HBO has greenlit an upcoming TV adaptation of the hugely popular and iconic video game series The Last of Us.
According to Gizmodo, Naughty Dog’s critically-acclaimed video game icon will finally make its way onto our television screens.
Series creator Neil Druckmann is attached to ensure that the adaptation doesn’t go awry. He’ll be working as both a writer and executive producer.
A story about a post-apocalyptic United States? Sounds just perfect for TV when the actual U.S. is as close to that feeling as it’s ever been.
As if that wasn’t cheery and pleasant enough, Craig Mazin is also onboard for the project: he’s best known for creating that little fun and optimistic miniseries Chernobyl.
The executive producer of both Game of Thrones and Chernobyl, Carolyn Strauss, is attached too, so there’s some serious big players involved.
Naughty Dog’s Evan Wells and PlayStation Productions’ Asad Qizilbash and Carter Swan are also involved, so the TV version should not lose sight of just what made the video game original so special.
Love Gaming?
Get the latest Gaming news, features, updates and giveaways straight to your inbox Learn more
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.”
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.”
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.
This news is the latest in a growing list of iconic video game adaptations. We’ve seen Assassin’s Creed turned into a questionable film starring Michael Fassbender. It’s also scheduled for a TV series as well.
A TV version of Halo has been discussed for a few years now. Just give us a big-budget adaptation of Red Dead Redemption, that’s all we ask.
Check out a full game walkthrough of The Last of Us:
