Acclaimed horror-thriller The Last Of Us returned earlier this year – and swiftly broke hearts with the brutal killing of Pedro Pascal’s stoic, reliable Joel by vengeful newcomer Abby (Kaitlyn Dever).

• READ MORE: ‘The Last Of Us’ season two review: heartbreakingly brilliant apocalypse drama

With the loveable rogue out of the picture, season two of The Last Of Us has followed Ellie (Bella Ramsey) on a mission of justice, alongside the plucky Dina (Isabela Merced). What they thought would be an easy revenge mission against a small group of survivors actually thrust them into a ruthless war between the military force of the Washington Liberation Front (AKA The Wolves) and the mysterious guerilla cult known as The Scars.

Adapted from Naughty Dog’s hit video game sequel The Last Of Us Part 2 but diving deeper into its post-apocalyptic world, Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann’s global success story still has plenty of road left to run in future seasons. Here’s everything we know so far, from potential release dates to who might return from the cast.

Has The Last Of Us season three been confirmed?

Before the first episode of season two premiered, HBO confirmed that The Last Of Us would be getting a third season. “It can’t be overemphasised how proud HBO is for the outstanding achievement we believe the second season of The Last Of Us is,” HBO’s Francesca Orsi said in a statement. “The entire executive producer team, cast and crew have delivered a masterful follow-up and we’re thrilled to carry the power of Craig [Mazin] and Neil [Druckmann]s storytelling into what we know will be an equally moving and extraordinary third season.”

“To see The Last Of Us brought to life so beautifully and faithfully has been a career highlight for me, and I am grateful for the fans’ enthusiastic and overwhelming support,” Druckmann added. “On behalf of everyone at Naughty Dog, our cast, and crew, thank you so much for allowing us this opportunity. We’re thrilled to bring you more of The Last Of Us!”

When will season three be released?

Sadly, it looks like fans will be waiting a little while for more episodes of The Last Of Us. According to Isabela Merced, filming on season three isn’t expected to begin until 2026 (via Forbes). There was an 18 month gap between season one filming and its launch on HBO, while season two had a 14 month production timeline. That means that even if The Last Of Us season three starts shooting on January 1, 2026, we probably won’t be watching it until the middle of 2027.

What happened at the end of season two?

*Spoilers*

A lot. After rescuing Ellie and Dina from certain doom and a brief encounter with the scars, Jesse (Young Mazino) set out to reunite with Tommy (Gabriel Luna), so everyone could return to Jackson. However Ellie worked out where Abby was holed up and couldn’t say no to one last chance for revenge.

Things didn’t go to plan though and she ended up killing Abby’s accomplices Owen (Spencer Lord) and the pregnant Mel (Ariela Barer). It was enough bloodshed for Ellie, who returned to her friends and was preparing to leave town when Abby tracked them down to their theatre hideawy. The season ended with the death of Jesse and Abby holding Tommy and Ellie at gunpoint, before things flashed back to three days earlier to show viewers things from Abby’s point of view. That’s where The Last Of Us season three will pick back up.

Who’ll be returning for The Last Of Us season three?

Unless Mazin and Druckmann are looking to drastically alter the story, Ellie (Bella Ramsey), Dina (Isabela Merced) and Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) are all set to return, alongside Tommy Miller (Gabriel Luna) and Isaac Dixon (Jeffrey Wright).

However it was recently confirmed by Mazin that like the game, the show will focus on Abby for the next season. It means we should see more of Owen, Mel and Nora (Tati Gabrielle) but it might be a while until we catch up with semi-redeemed bartender Seth (Robert John Burke), Tommy’s formidable wife Maria (Rutina Wesley) and booze-swigging therapist Gail (Catherine O’Hara) in Jackon.

Of course, one person we won’t be seeing much of is Pedro Pascal’s Joel who was brutally murdered at the end of season two episode ‘Through The Valley’. He did, however, feature in flashbacks in later episodes, so there’s a chance we’ll see him again especially after creators teased his return – but after the events of ‘The Price’, The Last Of Us does feel like Ellie and Abby’s story now.

Will season three be the last of The Last Of Us?

There’s set to be at least one more season of The Last Of Us, though that might become two depending on how things come together.

“We don’t have a complete or final plan, but I think it’s looking like four seasons,” said HBO’s drama chief Francesca Orci (via Deadline) ahead of season two airing. “I wouldn’t want to confirm that, but it’s looking like this season and then two more seasons after this and we’re done.”

That matches up with what showrunner Craig Mazin said shortly after the first season aired. “It could end up being three or five [seasons] but four seems like a good number. Some seasons, because of the story we’re telling, will need fewer episodes and some will need more.” However he was quick to explain they “will not indulge a desire for more simply to make [fans] happier.”

More recently, Mazin confirmed that the plot points for the scrapped Part 3 game won’t be used in the HBO show. “I am not going to go past the game. I’ll just say that flat out. I’m basically setting a decade of my rapidly dwindling life on fire to tell this story. The show is so hard to make, it has to have an end.”

He went on to say “there might be a [Game Of Thrones prequel] Dunk And Egg style The Last Of Us show that happens that somebody does,” but he isn’t thinking about spin-offs. “For me, the only question is: Is it going to be one more season or will it require two more? If this can happen all in one more season, great. If we feel like it makes sense to break it into two, then we will do that.”

The post Everything we know about ‘The Last Of Us’ season three appeared first on NME.

Wednesday became Netflix’s surprise hit of 2022. After some middling animated films in recent years, this sharp, modern and slick reboot catapulted The Addams Family back onto screens for the first time since the 1990s.

• READ MORE: ‘Wednesday’ review: Netflix Addams Family spinoff is creepy, kooky and very spooky

The smartest decision was to pivot focus to Wednesday Addams and, more specifically, Jenna Ortega. Between her cutting stare, deadpan delivery and twitchy dance moves, her take on the death-obsessed outcast is a prickly thorn rooted in modern sensibilities. But will there be another adventure for everyone’s favourite gothic teen?

Has a second season of Wednesday been confirmed?

You betcha

Netflix announced at the start of 2023 that their second most-streamed English language series ever would return for more episodes.

In an exclusive interview with Netflix’s in-house publication Tudum creators Alfred Gough and Miles Millar said: “It’s been incredible to create a show that has connected with people across the world. Thrilled to continue Wednesday’s tortuous journey into season two. We can’t wait to dive head first into another season and explore the kooky spooky world of Nevermore. Just need to make sure Wednesday hasn’t emptied the pool first.”

When will Wednesday season two be released?

Production has broken records

Part One of the hit Netflix show will drop on August 6, before Part Two follows on September 3. The first episode is called ‘Here We Woe Again’ and has been directed by Tim Burton.

For Wednesday season two, production moved from Romanian to Ireland and become the “largest production to ever film in Ireland” when considering spend [via The Independent]. Filming began in July 2024 and wrapped at the start of December.

Taking a break from filming, Ortega was spotted hanging out with some sheepdogs at a local farm in October while both her and Emma Myers were seen at Chappell Roan’s Dublin gig in September.

If you can’t wait that long, the first six minutes of season 2 are available to watch online now.

Where could Wednesday’s journey go in season two?

A stalker is at play

At the end of season one, Wednesday receives threatening messages sent from an unknown number on her newly-gifted smartphone. As she looks over the messages, including pictures of her having coffee and a text that says “I’m watching you”, Wednesday pleasingly announces she has her “very first stalker”.

The identity of this stalker will likely be the main mystery for season two, but there’s other unresolved plot threads. Did Tyler (Hunter Doohan) escape from police custody after being outed as the monster Hyde? Similarly, what is the fate of Laurel Gates after being covered in bees and arrested?

There might be room for a bigger spotlight on The Addams Family at large too. Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and Gomez Addams (Luis Guzmán), along with younger brother Pugsley (Isaac Ordonez), were largely sidelined in the first season but Netflix has confirmed all three have been promoted to series regulars for the second season, as has Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo’s Deputy Ritchie Santiago. A second outing could also mark the arrival of Cousin Itt, who is referred to briefly in the show’s seventh episode.

According to an official synposis, “Wednesday returns to prowl the Gothic halls of Nevermore Academy, where fresh foes and woes await. This season, Wednesday must navigate family, friends and old adversaries, propelling her into another year of delightfully dark and kooky mayhem. Armed with her signature razor-sharp wit and deadpan charm, Wednesday is also plunged into a new bone-chilling supernatural mystery.”

Who is returning for Wednesday season two?

One huge player has been cut but some big names have been added

Pretty much the entire cast is returning for Wednesday season two including Emma Meyers, Joy Sunday and Moosa Mostafa but Percy Hynes White (Xavier Thorpe) has been written out following misconduct allegations.

A host of new faces will be joining the cast though. Steve Buscemi, Billie Piper, Evie Templeton, Owen Painter and Noah Taylor are all new series regulars, while Joanna Lumley, Thandiwe Newton, Frances O’Connor, Haley Joel Osment, Heather Matarazzo and Joonas Suotamo will all guest over the course of Wednesday season two. Following Christina Ricci’s involvement in season one, fellow Addams Family star Christoper Lloyd is set to appear in season two.

Lady Gaga is also set to star in the second half of Wednesday season two as Nevermore teacher Rosaline Rotwood. Ortega has teased that Gaga’s role won’t be what you expect it to be. “I love that you never know what to expect from her, but you can always expect kindness and generosity.”

What have the cast and creators said about season two?

It could get darker

Ortega has expressed her hopes for a darker second outing for Wednesday.

“I kind of want her to be darker,” the actor told Entertainment Tonight. “I want her to get more in the nitty-gritty of things and not play things so safe, because there are a lot of lines about her saving the school and doing whatever, but for me, her main drive with the monster is of competitiveness. Kind of, ‘man, how’s this guy doing this?’ I think I want it to continue down an antihero stream rather than a typical hero.”

More recently, Ortega revealed that one episode has been inspired by slasher flicks. “We make a lot of horror references. So, everything about it, I feel like we kind of had a little bit more trust, and therefore, we felt like we could do bigger, more elaborate sequences, which is nice.”

“This season, Wednesday’s journey is darker and more complex as she navigates family, friends, new mysteries, and old adversaries, propelling her headlong into another year at Nevermore,” showrunners and executive producers Al Gough and Miles Millar said in a statement to Netflix shortly after season two wrapped.

Like death, the end is only the beginning. https://t.co/kPhGf1bd27

— Wednesday Addams (@wednesdayaddams) December 4, 2024

Co-showrunner Millar has also said a second season would put more of the family in the spotlight, while keeping the show’s focus on Wednesday. “We felt like we just touched the surface with those characters and the actors are so amazing in those roles,” Miller told TVLine. “Catherine is, I think, an iconic Morticia.

“The relationship between Wednesday and Morticia is also essential to the show, and the idea that Wednesday is trying to forge her own path outside the family is important.”

Miller added that they “definitely want to feature the family as we did this season in a couple of episodes if we were to get a second season”.

In regards to Wednesday, co-showrunner Al Gough has said the focus will remain on her growth moving forward. “The series is really about a girl who sees the world in black and white, and learning there are shades of grey. I think like any relationship or any friendship, it can get complicated by other factors. It’s never going to be smooth sailing. And it’s really her learning to navigate the ups and downs of friendship.”

Is season two the end of Wednesday?

There is already talk of a third season

The cast and crew of Wednesday are still adding the finishing touches to season two ahead of a 2025 release but according to Ortega, season three is already in the works.  “We haven’t gotten an official thumbs up or anything like that, but I know that the writers are… With a show like that, you kind of want to get ahead of the game,” she explained. “So, I think that they’re kind of messing around and throwing out ideas.”

The post Here’s what we know about ‘Wednesday’ season two appeared first on NME.

Stranger Things is a phenomenon that has grown to match its nostalgic influences. It might be proudly loaded with nods to the ’80s – Dungeons And Dragons, Kate Bush, Stephen King and Nightmare on Elm Street are all referenced – but those nuggets are stylistic window-dressing for a show that’s always placed its endearing, original characters at the forefront of the spectacle.

• READ MORE: ‘Stranger Things’ season four part one review: all the terrifying thrills you’ve come to expect

The charming cast leading the charge have all become global superstars too – from Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler), Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven) to Joe Keery as everyone’s favourite jock Steve Harrington. With one season left, can Stranger Things defy expectations again to make its final adventure the best yet?

Has Stranger Things season five been confirmed?

Yup, we’ll return to Hawkins one last time

In February 2022, creators Matt and Ross Duffer announced in a letter that the fifth season of Stranger Things will be the show’s last.

“Seven years ago, we planned out the complete story arc for Stranger Things,” the Duffer Brothers wrote. “At the time, we predicted the story would last four to five seasons. It proved too large to tell in four, but – as you’ll soon see for yourselves – we are now hurtling toward our finale. Season four will be the penultimate season; season five will be the last.

“There are still many more exciting stories to tell within the world of Stranger Things; new mysteries, new adventures, new unexpected heroes. But first we hope that you stay with us as we finish this tale of a powerful girl named Eleven and her brave friends, of a broken police chief and a ferocious mom, of a small town called Hawkins and an alternate dimension known only as the Upside Down. As always, we are grateful for your patience and support.”

uoos noʎ ǝǝs pic.twitter.com/pJ71dRgmo1

— sƃuᴉɥʇ ɹǝƃuɐɹʇs (@Stranger_Things) February 17, 2022

Is there a release date for Stranger Things season five?

2025!

Despite the Duffer Brothers hoping for a quicker turnaround between season four and season five of Stranger Things, fans have had to wait a little bit longer.

Filming for season five began in January 2024 and in July, (the eight-year anniversary of Stranger Things season one) Netflix confirmed that the team were halfway through production. The streamer ended 2024 by sharing photos from a wrap party, with Stranger Things season five finishing filming in time for Christmas. 

However Netflix has now confirmed the three-part release plan for Stranger Things season five. The first chapter will drop on November 27 at 1am GMT, the second will launch at 1am on December 26 and the finale will be released on New Year’s Day in the UK

The fight isn’t over yet. Get ready for the epic series finale of Stranger Things.

Volume 1: November 26, 5pm PT*
Volume 2: Christmas, 5pm PT*
The Finale: New Year's Eve, 5pm PT*

*releasing worldwide all at once, date may vary based on your local timezone #TUDUM pic.twitter.com/nBcx9Ast9x

— Netflix (@netflix) June 1, 2025

Speaking to Netflix, Sadie Sink said the cast were “savouring every minute” of the experience, knowing the end is nigh. Netflix also shared a behind-the-scenes look at production and in an interview with NME, Gaten Matarazzo (who plays Dustin) said wrapping up the show was a “satisfying, cathartic process”.

To celebrate Stranger Things day (November 6, the date Will Byers first went missing in season one), Netflix confirmed season five would be released in 2025. However The Duffer Brothers have since cast doubts on that, saying a 2025 release would be “quite the push”.

“A lot of it hasn’t been decided, in terms of exactly the release dates and cadence. That’s one reason I’m not allowed to talk about it. We’re getting on a call in about a couple weeks about it. I just know it was very important for us and Netflix that we get it out this year,” Matt explained.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ross Duffer (@rossduffer)

Will there be a time jump in season five?

Yes, but not a massive one

A recently shared teaser trailer confirmed that season five will pick things back up 18 months after the events of season four. “In the fall of 1987, one last adventure begins,” teased Netflix.

So far, the entirety of Stranger Things has spanned three years, from November 1983 to the fourth season in March 1986. Each new season has jumped forward roughly a year, so the fifth and final season is keeping up with tradition.

What else have the creators said about season five?

It’ll be closely tied to season four

Speaking to NME, Matt Duffer confirmed the final season will be paced differently in comparison to previous outings.

“Typically in the previous seasons, everything wraps up in a nice bow,” Matt Duffer said. “Four and five are really [connected] together. [With five], there’ll be no wind-up time – like even this season, you get to experience the kids and what they’re going through in high school before things start to escalate. Then it gets crazier and crazier and crazier – that’s typically the trajectory. Five, you’re just going to be right in the middle of it so it’s going to feel very, very different.”

They also have an end in mind for the show, although it might change during production. “We do have an end,” Matt Duffer added. “I’m sure a lot of it’s going to change, but now [it’s] the end. It’s just one of those things that you come up with and you go, ‘That’s it, that’s right, that’s inevitable – that’s what it has to be’.”

Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the creators confirmed that the final season would be entirely set in Hawkins – leaving behind Russia and California from the fourth season.

“We wanna go back to a lot of the things we did in season one,” Matt Duffer said. “A lot of the original groupings and pairings that we had in season one – there’s something nice about coming full circle.”

During a panel on November 13, the creators provided an update on the show’s progress, after previously sharing the title of the first episode, Chapter One: The Crawl. “We turned in the first script a couple of weeks ago, and we’re onto the second. It’s full steam ahead,” Ross told moderator Patton Oswalt (via The Hollywood Reporter). “I remember season one we were just amazed that Netflix was letting us do this at all, but season two was when we really, with the writers, we developed an overall plan and a backstory for all of this and make sure that, with the Upside Down, everything about what it was.”

To close out #StrangerThingsDay, very excited to reveal that the Stranger Things 5 premiere episode is titled…

THE CRAWL pic.twitter.com/QosrkNZcRi

— Netflix (@netflix) November 7, 2022

Ross said some answers in that plan were revealed in season four, but there still will be “quite a bit” to unravel in the final outing. “But just as important as the supernatural, we have so many characters now, most of whom are still living,” he added. “It’s important to wrap up those arcs because a lot of these characters have been growing since season one.

“So, it’s a balancing act between giving them time to complete their character arcs, and also tying up these loose ends and doing our final reveals.”

The brothers also said a few people know how the series will end, after they pitched the final season to Netflix in a two-hour meeting. “We did get our executives to cry, which I felt was a good sign that these executives were crying,” Matt said. “The only other times I’ve seen them cry were like budget meetings.”

Will Vecna return in season five?

Will Byers’ chilling monologue wasn’t for nothing

In the season four finale, Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) explicitly states to Mike (Wolfhard) that main villain Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) is “hurting” but still alive.

“Now that I’m here, in Hawkins, I can feel him and he’s hurt,” Byers remarks. “He’s hurting but he’s still alive. It’s strange knowing now who it was this whole time but I can still remember what he thinks and how he thinks, and he’s not going to stop. Ever. Not until he’s taken everything and everyone. We have to kill him.”

If that wasn’t confirmation enough, Vecna actor Jamie Campbell Bower teased to The Hollywood Reporter that he’s aware of events in season five. “Let me put it this way: I know about season five,” Campbell Bower said. “Take from that what you will.” He’s also been seen in a number of BTS images shared by Netflix and the Duffers.

“Season 4 was big. Season 5 definitely feels bigger,” said Campbell Bower.

In regards to other casualties in season four, the Duffer Brothers confirmed to the Happy Sad Confused podcast that Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn) is definitely dead – although his death will have “huge repercussions” among the survivors in the next season.

As for Max (Sadie Sink), she is alive but “brain dead, blind, and all of her bones are broken,” according to the creators. Could she, however, become a vessel for Vecna’s return?

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A post shared by Ross Duffer (@rossduffer)

What else is likely to happen in Stranger Things season five?

No plot details have been confirmed yet, but the show’s star Maya Hawke, who plays Robin, has said she would be keen for her character to die.

