The Last of Us star Troy Baker says he would be up for anything when it comes to continuing the Naughty Dog series.
Spoilers for The Last of Us and The Last of Us Part 2 follow
Speaking to Insider Gaming, Baker was asked about the potential for a prequel game focusing on his character, Joel, and his brother, Tommy (played by Jeffrey Pierce), before Ellie was even born.
Baker responds simply, "I would be on board with anything." He explains, "If Neil [Druckmann] decides that he has a place for me, then I’ve learned at this point to listen to him, because he’s really smart."
As for the idea itself, Baker adds, "There’s this beautiful thing about the mystery of what happened between Tommy and Joel, there is all the time, the 20 years, you’ve got such beautiful lore to choose from. I think that makes a great foundation for a story."
Now, a prequel is seemingly the only way Baker could return to the series in a substantial way, given that Joel dies in a freak golfing accident in the opening hours of The Last of Us Part 2, thus taking a sequel appearance off the cards. However, Baker adds, "I’ve also learned to trust Naughty Dog, and maybe there’s a whole other story there that we’re not thinking about."
"I’m going to let Neil and Naughty Dog decide, as we look forward, are we looking back? Are we going to revisit something? Or are we going to continue to reinvent. That’s their call," Baker explains, adding, "whether it is something that you are playing, or with me with a controller in hand, I’m there day one."
Both Baker and The Last of Us series director Neil Druckmann are currently busy on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet at Naughty Dog. And given it's been over six years since the studio's previous title, the potential for a The Last of Us continuation is probably not likely in the near future. However, teasers that a new entry could be on the way have come from the likes of Druckmann and Baker over the years. However, if it is a sequel, Baker's role would likely be relegated to flashback scenes.
