druckmann, who co-created the show and was instrumental in the video game franchise, has stepped away from his creative duties on the series to focus on new projects at his game studio, Naughty Dog. In addition, co-writer Halley Gross has also departed. This leaves Mazin as the sole showrunner moving forward.
Mazin has reassured fans that Druckmann’s departure will not derail their established plans, explaining that the roadmap for future seasons was laid out while they were working on Season 2 together. He has also confirmed that Season 3 will be “significantly larger” and longer than the seven-episode second season. Furthermore, Mazin himself has been clear that he has no intention of creating material that goes beyond the existing games, shutting down speculation of the show continuing indefinitely. With scripts for the next chapter actively in development and a planned 2027 release, the story of Ellie and Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) is set to continue, albeit under a slightly altered creative leadership.
What are your hopes for the third season of The Last of Us? Let us know in the comments!
The post Bella Ramsey Has a Message for The Last of Us Critics: “You Don’t Have to Watch It” appeared first on ComicBook.com.
