HBO has greenlit The Last of Us TV show, which promises to bring Naughty Dog’s critically acclaimed video game series to the network.
Series creator Neil Druckmann is onboard to ensure The Last of Us TV adaptation doesn’t disappoint, and will be working as both a writer and executive producer. He’s joined by Craig Mazin (Chernobyl), and Carolyn Strauss, who executive produced that little known show called Game of Thrones, as well as the truly haunting Chernobyl.
Naughty Dog’s Evan Wells and PlayStation Productions’ Asad Qizilbash and Carter Swan are also involved, so the series will be sure to stay true to the multi-million selling PS4 games.
Francesca Orsi, HBO’s executive vice president, said: “Craig and Neil are visionaries in a league of their own. With them at the helm alongside the incomparable Carolyn Strauss, this series is sure to resonate with both die-hard fans of ‘The Last of Us’ games and newcomers to this genre-defining saga.
We’re delighted to partner with Naughty Dog, Word Games, Sony and PlayStation to adapt this epic, powerfully immersive story.”
.@HBO gives series order to #TheLastOfUs. @clmazin and @Neil_Druckmann set to write and executive produce. Carolyn Strauss, @evan_wells, @aqizil, and @CarterSwan also executive produce. @SPTV, @Naughty_Dog, @PlayStation productions are set to produce: https://t.co/dIOCovjGqK pic.twitter.com/tOsuWFwklRNovember 20, 2020
The Last of Us TV show follows the same beats as the first game. The synopsis states that “the story takes place twenty years after modern civilization has been destroyed. Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal, heartbreaking journey, as they both must traverse across the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.”
Uncomfortable viewing
The Last of Us TV show will be available on HBO and to stream on HBO Max, and is sure to be a gritty, violent and emotionally impactful affair – if the game is anything to go by.
Naughty’s dog video game to TV adaption joins a growing list, with Halo and Assassin’s Creed both in line to receive TV shows. Whether they’ll be any good, though, remains to be seen.