“Well, it’s the last season, so people are probably going to die,” Hawke told Rolling Stone. “I would love to die and get my hero’s moment. I’d love to die with honor, as any actor would. But I love the way that the Duffer Brothers love their actors.

“The reason that they write so beautifully for me and for everyone else is because they fall in love with their actors and their characters, and they don’t want to kill them. I think that’s a beautiful quality that they have, and I wouldn’t wish it away.”

Netflix has also shared the titles of season five, so get your detective hats at the ready. They are:

The Crawl
The Vanishing Of…
The Turnbow Trap
Sorcerer
Shock Jock
Escape From Camazotz
The Bridge
The Rightside Up

It’s also set to be an emotional send-off. Sink said she was “ready to cry with everyone” and admitted their are a lot of “embarrassing” behind-the-scenes photos of her with puffy eyes. Wolfhard said that final run of episodes could not have “ended better” and filming them was “intense” but “special”.

“Hopefully, it’s our most emotional season yet,” added Ross Duffer. “Those final episodes, the goal is that they hit pretty hard because in a lot of ways it’s about the end of this journey we’ve all had and also the end of childhood.”

Is this actually the last we’ll see of Stranger Things?

A spin-off is in the works

As teased in their letter announcing season five, the Duffer Brothers have since openly discussed their plans for a spin-off series following the main show.

Speaking to Variety, the duo said: “We do have an idea for a spin-off that we’re super excited about… but we haven’t told anyone the idea yet, much less written it.

“We think everyone – including Netflix – will be surprised when they hear the concept, because it’s very, very different. But somehow Finn Wolfhard – who is one crazy smart kid – correctly guessed what it was going to be about. But aside from Finn, no one else knows!”

The post Here’s what we know about ‘Stranger Things’ season five appeared first on NME.

The first season of Severance was a cult hit for Apple TV+ when it premiered in 2022 but by the time the jaw-dropping second season finale aired in March 2025, it was the most-talked about show on TV.

• READ MORE: Was it Helly or Helena? ‘Severance’ cast answer your burning questions

Set in the fictional smalltown of Kier, Severance focuses on the mysterious Lumon Industries and their morally-questionable practice of “severing” employees – which essentially creates a split personality where neither has any memories of what the other has been up to. How’s that for a work-life balance?

The nine episodes of season one slowly introduced us to the quiet dystopia before a shocking finale saw innie Mark S (Adam Scott) discover that one of his colleagues was actually his outie’s presumed-dead wife Gemma (Dichen Lachman) while Helly R (Britt Lower) was confronted with the truth that outside of the office, she was actually heir to the dastardly Lumon empire. Season two wasted no time in running with this new information and while a few big mysteries were solved, we still have plenty of questions that we want answered in season three.

Is Severance season three happening?

Apple officially confirmed a third season of Severance shortly after the gut-wrenching conclusion (more on that later) to season two. Taking to X, executive producer and director Ben Stiller told Apple boss Tim Cook that “some fans are asking for Season 3 of Severance.”

“Season 3 of Severance is available upon request,” Cook replied alongside a short teaser trailer that confirmed the show had been renewed.

Season 3 of Severance is available upon request.
– Tim C. https://t.co/bNig41qs9t pic.twitter.com/cnctZIRDNF

— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) March 21, 2025

In an accompanying statement, Stiller said: “While I have no memory of this, I’m told making season 3 will be equally enjoyable, though any recollection of these future events will be forever and irrevocably wiped from my memory as well.”

Creator Dan Erickson was slightly more sincere: “The idea of getting to make more Severance with the greatest cast and crew on Earth is more thrilling to me than all the world’s finger traps combined,” he explained. “I can’t wait to continue spreading woe, frolic, dread and malice with these truly incredible people.”

When will Severance season three be released?

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the WGA writers’ strike, Severance fans had to wait three years for the second season.

However, Stiller has confirmed fans will “definitely” not have to wait that long this time around. A writer’s room was “underway” before the show was renewed, which should hopefully speed up the process but it’s still unlikely we’ll clock in at Lumon again before 2027.

What cast members will return for Severance season three?

Season two ended with innies Helly R and Mark S running away together through the corridors of Lumon after successfully rescuing Gemma from the organisation’s clutches. Season three will presumably show us the repercussions of Helly and Mark’s rebellion, as well as Gemma’s reaction to her husband abandoning her for the office. It’s safe to assume Adam Scott, Britt Lower and Dichen Lachman will all be back.

Confirming his return, Scott said: “I couldn’t be more excited to get back to work with Ben, Dan, the incredible cast and crew, Apple and the whole Severance team. Oh hey, also – not a huge deal – but if you see my Innie, please don’t mention any of this to him. Thanks.”

Fellow Lumon worker Dylan (Zach Cherry), terrifying line manager Mr Milchick (Tramell Tillman) and the spurned inventor of the whole severing process Harmony Cobel (Patricia Arquette) all have unfinished business, as does Mark’s tenacious sister Devon (Jen Tullock) and her slightly-less formidable life guru husband Ricken (Michael Chernus).

However, it’s not known if the fiercely loyal but recently fired Irving (John Turturro) will make a return after Burt (Christopher Walken) sent him away from Kier for his own protection. Sarah Bock’s Miss Huang was also dismissed by Milchick, so there’s a question mark over her comeback as well. We’d also like to see more of unnerving Lumon assistant Natalie (Sydney Cole Alexander) as well as mysterious farmer Lorne (Gwendoline Christie) and her gaggle of adorable goats in Severance season three.

Where could Severance season three go?

The first season of Severance kept the drama mostly confined to Lumon HQ but season two blew things wide open. The Macrodata Refinement team had a corporate day out to frozen wasteland Woe’s Hollow, Harmony Cobel went on a road trip to the ruined town of Salt’s Neck and Mark S destroyed whatever grand plan Lumon had for Gemma by forcing her out of a fire escape – but only after she’d faced a number of excruciating situations on the testing floor.

This means that anything goes for season three. We know there are other Lumon sites in operation (thanks to a fancy birthing sanctuary and the replacement Macrodata Refinement team) but there are plenty of questions around what the company and its cult-like CEO James Eagan are actually trying to do – and how our band of disgruntled employees can fight back.

Will Severance season three be the last?

We really don’t know. It’s hard to see Apple TV+ killing its most successful show prematurely but the streamer has seemingly given creator Dan Erikson free rein, so it depends what his vision is.

“We’ve had the story pretty mapped out since we started,” he said in an interview with the Radio Times. “But we don’t want to say how many seasons; it needs to be tight and concise but have room to breathe.”

Erikson has also spoken about the struggle of ending Severance. “It’s hard and it’s complicated because with the innie and outie dynamic, it’s sort of a zero-sum game, where however much life one of them has, that means the other has less. Reintegration has been raised as a possibility,” he told the LA Times.

“But there’s also the question of to what degree does that decimate the identity of each? Who would this new person be and how much would they resemble the innie or the outie? I’m an optimist. I do think that there’s room for a happy ending, but it sure is complicated.”

The post The innies and outies of ‘Severance’ season three appeared first on NME.

Since Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader blew the box office away in 1977’s A New Hope, Star Wars has expanded over four decades into a multimedia juggernaut. With three film trilogies, TV spin-offs, novels, theme park attractions and a large roster of video games, the galaxy far, far away sometimes feels like it’s never been closer.

• READ MORE: ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ first-look review: this is the ‘Star Wars’ spin-off you’re looking for

Sure, box office flops like Solo: A Star Wars Story indicate the franchise hasn’t always got things right recently. The perk of a multimedia franchise though? There’s always some part keeping the force alive (see The Mandalorian).

However, Disney CEO Bob Iger recently confirmed the studio had “lost focus” and would be pulling back on releasing so much Star Wars and Marvel content after a rush to create content for Disney+. It means a number of projects have been cancelled, others have been retooled and others still have a big question mark over their immediate future. Here are all the upcoming Star Wars TV and Film projects on the horizon.

What Star Wars TV shows are in development?

Here’s a breakdown

• Tales Of The Underworld (May 4, 2025)
• Visions season 3 (October 29, 2025)
• Maul: Shadow Lord (2026)
• Star Wars: Ahsoka season 2 (In Development)
• The Mandalorian season 4 (Unknown)
• The Book Of Boba Fett season 2 (Unknown)

Star Wars: Tales Of The Underworld is the third instalment of the animated anthology series and it set to hit Disney+ on May 4. “Tales of the Underworld is a six-episode journey following two notorious bounty hunters: former dark side assassin Asajj Ventress as she’s given a new chance at life and must go on the run with an unexpected new ally, and outlaw Cad Bane as he faces his past when he confronts an old friend, now a marshal on the other side of the law.”

Visions invites various animation studios to put their own spin on Star Wars via short films set in, or inspired by, a galaxy far, far away. The second season gave a platform to studios around the world but the upcoming third season will take Visions back to its roots, with nine different anime studios taking on the Star Wars universe.

Maul: Shadow Lord takes place after the final series of The Clone Wars and sees the former Sith lord once again up to no good. “After the Clone Wars, Maul plots to rebuild his criminal syndicate on a planet untouched by the Empire,” reads a brief synopsis.

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Ahsoka acted as a spin-off from The Mandalorian, but was also a sequel to the celebrated Clone Wars animated series. After catching up with a lot of familiar faces, season one ended with Grand Admiral Thrawn returning from exile to fill the gap left by the destruction of The Empire, so Ahsoka will have a lot to deal with when the show returns. The second season was confirmed at the start of 2024 and filming began April 2025 but a release date is yet to be announced.

A fourth season of The Mandalorian was written while the third was in post-production, but the future of the show is now up in the air following the announcement that Din Djarin and Baby Yoda will first be returning in big screen adventure The Mandalorian And Grogu. The movie is due for release in 2026.

