The Last of Us, a series based on the popular horror-survival video game of the same name, is finally happening! It’s been a good nine years since a movie based on the video game was announced, but it never happened. Since then, fans have been waiting for something to come up. Well, don’t worry, because there’s finally some good news.
For the uninitiated, The Last of Us is a 2013 video game set in 2033, which is 20 years after most of the world’s population has been decimated by a fungal infection. In other words, the game is set in a post-apocalyptic universe. In the world of the game, the remaining victims of the infection have turned feral and insane.
The victims have destroyed their eyes, forcing them to use echolocation to find people and rip their throats. The show has been set in a similar post-apocalyptic universe, focusing on a teenager named Ellie from the game itself.
Here’s everything you need to know about The Last of Us before it premieres on HBO Max.
1. What is the game about?
The game is in two parts: The Last of Us and The Last of Us: Part II, set five years after the first game. There’s also a prequel, called The Last of Us: Left Behind, focusing on Ellie and set before the events of the first game.
The show will most likely borrow elements from all three games. But in case you’re interested in playing the game or checking out how it works, here’s what we know about the original video game.
The Last of Us follows a tough guy survivor, Joel Miller, who is hired to escort a teenager named Ellie through the wastelands to some doctors. These doctors believe that Ellie could be the cure to the pandemic. The two travel through what used to be Boston and what’s left of Salt Lake City to reach their destination.
As in any post-apocalyptic game, they face various obstacles on the way, like infected people trying to rip off their throats, a gang of cannibals, and a giraffe who escaped from the zoo. The upcoming series will mostly follow the events of the first game, but as I said, they might incorporate things from the second game as well.
However, the makers also said that they will try to change certain incidents from the original game to make it more interesting and appeal to newbies and gaming veterans alike. Series writer and co-creator, Craig Mazin, explained these changes quite well.
So the changes that we’re making are designed to fill things out and expand. Not to undo, but rather to enhance. It’s not like we just decided, ‘Well, wouldn’t it be cool if there’s one episode where Joel and Ellie get on motorcycles and confront a motorcycle gang?’ There’s no episodic nonsense here. The things that are new and enhancing of the storyline that we’re doing are connected in organic, serious ways that I think fans of the game and newcomers alike will appreciate.”
Craig Mazin
But this does not mean that the show will largely divert from the game. Both the trailer and the teaser confirm that the show will stick to following the game and take several cues from it. Some moments even look similar to scenes from the game. They even follow similar camera angles.
2. What to expect from the show?
Now that we know all about the game, it’s time to figure out what exactly the series will be about. The show will have quite an interesting plot, though I can’t say the post-apocalyptic world trope hasn’t been done too much already.
Just like the game, The Last of Us will follow the journey of a smuggler named Joel who has been chosen to escort a teenager, Ellie, to a group of doctors. The first season will trace their journey through a post-apocalyptic United States.
The show will also delve deeper into the characters of Joel and Ellie. Joel is tormented by past traumas and has been assigned to perform a very crucial task. Ellie is a quarantined teenager who now has to travel through a post-apocalyptic world to reach her destination. The show will also explore the bond between Joel and Ellie and how they overcome every difficulty together.
Fourteen-year-old Ellie is immune to the Cordyceps brain infection, which makes her an important asset to the doctors, who want to find a cure for the plague. Ellie also has her own issues to deal with, such as anger and the need to belong.
3. Who is starring in The Last of Us?
The cast includes Pedro Pascal as Joel Miller and Bella Ramsey as Ellie. Gabriel Luna will be playing Joel’s younger brother, Tommy. Anna Torv will be starring as Tess, Joel’s smuggling partner.
Other actors slated to appear in the show include Storm Reid as Ellie’s friend Riley and Melanie Lynskey as a new character Kathleen who leads a revolutionary group out of Kansas City. Graham Green will be playing another new character, Marlon, who lives with his wife, Florence, in the wilds of Wyoming.
A number of voice actors from The Last of Us game will also be starring in the series. Troy Baker, who voiced Joel, and Ashley Johnson, who voiced Ellie, will both star in the show, though their roles have not yet been revealed.
Moreover, Jeffrey Pierce, the voice behind Tommy, will have a recurring role as Perry, a new character in the series. Merle Dandridge, who voiced Marlene in the game, will reprise her role in the show.
The show is created by Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin. Druckmann himself wrote and directed the game. The original game composer Gustavo Santaolalla will compose the score for the show, and Kantemir Balagov has been roped in to direct the pilot episode.
4. When will The Last of Us premiere?
The first season of The Last of Us, consisting of ten episodes, will premiere sometime in 2023. However, no official release date has been announced. In the meantime, if you love video games, definitely check out the original games and jump into them before the show reveals the story to you.
5. About The Last Of Us
The Last of Us is an HBO TV series adaptation of the award-winning video game of the same name originally developed by Naughty Dog.
It is set in 2033, as a fungal infestation plagues humans, turning them feral and blind before finally finishing them off. The series follows Joel’s journey to escort an immune 14-year-old Ellie to the Fireflies, who hope to study her to procure a vaccine.
The cast comprises Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, both famed for their roles in Games of Thrones, along with Gabriel Luna, Merle Dandridge, and Nico Parker. The show was renewed for season 2.
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