“I Had to Walk Away” — Neil Druckmann Breaks Silence on His Shocking Exit From The Last of Us HBO Series
Neil Druckmann Explains Exit From The Last Of Us HBO Series
Neil Druckmann finally spoke out about his shocking exit from HBO's The Last of Us ahead of season 3. The Last of Us is based on the hugely popular two-part video game of the same name, which was first released in 2013.
The Last of Us debuted to overwhelmingly positive reviews and a 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The sophomore season has a 91% RT score, though it faced a lot more criticism, especially regarding Kaitlyn Dever's limited presence, which was odd considering how important her character Abby is.
The Last of Us season 3 has been ordered, but Druckmann left his role over the summer.
Druckmann spoke to Variety about the reasons why he left The Last of Us. He was very involved in the show at the beginning, which was "really hard work," but now "the path has been set," so he feels comfortable stepping away and going back to working on video games full-time.
He found it difficult to be a co-showrunner while also working on video games simultaneously.
When asked about the timeline of his decision to leave, Druckmann revealed that when press wrapped up for season 2 but before the writers' room for The Last of Us season 3 started, he assessed the situation and realized that he would be better served staying at video game developer Naughty Dog full-time.
He contributed a lot to the second season, including writing and directing some episodes, and he wasn't convinced that he could keep up that pace again.
His only involvement with The Last of Us season 3 will be at a "very high level" instead of "getting into the weeds" of the production.
What Neil Druckmann's Exit Means For The Last Of Us
Druckmann co-created The Last of Us video game, so his involvement in the TV show came as a huge relief to fans since it meant HBO would likely be filming a faithful adaptation.
Even though the second season received more criticism, it still has a high score on Rotten Tomatoes, so Druckmann succeeded in his role as a co-creator, co-showrunner, writer and director.
Those are a lot of roles for one person to have on a TV show, and adding in the fact that he was also still working at Naughty Dog, it became too much for him to take on.
If he had remained on The Last of Us, there's a chance he would have experienced burnout, which could have been detrimental to his health and the quality of the TV show.
Our Take On Neil Druckmann's Exit Explanation
As disappointing as it is to see Druckmann leave The Last of Us, no one can blame him for making a decision he felt was best for himself personally and professionally.
The upcoming season may not have Druckmann at the helm, but his exit paves the way for the producers and writers to craft a satisfying continuation that resolves the cliffhanger from The Last of Us season 2 finale and reveals Abby's backstory, which was teased at the very end of that episode.
Charlie Sheen Reveals Moment With Daughter Sami That Led to Sobriety and One Drug He Hasn’t Tried
Charlie Sheen has been increasingly vulnerable in the last several days as he promotes his upcoming memoir, The Book of Sheen, as well as his Netflix documentary, aka Charlie Sheen. Now, the beloved actor has shared a new excerpt from the book, revealing how his daughter, Sami Sheen, led him to get sober. Plus, he’s revealing one drug he’s never tried.
Regarding the Netflix documentary, Charlie’s ex-wife, former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Denise Richards, posed for pictures with him at the premiere. This came 19 years after their divorce.
Charlie wrote in his book that on December 10, 2017, he drank three coffees with whiskey before 9 a.m. However, Charlie had forgotten that he was supposed to pick up Sami for an appointment. Because he was under the influence, he had a friend drive to pick up his daughter.
He recalled the encounter with Sami in the book, writing, “Sam was very quiet. I didn’t need to be clairvoyant to know exactly what she was thinking.”
He imagined his daughter thinking, “Why is Dad not driving — again?” The memoir continues, “Why isn’t it just the two of us in the car like it used to be? When will that moment ever return? When will Dad ever return? I miss him.”
Charlie then said in the book that there was “only one thing that felt worse than betraying myself, and that was failing my children.” The excerpt continues, “I knew exactly what had to be done. Sam wasn’t my final straw; she was my first harvest.” The Two and a Half Men star stated that he took “two Valiums and drank three beers” the following day, but he has been sober since.
Charlie also spoke to Page Six about his memoir and documentary, and he also discussed living to 60 years old despite his past struggles. He told the outlet, “A lot of this should be viewed as gravy.” Charlie added, “It’s borrowed time or my 10th life, because I think I get one more than all those cats.”
He then said, “It’s absolutely not lost on me that a story like mine is usually only told … in memorial, you know what I’m saying?” Charlie also reflected on his days before getting sober. According to him, “I was always pretty good friends with my dealers.”
He continued, “I know that’s funny. When you let him hang out, when you let him stay for the party, you usually get a better rate on the dope — but there is a connection because I was only doing those shitty films to keep funding the habits.”
Charlie then discussed various drugs he’s done, and he stated that he’s never done ketamine. “I never did it. I knew a couple people that did, and so I would see them on it. It just wasn’t a color I knew I would look good in.”
He also discussed his strained relationship with Sami in the interview and how he hopes they can mend things. Regarding his disapproval of her OnlyFans career, something she has been open about, he stated, “I guess when they talk about the universe having a sense of humor. They weren’t lying.”