The Book Of Boba Fett was met with mixed reviews, with the show mostly being used to set up the events of The Mandalorian season three. There’s been no official word on a second season, but it seems the characters will at least be involved in the upcoming Mando-verse film.

What Star Wars films are in development?

A trio of films was confirmed in 2024 as well as a new trillgy

• The Mandalorian & Grogu (May 22, 2026)
• Star Wars: Starfighter (May 28, 2027)
• Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s new Jedi order movie (In Development)
• Untitled Mando-Verse movie (In Development)
• James Mangold’s dawn of the Jedi movie (In Development)
• Taika Waititi’s Star Wars movie (In Development)
• Simon Kinberg’s new Star Wars trilogy (In Development)
• Lando  (Unknown)
• Star Wars: Rogue Squadron  (Unknown)
• Rian Johnson’s Star Wars trilogy (Unknown)
• Shawn Levy’s Star Wars film (Unknown)

Following the events of season three of The Mandalorian, it was confirmed at the start of 2024 that Baby Yoda and Din Djarin would be making the jump to cinemas with The Mandalorian & Grogu. Production is due to start in August 2024 ahead of a 2026 release date. “I have loved telling stories set in the rich world that George Lucas created,” said director Jon Favreau. “The prospect of bringing the Mandalorian and his apprentice Grogu to the big screen is extremely exciting.”

At 2025’s Star Wars Celebration event, Shawn Levy’s long-rumoured project was finally unveiled. Starfighter will feature Ryan Gosling and is set five years after the events of 2019’s The Rise Of Skywalker. However Levy has described it as a “standalone” film rather than a sequel. “It’s a new adventure. It’s set in a period of time that we haven’t seen explored yet.”

Gosling added: “The reality is that this script is just so good. It has such a great story with great and original characters. It’s filled with so much heart and adventure, and there just really is not a more perfect filmmaker for this particular story than Shawn.” It has also been reported that Anora Oscar-winner Mikey Madison passed on a supporting role in the film.

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During 2023’s Stars Wars Celebration event, Kathleen Kennedy announced a trio of live-action Star Wars films. Indiana Jones & The Dial Of Destiny director James Mangold will create a film that goes back to the dawn of the Jedi, while Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s film will be set after the events of Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker, as Daisy Ridley’s Rey sets out to builds a new Jedi Order.

Rounding out this trio of films, Dave Filoni will direct a movie that close out the interconnected stories told in The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka and more.

“As you can see by all the television we’ve been doing, we’re exploring a lot of different storylines. This really spawns from what George Lucas said years ago, that he created Star Wars to move forward and backward along a mythological timeline,” Kennedy said at the time. “Now we’re looking to broaden that timeline, building a rich future, expanding upon the present, going deep into the past to tell our stories, and we’re thrilled to be working with some of the best and most passionate filmmakers on projects that will span the past, the present, and the future.”

The Daisy Ridley-starring film was due for release December 2026, with another Star Wars film set to follow in 2027 but that 2026 movie has now been removed from Disney’s upcoming list of releases and been replaced by Ice Age 6. No new release date has been confirmed yet.

Another new trilogy is also reportedly in the works, from X-Men: Dark Phoenix director Simon Kinberg. Not much is known about the project but according to rumours, it’ll be set after the events of 2019’s The Rise Of Skywalker.

Taika Waititi has been talking an untitled Star Wars project for a number of years now. Kathleen Kennedy previously stated it would be released in 2023, but obviously that didn’t happen. Speaking to TheWrap in June 2022, Waititi said he’s “still trying to figure out what the story is”.

The following year, he said in an interview with EW that he was still developing the project alongside Lucasfilms. “Like me, they have a lot of projects going on. I think they’re gonna push it until I finish these other projects. I’ve got about four other scripts that I’m trying to finish. My thing is I want to take my time with that and get it right. I don’t want to rush this movie.”

A TV series for Lando Calrissian, originally played by Billy Dee Williams and later by Donald Glover in Solo: A Star Wars Story, was also announced back in 2020 from director and writer Justin Simien (Dear White People). Since then, Donald and Stephen Glover have replaced Simien on the project, which is now being developed as a feature film. No further details have been announced.

Rogue Squadron, set to be directed by Patty Jenkins, was originally supposed to be the first Star Wars film following 2019’s Rise Of Skywalker. However, it was taken off Disney’s release schedules in September 2022 after it was put on hold the following year to allow Jenkins time to focus on Wonder Woman 3. After that project was cancelled though, Jenkins returned to Rogue Squadron. Speaking to the Talking Pictures Podcast in 2024, she confirmed she was currently working on a script. “We’ll see what happens,” she added. “We need to get it to where we’re both super happy with it.”

Following the release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi in 2017, Lucasfilm announced director Rian Johnson would lead a new trilogy of films with a “blank canvas”. Seven years later, the films have yet to materialise.

Most recently, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy confirmed she was talking with Johnson “all the time” but they weren’t “actively involved” in anything, due to his busy schedule with Knives Out. “He really wants to step back into the space. It’s a big commitment of time, so that’s really on him.” It echoes what Johnson said in a 2023 interview, adding that he “hopes” we will see the trilogy at some point.

In 2022, Shawn Levy confirmed he would be working on a Star Wars film after Deadpool 3. In 2024, The Adam Project’s Jonathan Tropper was brought on to write the script but no further details have been shared.

What Star Wars projects have been cancelled?

The force wasn’t strong with these

Star Wars: Rangers Of The New Republic, a spin-off from The Mandalorian, has seemingly been cancelled. While there hasn’t been any confirmation, Kennedy told Empire Magazine (via IGN) that ideas from that show were being used in future episodes of The Mandalorian. “We’d never written any scripts or anything on that,” Kennedy said, adding that “some of that will figure into future episodes, I’m sure, of the next iteration of The Mandalorian.”

A key project that has been cancelled is the Star Wars films from Game Of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, who walked away from their deal with Lucasfilm back in 2019 to commit to planned Netflix projects.

J.D Dillard and Matt Owens were also working on a Star Wars film, reportedly set on the Sith planet Exegol but after Shawn Levy’s project was confirmed, the pair announced their movie was “unfortunately no longer a thing”. Late in 2023, MCU head Kevin Feige announced his Star Wars film was also no longer going ahead after it was first confirmed in 2019.

The post Here’s every ‘Star Wars’ TV series and film in the works appeared first on NME.

Marvel’s Cinematic Universe has become an intimidating endeavour for newcomers. With over 30 films to digest, along with an expanding line-up of TV shows, there’s a whole lot of baggage to consider when catching up with Captain America, Thor or Doctor Strange.

• READ MORE: Thor: Love and Thunder review: Marvel’s most metal movie yet

The chronology of events has become murkier thanks to the Multiverse Saga, which gallivants through time and space on the regular. If you’re planning to brave into the unknown through a Marvel marathon, here’s every mainline Marvel film and TV show in chronological order.

1. Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

Marvel’s Cinematic Universe kicks off amid the Second World War in 1942, when Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is recruited for a super-soldier experiment and becomes Captain America.

2. Captain Marvel (2019)

Set in 1995 as Earth is caught in a conflict between two alien civilisations, Captain Marvel serves as an early origin story for Carol Danvers (Brie Larson).

3. Iron Man (2008)

The film that launched the MCU, the original Iron Man starts the main chronology of events within Phase One with Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) at its centre.

4. Iron Man 2 (2010)

This sequel picks up directly after events in the original Iron Man, as the disclosure of his identity to the world triggers an unlikely foe in Russia. It also serves as the first introduction to Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson).

5. The Incredible Hulk (2008)

While Edward Norton’s turn as Bruce Banner has always been an awkward inclusion in the MCU timeline (he was later recast with Mark Ruffalo taking over), this Hulk outing is connected by a post-credits scene showing Tony Stark recruiting for The Avengers.

6. Thor (2011)

This kickstarted the cosmic angle of the MCU as we’re introduced to Asgard, the Nine Realms and Thor’s (Chris Hemsworth) dynamic with Dr. Jane Foster (Natalie Portman).

7. The Avengers (2012)

Marvel’s first superhero team-up brought together Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, the Incredible Hulk (played by Mark Ruffalo), Black Widow and newbie Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) into a grand culmination for Phase One.

8. Thor: The Dark World (2013)

This picks up after Loki (Tom Hiddleston) is imprisoned for his war crimes on Earth in The Avengers, as Thor encounters a new villain in Dark Elf Malekith (Christopher Eccleston).

9. Iron Man 3 (2013)

The final film in the Iron Man trilogy takes place seven months after the Battle Of New York, as Tony Stark suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.

10. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

Steve Rogers is given a spy thriller makeover in this outing, which is set two years after the Battle Of New York. This also marks the debut of directing duo Anthony and Joe Russo, who later went onto helm future Avengers outings.

11. Guardians Of The Galaxy (2014)

A new team of heroes make an entrance in this zany galactic adventure from director James Gunn, which introduces Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista), Groot (Vin Diesel) and Rocket (Bradley Cooper).

12. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Set shortly after the events of the first film in 2014, this sequel digs deeper into Star-Lord’s past and introduces the world to eternally adorable Baby Groot.

13. Avengers: Age Of Ultron (2015)

The second Avengers outing largely reunites the original gang with some new faces, including twins Pietro (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen).

14. Ant-Man (2015)

Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) becomes an unlikely vessel for scientist Hank Pym’s (Michael Douglas) shrinking technology, which marks the debut of the Quantum Realm.

15. Captain America: Civil War (2016)

It might be pitched as a Captain America outing, but this is an Avengers film in all but name. Between the Steve Rogers and Tony Stark rivalry, Civil War marks the historic debuts of Tom Holland as Spider-Man and Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther.

16. Black Widow (2021)

Set in 2016, this solo outing for Black Widow establishes some key future characters, including Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) and Red Guardian (David Harbour).

