HBO - The Last of Us

[Sure-Oz]

@HBO: Look for the light.

@clmazin and @Neil_Druckmann to develop the series adaptation of #TheLastOfUs, coming soon to HBO: http://itsh.bo/thelastofus https://twitter.com/HBO/status/12356...572032/video/1

The Last of Us' Series in the Works at HBO From 'Chernobyl' Creator Craig Mazin, Neil Druckmann (Exclusive)

MARCH 05, 2020 9:30AMby*Borys Kit, Patrick Shanley

Craig Mazin, the creator of the acclaimed limited series*Chernobyl,*is reteaming with HBO adapt*The Last of Us, the massive Sony PlayStation video game franchise.
In a rare development in the world of video game adaptations, the writer and creative director of the game, Neil Druckmann, is also involved, and will work with Mazin to pen and executive produce what is intended to be a series.

Carolyn Strauss will also executive produce along with Evan Wells, the president of Naughty Dog, the Santa Monica-based developer of the game. The project is a co-production with Sony Pictures Television and in association with PlayStation Productions and it will be the first television series from PlayStation Productions.
Originally launched in 2013, Sony and Naughty Dog’s*The Last of Us*garnered critical praise for its engrossing tale of the post-apocalypse centered on the relationship between Joel, a smuggler in this new world, and Ellie, a teenager who may be a key to a cure for the deadly pandemic.
Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle the14-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 HBO series will cover the events of the original game, which was written by Druckmann, with the possibility of additional content based on the forthcoming game sequel,*The Last of Us Part II, which will release on May 29, 2020.
Mazin, who is said to be an avid player of the game, stated, “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.”
“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,” said Druckmann in a statement. “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.”
Last of Us*won numerous “game of the year” awards and went on to sell more than 17 million copies across both its original release on the PlayStation 3 and a remastered version on the PlayStation 4.
“This is an incredibly exciting opportunity for us to partner with Craig, Neil, Carolyn and the teams at Sony, Naughty Dog and PlayStation to bring the virtual world of this acclaimed game to life,” stated HBO programming president Casey Bloys.
“This is the first of many shows we intend to develop with our friends at PlayStation Productions,” said Chris Parnell, co-president of Sony Pictures Television Studios.*The Last of Us*is a brilliant achievement in storytelling and character development, and we are lucky to have the opportunity to work with this team to adapt it.”
Druckmann is a longtime vet of Naughty Dog, starting as a programming intern in 2004. In 2007, he was given the role of game designer on*Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, the first installment in the action adventure series. In 2013, he created*The Last of Us, based on a concept he developed as a student at Carnegie Mellon University.
Mazin’s*Chernobyl*tackled a bleak and complex true-life event and became a must-see show for HBO. The show won an Emmy for outstanding limited series and landed one for Mazin for outstanding writing. Mazin also won a PGA and a WGA Award.


Holy shit this is gonna be awesome.

[Red Dawg]

Hated that ending. I will never understand killing off main characters so early in a series. Season 3 we get the Abby story. Ellie didn't get shot I suspect.

[DJJasonp]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

S1 was great overall and S2 contained some very good episodes but that was a bad cliffhanger to end a season on especially considering we know it is going to be 2 years until another episode of this. Feels like they only told half a story here (or a third of one?).

The finale was pretty close to the video game.

Though:

Spoiler!

It was Abby who was hung up by the scars, which led to one of the better parts of the game, so it will be interesting if they go back to that in some way in S3 with Abby. but yeah, those on the Ellie hate-wagon should be happy with S3, as I suspect it will be 75% Abby story

[Wallcrawler]

Good luck on anyone maintaining ANY interest for this shit over the time it takes to air the next episode.

Oh my God, and those who do tune back in, those that don't just go watch the cinematics from the game, what I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall when they see how it all wraps up.

[Sure-Oz]

Originally Posted by Wallcrawler

Good luck on anyone maintaining ANY interest for this shit over the time it takes to air the next episode.

Oh my God, and those who do tune back in, those that don't just go watch the cinematics from the game, what I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall when they see how it all wraps up.

Are you watching the show still or have you so far? Just curious. If so do you plan on watching s3?

[Deberg_1990]

Well, at least Kaitlyn Dever is easier on the eyes than Bella Ramsey. I’ll say that.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

Well, at least Kaitlyn Dever is easier on the eyes than Bella Ramsey. I’ll say that.

Oh I'm sure it will take no time at all for them to put their DEI hire front and center.

[ChiliConCarnage]

I'll preface with I've not played the games. I like how the story is working.

Spoiler!

That was a 90's esque hard cliff hanger ending though. Not very satisfying. There is a reason most shows build to a climax in the last episode or two of a season. This had a huge action/event episode early and then led to no resolution.

I like how they've set it up where you can empathize with the "other" side.
I'm glad we're going to get more about Seattle and the Seraphites history.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by DJJasonp

The finale was pretty close to the video game.

Though:

Spoiler!

It was Abby who was hung up by the scars, which led to one of the better parts of the game, so it will be interesting if they go back to that in some way in S3 with Abby. but yeah, those on the Ellie hate-wagon should be happy with S3, as I suspect it will be 75% Abby story

I'm sure it was fine in the video game, you could just keep playing it to finish the story (I assume?).

But given it is a TV show that we probably won't see again until 2027, that kind of cliffhanger is pretty disappointing. They didn't even show us where Jeffrey Wright's character is going/what they're doing as part of the war.

[Wallcrawler]

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz

Are you watching the show still or have you so far? Just curious. If so do you plan on watching s3?

Nah, I'm not supporting Neil Druckmann in any way. I've kept up with the bigger deviations and outright WTF moments for season 2 through a couple of recap channels like Emergency Awesome.

I was mildly interested to see what Neil would do with the opportunity for a mulligan with a larger audience, and as it turns out, he simply cannot keep himself from destroying The Last Of Us.

He's even finding some new hilarious ways to crater it. Like the fingerblast bonanza after the pregnancy reveal, instead of drawing Ellies fury in the game.

Obviously the ultra cringe "I'm gonna be a dad." Lmao.

If they're smart, they'll wrap this shit up in season 3, because if this draws out to a season 4, and ends the same way the game does, hoooly shit it'll be some kind of a record for wasting someone's time just to end with THAT.

The reaction compilations are going to be exquisite.

[Bowser]

Spoiler!

I was kind of annoyed Jesse went out like that after all the character buildup. Probably should have seen it coming.

[Bowser]

And at least two years for the next season?

Asking this as a non-game player....should I just go watch the complete cutscene cinematics to get a feel for what's on the way, or is it worth the wait?

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by Bowser

And at least two years for the next season?

Most likely. That’s how long it was between seasons 1-2.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Wallcrawler

Nah, I'm not supporting Neil Druckmann in any way.

This guy is King of the Wokes.

Neil Druckmann: And yeah, a lot of the misconception is like, oh, we're somehow sacrificing the story to win diversity points. And that's not how we work. Everything is in service of the story. Getting better diversity gives us better story, gives us fresher perspectives on conflict. And I hope once they play the game, they'll realize it.

[BWillie]

They should make season 3 ten or fifteen years into the future just so they can recast Ellie.

[Sassy Squatch]

Originally Posted by Bowser

And at least two years for the next season?

Asking this as a non-game player....should I just go watch the complete cutscene cinematics to get a feel for what's on the way, or is it worth the wait?

No, not worth the wait. Especially if they're actually dragging this out to 4 seasons, the payoff is absolutely not worth it unless they completely change it.