The Last of Us Showrunners Address Spores Returning for Season 2

The Last of Us Season 2 showrunners have stated that there’s a “dramatic reason” for the return of the spores.

The Last of Us Season 2’s new trailer arrived around 2 days ago, and many fans were intrigued by a scene that hinted at the return of spores in the new season. Spores were the original way the cordyceps virus spread in the Naughty Dog games. However, as a creative decision, the showrunners had swapped spores for tendrils, which meant more face time for the cast members. But, with season 2, it seems they are going back on this decision.

The Last of Us Season 2 showrunners were present at a panel at SXSW 2025, where they spoke about spores returning to the show. Druckmann starts by explaining that there’s not only “an escalation of numbers and types of infected” but also “an escalation of the vector of how this thing spreads” in the upcoming season.

Druckmann states that tendrils were a new thing they added with season 1; however, with the latest trailer, fans will spot a scene with “things in the air”. Craig Mazin chimes in at this point, stating, “Spores are back”. Druckmann elaborates that “everything has to be drama” and “there had to be a dramatic reason for introducing it now, and there is”.