17. Black Panther (2018)

Picking up after events in Captain America: Civil War, T’Challa returns to Wakanda to assume the throne, only to be challenged by his cousin N’Jadaka (Michael B. Jordan).

18. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

Also set after Captain America: Civil War, this solo outing for Tom Holland’s Spider-Man explores his school life and dynamic with mentor Tony Stark.

19. Doctor Strange (2016)

While the placement of Doctor Strange’s (Benedict Cumberbatch) first solo outing in the MCU timeline is confusing, aside from it being set after Captain America: Civil War, it seems Spider-Man: Homecoming ends before this film’s closing act. Its position was later confirmed by Marvel on their timeline page.

20. Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

Set two years after events in Avengers: Age Of Ultron, this largely catches up with Thor and Loki who were absent from events in Captain America: Civil War.

21. Ant-Man And The Wasp (2017)

Picking up two years after Scott Lang was placed under house arrest for his involvement with the Avengers in Captain America: Civil War, this outing elevates the hero status of Hank Pym’s daughter Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly).

22. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

The third Avengers film is a blockbuster amalgamation of everything so far, which ends on a huge time-altering event in the Thanos’ (Josh Brolin) snap.

23. Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Picking up in 2023, five years after events in Avengers: Infinity War, this follow-up is a time-hopping adventure through past MCU events. This marks the end of the Infinity Saga.

24. Loki seasons one and two (2021/2023)

After stealing the Tesseract during events in Avengers: Endgame, an alternate version of Loki is brought to the Time Variance Authority which monitors the timeline of the universe. The six-part season one sets up the Multiverse Saga, while the second introduces Kang The Conqueror.

25. What If…? seasons one and two (2021/2023)

This animated show dives headfirst into the concept of the multiversus, with a number of familiar faces and scenarios from the MCU’s history given a slight twist resulting in sprawling, universe-redefining differences.

26. WandaVision (2021)

Taking place roughly three weeks after Avengers: Endgame, Wanda Maximoff and Vision (Paul Bettany) are living an isolated existence in the town of Westview, New Jersey in this nine-part series.

26. The Falcon And The Winter Soldier (2021)

Six months after Avengers: Endgame, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) teams-up with Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) to take on the Flag Smashers. A six-part series which forms Wilson’s transformation as the new Captain America.

27. Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings (2021)

The timeline around Shang-Chi’s (Simu Liu) arrival and the Spider-Man sequels is murky, but this outing is believed to be set in April 2024, a few months before Spider-Man: Far From Home.

28. Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

Taking place in the summer of 2024, this outing sees Spider-Man dealing with the aftermath of the snap with a new foe in Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal).

29. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

Picking up directly after Spider-Man is unmasked, this multiverse-hopping adventure is a nostalgic trip for the webslinger’s movie past.

30. Eternals (2021)

It might span thousands of years, but the main crux of the Eternals‘ story takes place after events in Spider-Man’s summer outings – hence why there’s no mention of a giant Celestial head popping out of the ocean.

31. Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness (2022)

Taking place after events in Spider-Man: No Way Home and Eternals, according to Marvel’s own listing, this twisted dalliance with the multiverse seriously muddles the timeline.

32. Hawkeye (2021)

This six-part series takes place during the Christmas of 2024, which raises the question of why no one’s acknowledged the giant Celestial head from Eternals? This also features the debut of Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld).

33. Moon Knight (2022)

Marc Spector and Steven Grant (Oscar Isaac) enter the MCU in a six-part series which combines superheroes with Egyptian mythology.

34. Echo (2024)

Following on from the events of Hawkeye, Echo sees Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) taking on the might of Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) ahead of Daredevil: Born Again.

35. She-Hulk: Attorney At Law (2022)

Bruce Banner’s cousin Jessica Walters (Tatiana Maslany) is given the spotlight in this legal comedy series inspired by Fleabag, with callbacks to 2008’s The Incredible Hulk.

36. Ms. Marvel (2022)

Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) is introduced in this six-part series, who aspires to be the next Captain Marvel.

37. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

During an interview with CinemaBlend, executive producer Nate Moore confirmed the events of this sequel are “potentially concurrent” with Thor: Love And Thunder due to the presence of New Asgard.

38. Thor: Love And Thunder (2022)

Taking place around 2026, or more specifically, eight years since Thor last encountered Jane Foster prior to Thor: Ragnarok, this outing reunites the pair for a godly mash-up.

39. Werewolf By Night (2022)

An anomaly on the timeline as there’s no indication of when this Halloween special is set, but Marvel confirmed in their Disney+ chronological order that this sits after Thor’s latest outing.

40. Guardians Of The Galaxy Holiday Special (2022)

This festive caper follows on from the events of Endgame and sets things in motion for the emotional farewell of Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3.

41. Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quanumania (2023)

The first film in Marvel’s Phase Five sees Ant-Man and his family of size-shifters returning to the Quantum Realm to do battle with a variant of Kang, after the villain was first introduced in Loki.

42. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)

The conclusion to James Gunn’s brilliant Guardians Of The Galaxy trilogy sees the rag-tag band of heroes trying to save the life of Rocket. As final as things feel, the end of the film tees up two possible continuations, with Star-Lord back on Earth and a new gang of Guardians out defending the galaxy.

43. Secret Invasion (2023)

Inspired by the game-changing comic book run of the same name, this six-part Disney+ miniseries peels back some of the mystery surrounding Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and ends with him returning to space in time for…

44. The Marvels (2023)

Picking up after the events of Secret Invasion, The Marvels is the follow-up to Captain Marvel, Wandavision and Ms. Marvel as a new three-pronged team of heroes band together.

45. Agatha All Along (2024)

It might be a direct sequel to 2021’s WandaVision but it’s soon revealed that three years have passed since Wanda Maximoff took the residents of Westview captive using her mystical powers. The show references the events of Multiverse Of Madness and sets up the upcoming VisionQuest.

46. Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)

The only Marvel film released last year, Deadpool & Wolverine exists mostly in a separate universe so its place on the timeline is hard to pin down. However, there are plenty of quips about the current state of the MCU in 2024.

47. Captain America: Brave New World (2025)

The fourth Captain American film follows on the from the fallout of Avengers: Endgame and the emotional journey new Cap Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) went through in Disney+’s The Falcon And The Winter Soldier. It also acts as a sequel to 2008’s The Incredible Hulk but the appearance of a celestial head (a hangover from 2021’s Eternals) and a new president put this film post-Secret Invasion.

48. Daredevil: Born Again (2025)

Daredevil: Born Again is half reboot, half continuation of the beloved Netflix show. Because of this, the exact timings of this brutally entertaining Disney+ series have been kept under wraps but there are a number of things that occur during the show that could only happen after The Marvels and Captain America: Brave New World.

49. Thunderbolts* (2025)

Marvel’s version of the Suicide Squad sees an unlikely group of antiheroes and vigilantes teaming up to save the day. Featuring Florence Pugh’s scrappy super-spy Yelena, disgraced one-time Captain America John Walker (Wyatt Russell) and former Ant-Man antagonist Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen alongside Sebastian Stan’s Bucky, the film picks up Brave New World‘s plot thread of a post-Avengers world and sets things up for next year’s Doomsday.

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Black Mirror is back. Which means it’s time to get out your proverbial deerstalker and magnifying glass and go all Sherlock Holmes to uncover some of the intricacies of season seven’s six episodes. There are Easter eggs aplenty, of course, from opening episode ‘Common People’ to the blockbusting finale ‘USS Callister: Into Infinity.’ To help us crack open the surprises for this post-watch special, NME spoke to Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker and executive producer Jessica Rhoades, as well as cast members Emma Corrin, Rosy McEwen, Siena Kelly, Lewis Gribben and Josh Finan. Needless to say, spoilers lie ahead. Make sure you’ve watched all episodes before you dive in.

Episode one – ‘Common People’

Logline: “When a medical emergency leaves schoolteacher Amanda fighting for her life, her desperate husband Mike signs her up for Rivermind, a high-tech system that will keep her alive – but at a cost…”

The title is a Pulp reference

Sometimes, the best ones are the obvious ones. The choice of ‘Common People’ for the opening episode’s title is, Brooker confirms, inspired by the seminal Pulp track. And if you think about it, it perfectly fits the episode’s Ordinary Joes, Chris O’Dowd’s construction worker Mike and Rashida Jones’ teacher Amanda. Time to sing along with the common people… it might just get you through.

It’s all in the Dit-ails

If there’s one thing Black Mirror loves more than a fake brand or company name, then it’s dropping it across the series. The Netflix-like Streamberry, of course, is a familiar one. But now we have food manufacturer Ditta. In this first episode, Rashida Jones’ Amanda recites an advert for “Honey Nugs”, a delicious-sounding honey-coated cereal coated made by – you guessed it – Ditta. The company reappears more significantly in episode two, ‘Bête Noire’, as the company that Maria and Verity work for. While Brooker admits that re-using a fictional company name saves clearing copyright more than once, he gets a kick out of sprinkling them across episodes: “It’s fun to put those Easter eggs throughout.” For the eagle-eyed among you, season seven even has a running gag. “We’ve got one prop that’s in every single episode this season,” Brooker reveals. Answers on a postcard, as they say…

Episode two – ‘Bête Noire’

Logline: “Confectionary whizz kid Maria is unnerved when her former schoolmate Verity joins the company she works at — because there’s something altogether odd about Verity, something only Maria seems to notice…”

Amyl And The Sniffers soundtracked this episode

When Maria breaks into Verity’s house, Aussie punks Amyl And The Sniffers’ raucous track, ‘Starfire 500’, from their eponymous 2019 debut album, crashes across the scene, with Verity listening to it. “Actually, early on in the cut, there was an Amyl And The Sniffers song right at the start,” Brooker reveals. “We had a little montage, which we ended up removing.” Brooker kept the band in the episode, however, for the break-in scene. “We wanted Verity to be listening to some angry music. And also it felt quite important to have a female vocal.”

