Troy Baker, the iconic voice behind Joel in The Last of Us, believes there is much more to come for his legendary character. While fans have recently bonded with Pedro Pascal's portrayal in the HBO series, Baker suggests that the journey for this character is far from over.
Expanding the Legacy of Joel
Despite the tragic events surrounding Joel in both the video games and the television adaptation, Baker sees a future where the character is reimagined across various media. He expressed his hope that Pedro Pascal won't be the final actor to inhabit the role.
Speaking to Eurogamer, Baker noted that he wants to see the character "proliferated and iterated on" through different formats. He highlighted the massive impact the character has made, noting how frequently he sees fans participating in cosplay.
Baker envisions the character appearing in:
- Television series
- Feature films
- New video game installments
- Comic books
"I definitely know we've not seen the last of Joel, whether that be Naughty Dog or somebody else," Baker concluded.
The Future of Naughty Dog and The Last of Us
The possibility of a third chapter is supported by recent remarks from franchise creator Neil Druckmann. In the Grounded 2: Making The Last of Us Part 2 documentary, Druckmann even stated he feels "there's one more chapter to this story" left for Naughty Dog to tell.
While a new The Last of Us title could eventually feature flashbacks to Ellie's time with her father figure, fans may have to wait quite some time. The studio is currently preoccupied with several other major projects:
- Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, which is being directed by Druckmann.
- An unannounced second game helmed by Shaun Escayg, the director of Uncharted: The Lost Legacy.
Because these projects are currently in production, industry speculation suggests that a third chapter of the saga might not launch until sometime in the 2030s. For now, the focus remains on Naughty Dog's upcoming sci-fi ventures and the conclusion of the HBO series.
