HBO’s newest, most anticipated endeavor is The Last of Us, a dystopian TV show that has been adapted from the incredibly popular videogame of the same name. It stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsay as the main protagonists who are trying to find a cure in the zombie-infected world.
The Last of Us’ premiere is only a few days away and the good news is that it has already gotten great reviews from critics, with a fantastic score of 97 on Rotten Tomatoes! If this has made you curious about the show, I’ve got your back with all the details you need to know ahead of its premiere.
So here’s everything you need to know about The Last of Us’ release, plot, characters, and more! Dig in!
1. Release & Where to Watch
The Last of Us will release on January 15 on HBO and HBO Max. It will have nine episodes in total, each that will air every consequent week. Besides this, The Last of Us won’t be available on any other streaming platform.
The runtime of the episodes on average is supposed to be 46-81 minutes, so you can expect these episodes to be quite lengthy!
The full schedule isn’t out yet, but here’s what you can expect:
| EP # | Title | Directed By | Release |
| 1 | When You’re Lost in the Darkness | Craig Mazin | Jan 15 |
| 2 | Infected | Neil Druckmann | Jan 22 |
| 3 | TBA | – | Jan 29 |
2. Plot
Co-creator Neil Druckmann has stated that the show will be a little different from the video games, however, the basic backdrop of the show should remain the same.
On those lines, you can expect to enter a world that has been plagued by a mutant fungus that turns people into the “Infected,” more commonly known as zombies. In the wake of this predicament, the North American continent has fallen under strict military rule.
Pedro Pascal’s Joel is a smuggler in this dystopian world and his latest task is to smuggle across Ellie to a rebel militia group called the Fireflies. Now the big catch is — Ellie is actually infected with the fungus but has not yet developed any symptoms. The Fireflies believe that she may be the key to the cure!
The Last of Us is going to be all about how Joel realizes how grave and dangerous his mission with Ellie is, especially because he only begrudgingly accepts her company, fully aware that she could turn into a zombie if all the theories are wrong. What’s also weighing on his mind is the trauma of his own daughter passing away an odd two decades ago.
Critics have already started raving about the high production value, the emotional beats, and Pascal and Bella Ramsay’s performances.
3. Characters
Taking the lead in The Last of Us will be Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsay as Ellie. Pascal is a veteran in big franchises, coming from roles like Oberyn Martell (GOT), Javier Peña (Narcos), and Boba Fett (The Mandalorian). You may recognize Ramsay from her breakout role as Lyanna Mormont from GOT. (So yes, this is a little bit of a GOT reunion!)
Here is a cast and characters guide to help you out.
| Character | Cast | Role |
| Joel | Pedro Pascal | A smuggler tasked to deliver Ellie to the Fireflies. |
| Ellie | Bella Ramsay | A teen who has been infected by the zombie virus but has resisted conversion. It is believed she may be the cure for the disease. |
| Tommy | Gabriel Luna | Joel’s younger brother and a former soldier. |
| Tess | Anna Torv | Joel’s partner in the smuggling business. |
| Marlene | Merle Dandridge | Leader of the Fireflies, a resistance group working against the military. It is believed they may also be working on a cure for the disease. |
PS: As I mentioned, the show will be diverging from the video game narrative a bit and as such, there are a few minor original characters created for the show as well. Keep a look out for them!
4. Trailer
We do have a full-length trailer out for The Last of Us! It does a stunning job of giving us a visual clue of what this dystopian world will look like and a lot of video game fans will agree that it does resemble the game!
You can also find more contextual cues for the different characters’ relationships, especially the way Joel initially treats Ellie, referring to her as “cargo.” Watch here:
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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