‘The Last of Us’ Video Game Director Will Direct HBO Series
The HBO adaptation of The Last of Us is currently filming in Canada, and much of the production has been kept under wraps. However, it was recently revealed that an episode of the show will be directed by Neil Druckmann, who served as director alongside Bruce Straley on the original PlayStation game.
According to the Director's Guild of Canada production list, Druckmann will also add directing to his writing and executive producing duties. Druckmann’s name appears under the “Director” section, along with Craig Mazin, Jasmila Zbanic, Peter Hoar, and Kantemir Bagalov, who will direct the pilot episode. Production on the series began in July of this year, and is slated to continue until June of 2022. Original game composer Gustavo Santaolalla is returning to write the TV series’ score.
The Last of Us was developed by Naughty Dog and released by Sony Computer Entertainment in 2013. It follows Joel, a smuggler who must escort a teenage girl named Ellie across a zombie-ravaged, post-apocalyptic United States. The game became a best-seller and racked up several accolades, with critics praising its complex narrative and fleshed out characterization. A sequel, The Last of Us Part II, was released in June 2020.
HBO's new series will star Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian) as Joel and Bella Ramsey (Game of Thrones) as Ellie. Joel’s younger brother and soldier Tommy will be portrayed by Gabriel Luna (Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.). It is the first HBO series to be based off a video game, and the largest television production in Canadian history.
With such a seasoned cast and multiple returning creative team members, The Last of Us is shaping up to be one of HBO's most anticipated series to date. While you can replay both games any time, the new TV adaptation is expected to arrive sometime in 2022.