Strangely, Brooker bumped into the band’s lead singer Amy Taylor at a showbiz party held at Poker Face star Natasha Lyonne’s house. “I was walking and I tripped down the stairs and made [myself] look like an absolute dick. And she went, ‘Alright mate!’ She saw me fall over and she said, ‘Oh Hi, I’m Amy.’ And I said, ‘We’ve just used one of your [tracks].’ And she knew, because they’d obviously got the clearance request. So that’s as glamorous as I get. But I was tripping up and making myself look like an absolute loser at the time.”

Verity’s necklace holds the key

The big reveal in episode two comes as we realise Verity has built a gizmo to conjure alternate realities and control other people’s perceptions, which she operates simply by touching her necklace. Watch closely and you’ll see actress Rosy McEwen surreptitiously fingering the aforementioned pendant throughout the episode. “The necklace was a funny one,” says McEwen, “because I was always like, ‘Am I doing it too much?’ But everyone was like, ‘More! More necklace!’ Because actually, when you’re watching it, of course, you don’t think, ‘Why is she holding her necklace?’ Of course, you don’t think it. It’s only on a second watch that you’re like ‘Oh!’ So that was something… how do you do that in a way that feels really natural, like a sort of second-hand thing?”

The ending was originally more risqué

At times, the actors are encouraged to improvise on Black Mirror, as was the case in the final segments of ‘Bête Noire’ when Maria kills Verity and takes possession of her reality-shifting device. Suddenly, she’s seen as a tyrannical empress. To get Siena Kelly into character, the episode’s director Toby Haynes told her to imagine she’s at Glastonbury, screaming at the top of her lungs. Recalls Kelly of the moment: “I just yell, ‘Who wants to suck my dick?’” And then the episode ended. That was cut for elegance.” What a shame.

Episode three – ‘Hotel Reverie’

Logline: “A high-tech, unusually immersive remake of a vintage British film sends Hollywood A-list star Brandy Friday into another dimension, where she must stick to the script if she ever wants to make it home.”

Movement, or lack of it, was crucial

For a story that sees futuristic tech used to plant an actor into a simulated version of a movie, creating those scenes for real required a more old-school approach. When Issa Rae’s Brandy enters ‘Hotel Reverie’, she finds her co-stars stock still until the credits roll. The background actors were all required to be motionless for this moment. Movement coach/choreographer Polly Bennett, who previously worked with Corrin on Deadpool & Wolverine, was also on hand to help with the scene.

“A lot of the supporting background artists were also dancers,” reveals Emma Corrin, who plays Dorothy, the leading character in ‘Hotel Reverie’. “So they had that incredible ability to hold completely still.” With everyone playing statues, the take could last up to four minutes, “which was unbelievable”, adds Corrin. “Especially when me and Issa are running around them and moving them and stuff.”

Old-fashioned techniques were used to echo the Golden Age of Hollywood

With Keyworth Pictures’ ‘Hotel Reverie’ alluding to classic movies like Casablanca, the references aren’t just in the storyline. There was to be no location shooting here, but instead the scenes set inside the black-and-white ‘Hotel Reverie’ film itself were all shot on a soundstage, echoing the production methodology used back in 1940s and ’50s Hollywood. “They built the set,” reveals Corrin. “And the backgrounds that you see Dorothy interact with when she’s going through this whole identity crisis… they’re all hand-painted. It’s extraordinary, beautiful.”

It isn’t a take-down of AI

Ever since actors went on strike in 2023, the threat of AI has loomed over Hollywood. Back then, as now, concerns surrounded the fact studios might use actors’ likenesses via increasingly sophisticated AI technology, making performers redundant. “AI scares me and I don’t really understand it,” admits Corrin. “I don’t use it. I don’t think I would. I think I’d feel like I was betraying myself and the industry.”

Nevertheless, she doesn’t feel that ‘Hotel Reverie’ is a direct hit-job on AI. “I feel like ours was one of those episodes where the AI is interesting. There’s a bit of ambivalence around it in this episode, right? It’s not particularly ‘yay’ or ‘nay’. It’s used as this tool to create this fantasy in which this love story can shine through.”

Episode four – ‘Plaything’

Logline: “In a near-future London, an eccentric murder suspect is linked to an unusual video game from the 1990s – a game populated by cute, evolving artificial lifeforms.”

This episode is full of nuggets

‘Plaything’ is an immediate call back to ‘Bandersnatch’, Black Mirror’s famed interactive episode. Once again, we’re back at software company Tuckersoft, run by Asim Chaudhry’s Mohan Thakur and featuring top coder Colin Ritman (Will Poulter).

“There are little Easter eggs everywhere. Like on our set in Lewis’ character’s room, there are references. There was a video cassette of [season six episode] ‘Demon 79’,” says Josh Finan, who plays Lump, the wastrel who descends upon young video game reviewer Cameron Walker (Lewis Gribben). Also pinned to walls, according to Gribben, were posters for ‘Bandersnatch 2’, a fake follow-up to the game featuring in the ‘Bandersnatch’ episode, and ‘Metalhead’, a nod to the fifth episode of season four, set in a collapsed society overrun by highly dangerous robotic dogs. A “knock-off” ‘USS Callister’ one-sheet also features.

Cameron Walker is not – repeat not – Charlie Brooker

Long before Black Mirror, Charlie Brooker was a video game journalist in the 1990s, reviewing for PC Zone. But that doesn’t mean he based the unhinged Cameron Walker on himself. Especially when the rookie games journo becomes hooked on both Ritman’s game ‘Thronglets’ and LSD and fails to hand his copy in. “I wasn’t doing acid in the ’90s. I mean, I maybe did it once, but I wouldn’t recommend it. I was always on time. I don’t think I ever missed a deadline. Maybe once. I was very prompt with my work. So there.”

The ending is open to interpretation

In the finale, the older Cameron (Peter Capaldi) orchestrates a global meltdown, allowing the all-powerful, ever-evolving Throng to access the world’s devices. But did it wipe out civilisation? “It didn’t kill people, but I think it took away their ability to think,” says Gribben. “The Throng acts through Cameron… he has enslaved everyone to lose their inhibition and violent thoughts. So in a way everyone’s peaceful, but they’re forced to be peaceful, and they’re just mindless zombies at this point. It’s like a forced regime of peace. That’s how I interpret the end. We’d all be just dumb and going around with no eyes.” It also looks a lot like the video for Radiohead’s ‘Just’.

Episode five – ‘Eulogy’

Logline: “An isolated man is introduced to a groundbreaking system that allows its users to literally step inside old photographs — stirring powerful emotions in the process.”

Peter Jackson’s Beatles doc was an influence

Surprisingly, ‘Eulogy’ took its inspiration from Get Back, Peter Jackson’s mighty Beatles marathon that pieced together behind-the-scenes footage of the Fab Four recording their final album, ‘Let It Be’. In particular, the way the New Zealand filmmaker used machine-assisted learning to aid audio restoration, isolating instruments, vocals and conversations into individual tracks.

“Peter Jackson and his team are using cutting edge technology, an AI-based machine learning stuff to bring the past back to life in a very sort of evocative way,” says Brooker. “And I found that fascinating. And, of course, that’s all about music and so I think that those things were reverberating around in my head.”

‘Fools Gold’ isn’t there to fool us

When Philip recounts his days hanging out with first love Carol, the scene is accompanied by another classic Black Mirror needle drop. The Stone Roses’ 1989 track ‘Fools Gold’ is heard at one of the parties they attended when they were young. But, according to Brooker, choosing ‘Fools Gold’ was never meant as a sly comment on their soon-to-be crumbling relationship. Rather, it was simply a perfect way to spirit audiences back to the early ’90s.

“I think, partly, that this is my era,” says Brooker. “I remember, that was a track that everyone was listening to at a particular point in time. Everyone’s got a piece of music they listen to that’s evocative. And obviously music being evocative of memory is very important in that episode throughout, and so it’s really chosen for that reason… it’s just a sort of very distinctive and evocative piece of music and just a really good track.”

And, before you say it, Brooker and co. gave thought to the fact this defiantly British song would be played in America at that time. “He [Philip] actually explains it by sort of saying that there’s a British girl there [at the party].”

Episode six – ‘USS Callister: Into Infinity’

Logline: “Robert Daly is dead, but now the crew of the USS Callister – led by Captain Nanette Cole – are stranded in an infinite virtual universe, fighting for survival against 30 million players.”

The crossovers continue into infinity and beyond

It’s Black Mirror’s first ever sequel, following on directly from ‘USS Callister’, the Emmy-winning first episode of season four. While this means the return of Jesse Plemons and the others, Brooker drops in a beautiful moment when actors Paapa Essiedu and Anjana Vasan appear momentarily as pilots in the climactic final dogfight. The two, of course, played Gaap and Nida from ‘Demon 79’, the final episode of season six – but are they meant to be their characters from that episode, Gaap and Nida?

“I like to think that they are them,” says Brooker. “It’s weird, isn’t it? Because at the end of Demon 79 – spoiler – the world is completely destroyed. So I don’t know what that does to the overall continuity. Probably fucks it through a bin bag, doesn’t it?”

Or does it? In Black Mirror, distinct worlds are more often than not bound together. “I like to think that the episodes are interconnected via a sort of dream logic, in a way,” says Brooker. “So it’s fun when you sometimes see people trying to actually work out a proper chronology. That looks to me like quite a task.”

The post ‘Black Mirror’ season seven post-watch guide: trivia, set secrets and more appeared first on NME.

