Looking at the runaway critical and commercial success that Sony has reaped following The Last of Us 2, it seems almost inevitable that a The Last of Us 3 will eventually be announced, turning the franchise into a neat trilogy. Even though Naughty Dog has confirmed that it isn't actively working on the theoretical sequel, the fact that Neil Druckmann and Halley Gross have already created a rough outline for its story suggests that a seed has already been planted, that will one day bear apocalyptic fruit. If an official announcement is ever made, a lot of the internet will naturally be filled with anticipation and excitement.
Just like Ellie herself, Naughty Dog will however have to face a round of difficult questions about one controversial topic that still lingers over the franchise from The Last of Us 2. How exactly do all parties involved move on from the horrific murder, and subsequent absence, of Joel going forward? As the in-game universe currently stands, the second installment rolled its credits with more questions being asked than were truly answered, which leaves plenty of space for the studio to come up with a fitting resolution for the characters and players involved.
Joel's Lingering Influence On The Last of Us
As the franchise's first playable protagonist, fans naturally formed an attachment to Joel over the course of the original The Last of Us, as they invested in the character's literal and emotional journey. Having played through the tragic death of his own daughter Sarah, in the game's dramatic outbreak day prologue, many couldn't help but feel a sense of joy at the fact that he was eventually able to find happiness again through his surrogate daughter, Ellie. It's partly for this reason that his death at the hands of the similarly grief-stricken Abby, during the opening hours of The Last of Us 2, proved to be such a polarizing and tough event for some players to stomach.
Joel's subsequent absence in The Last of Us 3 will no doubt have a profound impact on the characters and universe of the series in general, as it's impossible to imagine Naughty Dog will be able to physically bring the character back. The pivotal role he played in the lives of Ellie, Tommy, and Abby, in the run up to his death, ensures that tackling the continued fallout of that fateful day will no doubt play a large role within the theoretical sequel's narrative. During the closing hours of the The Last of Us 2, for example, Ellie and Tommy were also shown to still be struggling to come to terms with the fact that they had lost such an important family member.
Throughout each entry in the franchise, be it a game, DLC expansion, or a piece of tie-in media, Ellie has demonstrated countless times that she is the main protagonist of The Last of Us. Retiring her, especially with her story currently having no conclusion, also seems unlikely. In a lot of ways, Naughty Dog has cleverly tied the player and Ellie together through a set of shared experiences and feelings, which ensures that both parties in many ways need the same answers to the Joel-sized issue that's lingered over the franchise since The Last of Us 2.
Even though it's hard to say exactly what form that resolution will take, it's for these reasons that Joel fans can safely assume that his influence will still be felt over the cycle of death and revenge, regardless of the whether or not he physically appears again in some capacity.
How Joel Could Still Reappear in The Last of Us 3
In the same interview that confirmed that the creative minds at Naughty Dog have already penciled in an outline for a potential The Last of Us 3, it was also revealed that the same themes would define a sequel as well. Beyond ensuring further dissections of humanity at the edge of the apocalypse following the collapse of society, this news could prove to be an important hint that Joel will appear at some point down the road. After all, having been such a central figure in Ellie's life makes it seem likely that the studio will find a way to have the character reappear.
From a thematic perspective, the studio has also already done a lot of the ground work that could facilitate this. After the fateful opening sections of The Last of Us 2, Joel naturally ceases to be an option for the player to assume control of directly. However death had no impact on him still being a constant recurring part of that game's plot, not only as an unseen influence, but also as a physical one too. That's because the majority of interactions that the rest of the cast have with him come in the form of flashbacks sprinkled into the mix at points in the narrative where the added context helps establish a specific tone.
It stands to reason that the same narrative tool could be brought back in the future. While Ellie's own quest for happiness won't ever feature a physical reconciliation with her departed farther figure, there's nothing to stop Naughty Dog from allowing the player to physically play out her thought processes as she battles with her grief. From the time Joel and Ellie return to Jackson at the end of the original game, to the start of The Last of Us 2, around four years passed. That leaves plenty of space for meaningful interactions between the two to have taken place that players are currently unaware of, that they could subsequently play through.
Over the next few years, regardless of whether or not The Last of Us 3 actually becomes a reality, the series as a whole is set to grow even more. Between rumors of a potential remake of the original The Last of Us for the PS5, and the incoming HBO live-action adaptation, fans are about to get a lot more of Joel Miller in their lives. The knock on effect of this is that Naughty Dog will have ample opportunities to address one of the franchise's biggest perceived issues, one way or another.
The Last of Us 3 is not currently in development.