The movie is a now a TV show
Mediums and pedigree are colliding over at HBO. Some of the best video game creators are working with some of the best television writers to make a series based on one of the most highly-acclaimed games ever.
As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, HBO has greenlit a television adaption of The Last of Us. It’s being written by Craig Mazin, who achieved fame recently for creating the award-winning HBO limited series Chernobyl. The Last of Us writer Neil Druckmann is also attached as a co-writer and executive producer.
Although this is new territory for the PlayStation Productions division of Sony Pictures Television, The Last of Us‘ TV series won’t take aim at any untold stories within the Cordyceps-ravaged America. It’ll simply tell the narrative from the original game, meaning that Joel and Ellie will be the two central characters. It’s said that a successful debut could lead to The Last of Us Part II being adapted for TV too, a second season so to speak.
The Last of Us as a TV series spells a merciful end to the saga of The Last of Us as a movie. Sony confirmed to IGN that the HBO series is replacing the film adaption that has been in development hell for years now.
This is PlayStation Productions’ first crack at television, but Sony plans for this to be a semi-regular thing for its most recognizable video game properties. Sony Pictures Television co-president Chris Parnell said “This is the first of many shows we intend to develop with our friends at PlayStation Productions.”
Although The Last of Us was only just announced, HBO confirms that it’s going to premiere “soon.”
‘The Last of Us’ Series in the Works at HBO From ‘Chernobyl’ Creator Craig Mazin, Neil Druckmann (Exclusive) [The Hollywood Reporter]
The Last of Us TV Show Will Replace the Film Adaption [IGN]
Look for the light. @clmazin and @Neil_Druckmann to develop the series adaptation of #TheLastOfUs, coming soon to HBO: https://t.co/z9c2h86EYw pic.twitter.com/AkT6fET4Im
— HBO (@HBO) March 5, 2020
