The Last of Us' boss has offered a disappointing update on the future of Bill and Frank, saying they won't be back for future episodes.
Speaking to Deadline after Monday's (January 15) Emmy awards about the upcoming second season, co-creator Craig Mazin revealed there are no plans to bring back the two characters in flashbacks or as a series spin-off.
"I'm very proud of the episode we did with Bill and Frank," he said, before firmly closing the door on the prospect of seeing the two characters appear in any capacity.
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"There won't be more Bill and Frank," he added.
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Played by Parks and Recreation star Nick Offerman and The White Lotus' Murray Bartlett, Bill and Frank appeared for a single episode during season one of The Last of Us, depicting a heartbreaking story of love in a post-apocalyptic world.
Living together in a fenced-off town, the two survivors had decided to grow old together after falling in love. However as Frank became increasingly unwell with motor neurone disease, Bill chose to die alongside him in a heartbreakingly tender moment.
The episode, written by Mazin, went on to receive huge critical acclaim, seeing Offerman win 'Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series' at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards.
During his acceptance speech, Offerman appeared to tease at a potential return for Bill and Frank, saying (via Deadline): "Oh, great question but I would have to ask somebody with a higher pay grade than myself.
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"It certainly has been pitched. I think we pitched a whole mini-series of a prequel of their lives before they met each other. It could be a musical. We're not short on ideas."
Addressing Offerman's earlier comments, Mazin told the outlet that his idea for a prequel was a "kind of a joke."
"Nick was joking about a prequel, that was kind of a joke," he said. "We are very happy with what we achieved."
The Last of Us airs on HBO in the US, and on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW in the UK.
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Brenna Cooper is a freelance journalist, who currently specialises in entertainment reporting. She joined Digital Spy in 2022, writing TV and movies stories for the site. After graduating with an NCTJ accredited Journalism Masters from the University of Sheffield in 2020 she has since embarked on a freelance career.
Brenna previously produced lifestyle content for Checklists.co.uk and has a specific interest in music, reviewing live acts and interviewing bands such as Confidence Man and Amyl and the Sniffers.
