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Subscribe from just £3 Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love Try a single issue or save on a subscription Issues delivered straight to your door or device From£9.99View Best Netflix Movies Best movies on Disney Plus Movie Release Dates Best Netflix Shows Recommended reading Sci-Fi Shows The Last of Us season 2 director says he toned down some of the "extraordinary violence and cruelty" in shocking episode 2 moment to "avoid overt torture" Horror Shows Pedro Pascal recalls "shock and heartbreak" making pivotal The Last of Us season 2 scene: "I've never experienced anything like I did that day" Horror Shows That shocking death in The Last of Us season 2 happened so early in the show because "if people know it's coming, they will start to feel tormented" Sci-Fi Shows The Last of Us season 2 episode 2 just made a major change to its most heartbreaking moment Horror Shows The Last of Us showrunner teases horrifying unseen moment from Bella Ramsey's Ellie: "I was scared of her, and I didn't like her, and I didn't want her to do what she's doing" Drama Shows The Last of Us showrunner Craig Mazin praises Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal for "spectacular" take on one of Part 2's most iconic scenes in season 2 Drama Shows The Last of Us season 2 director on why episode 5's surprising ending delivered: "It was the right tonal gear shift" Entertainment Sci-Fi Shows The Last of Us TV show The Last of Us season 2 showrunner says he was both "eager" and "terrified" to recreate that harrowing Joel scene from the game: "What Bella did there was pretty shattering" Lauren Milici 26 May 2025 We'll never look at a golf club the same way again When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: HBO) The Last of Us season 2 showrunner Craig Mazin says he was both terrified and excited to film that harrowing Joel scene from The Last of Us Part 2. Warning: Spoilers for The Last of Us season 2 ahead! "I think the one that I was the most eager to create on screen and terrified to create on screen was Joel's death," Mazin said at a press conference attended by GamesRadar+. "And specifically, really, when I think about it, it wasn't so much the mechanics of Joel dying - you don't want to recapture what somebody did, but what Ashley Johnson did in the game is heart rending. Something like that is so traumatic and binds you to this character in a way that you weren't bound before you were bound in a different way to that character before you were bound to Ellie in season one in the first game, as the person that Joel loved after being unable to love for so long. Well, here we're bound to Ellie now in a very different way. And what Bella did there was pretty shattering." You may like The Last of Us season 2 director says he toned down some of the "extraordinary violence and cruelty" in shocking episode 2 moment to "avoid overt torture" Pedro Pascal recalls "shock and heartbreak" making pivotal The Last of Us season 2 scene: "I've never experienced anything like I did that day" That shocking death in The Last of Us season 2 happened so early in the show because "if people know it's coming, they will start to feel tormented" If you've played The Last of Us Part 2, you know how what happens to Joel - and you know that it's absolutely horrifying. Johnson did the voice and motion capture for Ellie, with Troy Baker as Joel. Because Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) was introduced in just the first few minutes of The Last of Us season 2 episode 1 as someone who wants to kill Joel, we already knew her motives when the fatal scene began. In the video game, it's a bit more harrowing given the fact that Abby doesn't get the chance to tell Joel why she's about to kill him - mainly because he tells her to shut up and get on with it. The TV adaptation of the scene, which takes place in The Last of Us season 2 episode 2, sees Abby tell Joel that he killed 18 soldiers and one "unarmed doctor," asking if she remembers the latter. She explains that the doctor was her father, and point-blankly tells Joel she's going to kill him. And you'll never look at a golf club the same way again. The Last of Us season 2 is streaming now on HBO in the US, and on Sky and NOW in the UK. For more, check out our lists of the best HBO Max shows and the best HBO Max movies to stream right now. Sign up for the Total Film Newsletter Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. See more TV Shows News Streaming Services Lauren Milici Social Links Navigation Senior Writer, Tv & Film Lauren Milici is a Senior Entertainment Writer for GamesRadar+ currently based in the Midwest. She previously reported on breaking news for The Independent's Indy100 and created TV and film listicles for Ranker. Her work has been published in Fandom, Nerdist, Paste Magazine, Vulture, PopSugar, Fangoria, and more. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. The Last of Us season 2 director says he toned down some of the "extraordinary violence and cruelty" in shocking episode 2 moment to "avoid overt torture" Pedro Pascal recalls "shock and heartbreak" making pivotal The Last of Us season 2 scene: "I've never experienced anything like I did that day" That shocking death in The Last of Us season 2 happened so early in the show because "if people know it's coming, they will start to feel tormented" The Last of Us season 2 episode 2 just made a major change to its most heartbreaking moment The Last of Us showrunner teases horrifying unseen moment from Bella Ramsey's Ellie: "I was scared of her, and I didn't like her, and I didn't want her to do what she's doing" The Last of Us showrunner Craig Mazin praises Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal for "spectacular" take on one of Part 2's most iconic scenes in season 2 Latest in Sci-Fi Shows The Last of Us season 2 showrunners say they were "open to a different ending" but decided on a cliffhanger instead: "We have to take risks as a television show" Doctor Who season 2, episode 7 spoiler review: 'Wish World' is "an exciting and ambitious" start to the season finale, with hints of WandaVision After the Andor season 2 finale, Star Wars fans are calculating how long the Death Star was actually fully operational – and it was probably only a matter of days 12 years after The Last of Us' ambiguous ending sparked a decade of debate, creator Neil Druckmann has settled it: "Our intent was that they could have made a cure" Andor fans are paying tribute to the show's saddest death: "True unsung hero, nobody will ever know what he sacrificed" Andor's Tony Gilroy doesn't know whether Star Wars creator George Lucas has seen the Disney Plus show: "I've only spoken to him once, after Rogue One" Latest in News Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 lead says what we all know is true: "Persona 5 is the best game in the world when it comes to battle depictions and UI" Tom Cruise had to be carried off the plane for Mission: Impossible finale due to tiredness Ex Dragon Age writer pushes back on RPG casts who are all romanceable and instantly into you: "That limits the different types of stories you can do" Moon Knight producer gives update on hero's return to the MCU: "I think the ball's really in their court" The Witcher 4 director calls returning to the fantasy RPG "challenging" after Cyberpunk 2077, but CDPR is finally ready to have 2 franchises cook at once Ryan Reynolds admits that Deadpool and Wolverine almost saw the end of Wade Wilson GAME REVIEWS MOVIE REVIEWS Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown review: "Radically slick brawls barely feel turn-based, but I'm left wanting more depth" Monster Train 2 review: "A truly first class ride through deckbuilder roguelike heaven, and I'm already going off the rails" Blades of Fire review: "Following up Metroid Dread with a dark fantasy soulslike full of inventive ideas that I find delightfully infectious" Elden Ring: The Board Game - Realm of the Grafted King review: "A disappointing experience" Dune: Imperium - Bloodlines review: "Make it a default part of your games" Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning review: "Wraps up this spy franchise in spectacular style with Tom Cruise in peak condition, even if its villain lacks terror" Final Destination Bloodlines Review: "Meticulous murderous mayhem" Thunderbolts review: "Makes good on the promise of a new start for the MCU" A Minecraft Movie Review: "Jack Black's irrepressible star turn helps elevate this video game adaptation" The Electric State review: "Although this may be their most visually stunning movie yet, it looks like the Russos are yet to find their footing outside of the MCU" Doctor Who season 2, episode 7 spoiler review: 'Wish World' is "an exciting and ambitious" start to the season finale, with hints of WandaVision Rick and Morty season 8 review: "Largely plays it too safe after years of crossing boundaries" Doctor Who season 2, episode 6 spoiler review: 'The Interstellar Song Contest' is "a blast and sets the stage for a thrilling season finale" Doctor Who season 2, episode 5 spoiler review: 'The Story & The Engine' is "one of the most original and ambitious episodes this show has produced in years" Doctor Who season 2, episode 4 spoiler review: 'Lucky Day' has a "genuinely surprising" mid-episode reveal GamesRadar+ is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. 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