HBO has announced on Twitter and via thehollywoodreport.com that ‘The Last of Us’ will be getting its own series on the premium service that brought us ‘Game of Thrones’.
The series is being developed by the critically acclaimed ‘Chernobyl’ series creator, Craig Mazin, for which he has won an Emmy, and Naughty Dog’s own Co-President and Creative Director, Neil Druckmann. Druckmann will help to write the script and executive produce the series alongside Naughty Dog’s President, Evan Wells and Carolyn Strauss, formerly of HBO, who is famous for commissioning other HBO series’ like ‘The Sopranos’, ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’, and ‘The Wire’.
Mazin had this to say on leading the charge for the project:
“Neil Druckmann is without question the finest storyteller working in the video game medium, and The Last of Us is his magnum opus. Getting a chance to adapt this breathtaking work of art has been a dream of mine for years, and I’m so honored to do it in partnership with Neil.”
Druckmann continues:
“From the first time I sat down to talk with Craig I was equally blown away by his approach to narrative and his love and deep understanding of The Last of Us. With Chernobyl, Craig and HBO created a tense, harrowing, emotional masterpiece. I couldn’t think of better partners to bring the story of The Last of Us to life as a television show.”
The series is also being produced by Sony Pictures alongside PlayStation Productions.
2013’s ‘The Last of Us’ was wildly successful selling more than 17 million units between it and it’s PS4 remaster in 2014. A strong expansion following Ellie while she deals with the winter months meanwhile flashing back to her time with her best friend and first love, Riley, shortly before Riley’s untimely death was released in February of 2014, only 5 months before the remaster. Neil Druckmann was the lead writer and creative director on both ‘The Last of Us’ and the aforementioned expansion titled ‘Left Behind’, as well as the highly anticipated ‘The Last of Us Part II’.
Naughty Dog is no stranger to their games being converted into a film. In development since 2013, an ‘Uncharted’ film adaptation is currently slated to star Tom Holland as a young Nathan Drake, the series’ hero and the main character, with Mark Wahlberg, cast as Victor Sullivan aka Sully, Nathan Drakes mentor, and friend of many years. Also among the cast in unknown roles are Antonio Banderas, Sophie Ali, and Tati Gabrielle. The film is slated to release in May of 2021 and is currently being directed by Ruben Fleischer (‘Venom’, ‘Zombieland’), though the film’s cast and director have been known to change over the last several years.
‘The Last of Us’ series on HBO doesn’t have a cast or date yet, but we’ll be sure to keep you updated!
The Last of Us Part II will release on May 29th, 2020 on PlayStation 4.