Harsh truths, heartbreaking deaths and all-out gunfire brought the curtain down on yet another action-packed stay at a White Lotus resort.

Mike White wrapped up the most explosive season yet with his trademark feints, misdirections and sly sleights of hand. Just like most of the guests, we depart the shores of Koh Samui with some lessons learned, but even more still to be learned further down the road.

Once the internet recovered from the shock of the new theme song and the endless meme machine that is Parker Posey’s South Carolina accent, The White Lotus season three slowly blossomed into one of White’s finest achievements. Tautly plotted yet given the space to let these characters breathe and reveal their complexities and contradictions, it’s less a whodunnit and more a “please don’t let them die”. Sadly, the one character anyone with a soul was rooting for is the one who left Thailand in a body bag.

How did The White Lotus season 3 end?

Stay gold, Chelsea, stay gold. White has written some terrific characters over the three seasons, but none that can touch the pure, gorgeous light of Aimee Lou Wood’s eternal optimist. Tragically, her necklace (referencing Johnny’s dying words from The Outsiders) turned out to be the prophecy many feared. “Whatever happens to you happens to me,” she told Rick (Walton Goggins) at their final breakfast.

Following Rick’s wild night in Bangkok, he returned to Koh Samui with a newfound sense of peace and closure, having confronted Jim Hollinger (Scott Glenn), the man who killed his father. He reunited with Chelsea reformed and rejuvenated, telling her that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. That turned out to be all too sadly accurate.

As Rick and Chelsea spoke, Jim and his wife Sritala (Lek Patravadi) also arrived back at the hotel (which they also own). Jim revealed a few home truths to Rick about his parents, telling him his father was no saint and his mother was a slut and a liar. Jim also showed off his sidearm, lest Rick decide to do anything about it. Foolishly, Rick did decide to do something about it, killing Jim (who turned out to be his dad after all). Chelsea got killed in the ensuing shootout (along with Sritala’s bodyguards) before Gaitok eventually shot Rick in the back, killing him. Gaitok’s actions get him the girl (Mook, played by BLACKPINK‘s Lisa) and the job he coveted, but at what cost?

Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook) and Lochlan (Sam Nivola) got back to The White Lotus after their night at the Buddhist temple, with Piper having learned, much to her mother’s endless delight and father’s crushing disappointment, that she can’t live without the riches she’s accustomed to. Lochlan, however, learned the exact opposite about himself. Confronted by his family’s materialism, Tim (Jason Isaacs) turned to Chekhov’s fruit (or Chekhov’s blender) and decides to end their holiday with murder/suicide via poisoned-fruit piña colada. Only Lochlan is deemed fit to live, forced to settle for a Coke. At the last minute, Tim comes to his senses.

The following morning, Lochlan wakes first and decides to make one of his brother Saxon’s (Patrick Schwarzenegger) famous smoothies, not realising what his father has left in the bottom of the blender. He was discovered dying by the pool by his father, only to pull through at the last moment. They finally got their phones back on the boat home and discovered what Tim has been hiding all week: they’re broke and he’s probably going to jail.

Kate (Leslie Bibb), Laurie (Carrie Coon) and Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan) mended their differences, Laurie finally transcending all the petty jealousies that were driving them apart and realising that their friendship was the religion she’d been seeking in work and love and the one thing that gave her life meaning. It was a truly wonderful piece of acting from the peerless Carrie Coon.

Belinda (Natasha Rothwell) and Zion (Nicholas Duvernay), meanwhile, decided to try and milk Greg (Jon Gries) for all he’s worth, negotiating him up from $100k to $5m. It worked and they left Koh Samui as millionaires, Belinda telling Pornchai (Dom Hetrakul) that her circumstances have changed and they can’t open a spa together. How his disappointment mirrored her own from season one was totally lost on Belinda.

Greg’s final wink, delivered as much to us as to Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon), suggests that we haven’t seen the last of him.

What is The White Lotus season 3’s legacy?

In the end, White stayed true to the Buddhist principles taught by Luang Por Teera (Suthichai Yoon). Anyone seeking violence or attainment lost it all. “Sometimes we wake with anxiety,” Por Teera says over the opening scenes. “An edgy energy. What will happen today? What is in store for me? So many questions. We want resolution. Solid earth under our feet. So we take life into our own hands. We take action. Our solutions are temporary. They are a quick fix. They create more anxiety. More suffering. There is no resolution to life’s questions. It is easier to be patient once we finally accept there is no resolution.”

The White Lotus’ legacy beyond its finale has been in its meme-worthiness, ever since Murray Bartlett shat in a suitcase and Jennifer Coolidge uttered the immortal words “These gays, they’re trying to kill me.” If anything from season three is going to live on, it’s Parker Posey’s glorious delivery, up there with Matt Berry in What We Do In The Shadows and Catherine O’Hara in Schitt’s Creek for finding the craziest way to say a line. Signing up now for our “Charles Manson wrote books” t-shirt.

What next for The White Lotus?

The excitement ahead of a new season is always mostly about the location and the new cast of characters. It seems a given that Belinda and Greg will be back, hopefully with Charlotte Le Bon’s wonderfully droll Chloe in tow. Beyond that, it’s notable that we still haven’t seen White’s Enlightened star Laura Dern at a White Lotus hotel.

As for the location, White suggested he wants to get away from the oceanfront, while HBO’s Francesca Orsi mentioned that Europe is a likely destination. When the season three cast were quizzed about what might be in store, Aimee Lou Wood said she thought a ski resort would be an interesting change of pace, which could make for a Mike White take on Force Majeure-esque mayhem. That said, White has been very vocal about his dislike for the cold and his desire to hit every continent with the show, so Australia or Morocco have also been mooted as possible destinations.

What is for sure is that Emmy-winning composer Cristóbal Tapia de Veer won’t be along for the ride. The man behind one of the most unlikely floor-fillers has stepped away from the show, citing his frequent “hysterical” battles with producers over the music for the show.

The post What next for ‘The White Lotus’ after its tragic season three ending? appeared first on NME.

Three years is a long time to wait in TV land. Such an extended delay between seasons one and two left Severance facing the difficult task of balancing its narrative ambitions with the feverish expectations of the devoted. Three years for 10 weeks. And just like that, we’re back to the waiting game. Some questions were answered, but most left to be puzzled over thanks to a cliffhanger that somehow outdid the breathless finale of the show’s debut season.

• READ MORE: ‘Severance’ season two review: mind-bending workplace sci-fi is the smartest thing on TV

Season two was something of a difficult second album for Severance. It’s to the show’s credit that it managed to recapture its unique atmosphere so quickly, but the difficulty for Dan Erickson and Ben Stiller was managing a notable shift in pace and tone when some of your audience have been desperately waiting for answers, while others may have forgotten you ever existed.

One major concern ahead of season two was that the show may try too hard to remain too elusive. Severance seems to have learned from the legacies of Lost and Westworld – and while some will complain that it returned as a more pensive version of itself, the end result was a richer world where we understand more about the bizarre Eagan clan, the sinister Harmony Cobel (Patricia Arquette) and our intrepid quartet of macrodata refiners. The more we know about the wider world above the severed floor, the higher the stakes feel.

How did Severance season two end?

With a bang, in more than one sense (good riddance Drummond and your nightmare performance reviews). It’s clear, in hindsight, that the entire season was a deliberate build to a hilarious, emotional hour-and-a-bit of exceptional TV. We even got the return of Milchick’s (Tramell Tillman) dance moves in a scene that must go down as the weirdest, funniest, creepiest thing Severance has delivered to date.

Mark (Adam Scott) discovers that each file he’s created at MDR is an innie of his wife Gemma (Dichen Lachman). Over his two years working at Lumon, he’s created 24 of them and Cold Harbor is to be the final one. After that, she’ll be killed. Mark, Devon (Jen Tullock) and Harmony hatch a plan to rescue her, but it relies on the co-operation of his innie, Mark S. Mark S isn’t so keen, countering that this will end his existence. In the end, it takes some heart-breaking selflessness from Helly R (Britt Lower) to convince Mark S to go along with the plan.

Cue an outrageous chain of events. Following an awards presentation that makes Anne Hathaway and James Franco look normal, Helly R and Dylan G (Zach Cherry) barricade Milchick in the MDR bathroom (soundtracked by a way-too-intense Lumon marching band) while Mark S races to save Gemma. En route, he encounters Mr Drummond (Ólafur Darri Ólafsson), who is about to sacrifice a baby goat (hello again, Mammalians Nurturable) to accompany Gemma to the afterlife. A brutal fight ensues, resulting in Mark/Mark S accidentally killing Drummond with a bolt gun.

It’s on the testing floor where we finally discover the whole experiment on Gemma has been to eradicate her ability to experience pain. Innie Gemma #25 is tasked with disassembling the cot intended for her outtie’s baby without feeling any emotion, a task she’s succeeding at until Mark (now his outie) bursts in and rescues her. They’re on the verge of escaping together, when Helly R turns up and Mark (now back to Mark S) chooses to stay behind, leaving a distraught Gemma to escape alone. Mark S and Helly R run off hand-in-hand, to a soundtrack of blaring alarms and Noel Harrison’s ‘Windmills Of Your Mind’.

What comes next for Severance?

Well, let’s ask the obvious question first. Who has Mark S run off with, Helly R or Helena Eagan? All the signs point to the latter. Helena has tricked Mark S before and remember what Irving B said on the ORTBO in episode four: “Helly was never cruel.” Showing up at that moment is cruel and selfish and there’s a momentary smirk that is pure Helena Eagan. Malice in human form.

And what does season three hold for Helly R/Helena? When Jame Eagan visits Helly R on the severed floor, he says that she is the first embodiment of Kier that he’s seen in any of his offspring (of which there are many, from the sounds of things), including his own daughter, who he clearly doesn’t much care for. Will we see Jame move to replace Helena permanently with her innie?

The severed floor that Mark S runs back to is one in chaos. Departments have risen up against management – most notably Choreography and Movement (don’t mess with the band geeks, Milchick) and the totally-not-already-unhinged Mammalians Nurturable. Harmony Cobel has turned on her ex-employers. Cracks are starting to appear in Mr Milchick’s previously imperturbable façade. Drummond is dead. Cold Harbor is in ruins.

Many more questions remain. Childbirth has been a recurring motif across the two seasons, from the senator’s wife in season one to Gemma’s miscarriage and the birthing cabin where Mark and Devon meet Harmony Cobel (that statue of pregnant Kier Eagan is nightmare fuel). There’s an obvious overlap with Lumon’s quest to eradicate pain but to what end? We now know that severance means creating another whole consciousness that only gets to experience endless trauma. And what kind of person do you create when you completely remove pain, trauma and sadness? Is Lumon’s end goal to eventually create a workforce devoid of woe, malice, dread and frolic?

Where is Irving (John Turturro) now and will he have a role to play in the upcoming innie rebellion? What about Burt, Christopher Walken’s cold-hearted hatchet man with traces of a growing conscience? Will he face repercussions when Irving inevitably returns? What does all this spell for Devon and her husband Ricken (Michael Chernus), who’s now in thrall to the potential riches from the innie edition of his book? And then there’s the enigmatic Miss Huang (Sarah Bock), last seen boarding a bus without her beloved ring toss game. It seems impossible that we’ve seen the last of her.

The person (people?) with the most growth over this season is Dylan/Dylan G. Distraught over his wife’s “infidelity” with his innie, Dylan realises that Dylan G is really the vital part of himself that he lost somewhere along the way. He’s the only one who doesn’t seek to control or subdue his innie, instead allowing him his own autonomy, addressing him as an equal. Will Dylan and Dylan G find a way to co-exist and work together or is there something much more tragic at play here?

At the time of writing, Severance has yet to be officially renewed for a third season, but Ben Stiller told The Hollywood Reporter in February that a writers’ room has already started work in LA and recently promised fans that they won’t be waiting three years for the next season. It seems almost a dead cert that an announcement is coming. Any less will result in rebellion of a different kind.

The post What now for ‘Severance’ after that electrifying season finale? appeared first on NME.

The Last Of Us is the rarest of things – a live action video game adaptation that doesn’t suck.

Released in 2023 to critical acclaim, HBO’s The Last Of Us takes place 20 years after modern civilisation has been destroyed. Joel (Pedro Pascal), a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie (Bella Ramsey), a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal and heartbreaking journey as they travel across America and depend on each other for survival.

READ MORE: ‘The Last Of Us’ review: an apocalyptically good video game port

Based on the celebrated PlayStation game of the same name, original series creator Neil Druckmann co-wrote the HBO series and served as executive producer which goes some way to explain The Last Of Us’ monumental success.

The first episode of The Last Of Us became HBO’s second biggest premiere in over a decade after House Of The Dragon, racking up 4.7 million viewers in the US across HBO and streaming service HBO Max.

Viewership of the second episode jumped up to 5.7 million viewers, a 22 per cent increase. But will the show get a second season?

Has The Last Of Us season two been confirmed?

Oh yes!

A second season of The Last Of Us was announced before the third episode aired.

“I’m humbled, honoured, and frankly overwhelmed that so many people have tuned in and connected with our retelling of Joel and Ellie’s journey,” said co-creator Neil Druckmann. “Now we have the absolute pleasure of being able to do it again with season two! On behalf of everyone at Naughty Dog & PlayStation, thank you!”

The journey continues. #TheLastOfUs will return for another season on @HBOMax. pic.twitter.com/FQNG6vhk1d

— The Last of Us (@TheLastofUsHBO) January 27, 2023

“I’m so grateful to Neil Druckmann and HBO for our partnership, and I’m even more grateful to the millions of people who have joined us on this journey,” added Craig Mazin, co-creator on the show. “The audience has given us the chance to continue, and as a fan of the characters and world Neil and Naughty Dog created, I couldn’t be more ready to dive back in.”

Does The Last Of Us season two have a release date?

Not long to wait

In July 2024, Druckmann implied filming had wrapped in Vancouver via an Instagram post, with the show entering post-production shortly afterwards.

A few months later, HBO shared a first-look at both Joel and Ellie in season two, alongside the news that the show was aiming for a 2025 release date. They doubled down on that with a teaser trailer, released in September.

Pedro Pascal and @BellaRamsey in #TheLastOfUs Season 2, now in production.

Coming to @HBO and @StreamOnMax in 2025. pic.twitter.com/g8khQYhzoX

— Max (@StreamOnMax) May 15, 2024

To kickstart 2025, HBO then confirmed The Last Of Us season two would be released in April, which is sooner than many fans were expecting. A ominous new trailer was also shared, that hints at a whole lot of heartbreak. It’s since been announced that the first episode of season two will air April 13.

Where could The Last Of Us go in season two?

Less unconditional love, more revenge

The Last Of Us stuck pretty faithfully to the source material, with the nine episodes that made up season one covering the entirety of the first game. Luckily, there’s another game to pull from.

Released in 2020, The Last Of Us Part 2 picks up five years after the events of the original and sees Ellie off on another adventure alongside newcomer Abby, “a soldier who becomes involved in a conflict between her militia and a religious cult.”

In a 2020 interview with Eurogamer, Druckmann said the first game was about “how far someone is willing to go for someone they love unconditionally” while the sequel is about “how far are you willing to go for love, but when someone has wronged someone you really care about. How far are you willing to go to do right by them, to bring the people responsible to justice and what effect that would have could have on you.” So, viewers should probably brace themselves.

Pascal has also warned fans the second season of The Last Of Us is “fucking heartbreaking” and called the show’s producers “sick” people.

Who will return in The Last Of Us season two?

Familiar faces but a lot of newcomers

Both Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey have confirmed they’ll be making a return as Joel and Ellie in The Last Of Us, with Ramsey excited to explore “the complexity of her relationship with Joel” [via the Happy Sad Confused podcast].

A bunch of new faces have also been confirmed to be joining the cast, including Kaitlyn Dever as Abby Anderson, a member of the Fireflies out for revenge. Abby is a playable character in The Last Of Us Part 2, so expect to see a lot of Dever in the second season.

“We would’ve struggled to find someone as good as Kaitlyn to play this role,” Druckmann told Entertainment Weeklyrecently. “In the game, you have to play both characters [Ellie and Abby] and we need them to play differently. We needed Ellie to feel smaller and kind of maneuver around, and Abby was meant to play more like Joel in that she’s almost like a brute in the way she can physically manhandle certain things.”

He went on to say “that doesn’t play as big of a role in this version of the story because there’s not as much violent action moment to moment. 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.”

Also joining the cast are Beef star Young Mazino as Jesse, Isabela Merced as Dina and Danny Ramirez as Manny. Ariela Barer, Tati Gabrielle, Spencer Lord, Jeffrey Wright and Catherine O’Hara will also feature.

Will the second season be the end of The Last Of Us?

Probably not

In the lead up to season two, HBO’s drama chief Francesca Orci has spoken about the show’s future. “We don’t have a complete or final plan, but I think it’s looking like four seasons. I wouldn’t want to confirm that, but it’s looking like this season and then two more seasons after this and we’re done.”

And it turns out co-creator Craig Mazin was already thinking about the future of The Last Of Us before the first season even aired.

Talking to Variety, he said: “There’s an enormous amount of story that Neil created that we would want to dive into. The second game is much bigger than the first one. So we were just starting now to talk about how to kind of break it into a season – seasons. How do we adapt? What do we keep? What do we change? How do we transform? What do we add? All those things we’re just starting to talk about now.”

But he’s promised The Last Of Us won’t go on indefinitely. In an interview with Collider, he explained: “I don’t have much narrative interest in writing a show that is designed to perpetually continue until the network finally puts it out of its misery somewhere. I write to endings. Endings are everything to me.”

“And also, if the show doesn’t have an ending, it means nothing ultimately is truly purposeful. All the stakes become empty because, if the network renews you, everything’s fine, and I don’t know how to do that,” he added.

He went on to say that the story left to adapt from The Last Of Us Part 2 is “a lot” and will “probably take more than [one] season to tell [but] our ambition is to tell the story that exists, as best as we can, in a different medium.”

Druckmann added: “Yeah, I remember, early on, I asked Craig and HBO, ‘How many episodes does this season need to be’ And the answer was, ‘As many as the story requires, and no more.’ And likewise, that would be our approach for future seasons to say, ‘Okay, this will be as many seasons as required to reach that ending, and no more’.”

Is there a The Last Of Us Part Three video game to pull from?

A “final chapter” might be on the way

Last year co-creator Neil Druckmann made headlines when he hinted there may be “one more chapter” in The Last Of Us story. It comes after Naughty Dog previously said they may never make a sequel to The Last Of Us Part Two.

“I know there’s a bunch of people wondering about The Last Of Us Part 3 and whether that will be a thing or not. All I could say is, at Naughty Dog we’re very, very privileged that our publisher Sony has supported us every step of the way to follow our passions,” Druckmann told Buzzfeed.

He went on to explain that this meant that “just because something is successful, people think there’s all this pressure and we have to make a sequel. That’s not the case.”

“It’s up to us whether we want to continue it or not. If we can come up with a compelling story that has this universal message and statement about love – just like the first and second game did – then we will tell that story. If we can’t come up with something, we have a very strong ending with Part 2 and that will be the end.”

More recently though, Druckmann said there probably wouldn’t be a The Last Of Us Part Three. “I guess the only thing I would say is don’t bet on there being more.”

The post Here’s what we know about ‘The Last Of Us’ season two appeared first on NME.