HBO has released a promotional video for their upcoming shows, featuring a spotlight on the highly anticipated adaptation of The Last of Us. The video includes footage of Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie, as well as a glimpse of the game’s terrifying Clickers. The series is being executive produced by Primetime Emmy winner Craig Mazin, creator of the miniseries Chernobyl, and the game’s creator Neil Druckmann, who also directed an episode.
So much to look forward to.
New originals, returning series, and more coming soon to @hbomax. pic.twitter.com/nGzWCz9grw
— HBO (@HBO) December 21, 2022
The ensemble cast for the series includes Gabriel Luna, Anna Torv, Nico Parker, Murray Bartlett, Nick Offerman, Melanie Lynskey, Storm Reid, Merle Dandridge, Jeffrey Pierce, Lamar Johnson, Keivonn Woodard, Graham Greene, and Elaine Miles. The original game’s stars Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker, who played Ellie and Joel in the video game, are also set to appear.
HBO Attempts to Overcome the Struggles of Video Game Adaptations with The Last of Us
Many video game adaptations have struggled to meet expectations. However, HBO is hoping to reverse this trend with its adaptation of The Last of Us.
The popular survival horror game, developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment, is known for its compelling characters, well-developed plot, and frightening encounters and these qualities should help it translate to the screen better than some other adaptations.
To increase the chances of success for the adaptation, HBO has enlisted the help of the creatives behind the original game, including writer and creative director Neil Druckmann as an executive producer and director Craig Mazin, known for his work on Chernobyl.
The network has also cast two actors with experience on HBO’s hit show Game of Thrones: Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie. Pascal, who played the charismatic Prince Oberyn, is expected to bring a dangerous, mysterious edge to his role as Joel in The Last of Us. Ramsey, who played the witty and brave Lyanna Mormont, is also a natural fit for the role of Ellie. Despite both featuring in the acclaimed series their characters never shared any screen time together.
The Last of Us: Overview of the Video Game and Upcoming TV Series
The Last of Us is a popular action-adventure survival horror video game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was released for the PlayStation 3 in 2013 and re-released for the PlayStation 4 in 2014. The game is set in a post-apocalyptic world where a fungus has turned much of the population into aggressive creatures known as the Infected.
In the game, the player controls Joel, a smuggler tasked with escorting a teenage girl named Ellie across the United States. As they journey across the country, they must navigate through dangerous territory and confront both the Infected and hostile human survivors. The game received widespread critical acclaim for its storytelling, character development, and gameplay.
The Last of Us has since spawned a sequel, The Last of Us Part II, released in 2020, as well as a multiplayer expansion, The Last of Us Part II: Factions. The franchise has also inspired a graphic novel.
Pedro Pascal, the actor who plays Joel in the upcoming adaptation of The Last of Us, has credited his co-star Bella Ramsey with helping him get into character. He said that their bond made the show easier to make and added that it was one of Ellie’s greatest achievements to make Joel laugh.
The show’s official full-length trailer was released earlier this month.
The actors previewed the highly anticipated drama with series creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann at CCXP, the Brazilian entertainment expo. The trailer revealed several characters who are not in the original video games, including Ashley Johnson as Anna, a pregnant woman on the run, and Troy Baker as James, a member of a group of settlers fighting to survive. The trailer also featured Graham Greene and Elaine Miles as Marlon and Florence, a married couple surviving in the wilderness of post-apocalyptic Wyoming.
In addition to the new characters, the trailer showcased one of the many zombie-like monsters that populate this world: a Bloater, a hulking creature from the games that tend to hurl toxins at its prey and explode upon impact.
The Last of Us television series is expected to follow the events of the original game, with Joel and Ellie’s journey across the United States as they confront both the Infected and hostile human survivors. It remains to be seen how closely the show will follow the plot of the game, but fans of the franchise can look forward to seeing the iconic characters and creatures brought to life on the small screen.
Fans of the franchise can look forward to seeing the iconic characters and creatures brought to life on the small screen when The Last of Us airs on HBO. The series is set to premiere on January 15th, with new episodes being released weekly. It will consist of a total of nine episodes, giving fans plenty of content to enjoy. The show will be available to stream on both HBO and HBO Max.
