If a sequel just wasn't enough, albeit a tad bit delayed, The Last of Us fans will get an ample serving of their Cordyceps-infected world with an HBO original series. The series comes from the acclaimed writer and creator of Chernobyl, co-written alongside Neil Druckmann. It will bring the post-apocalyptic 2013 game to dreary life on the small screen.
The news comes from an exclusive with The Hollywood Reporter, which quotes Craig Mazin - a self-professed fan.
"Neil Druckmann is without question the finest storyteller working in the video game medium, and The Last of Us is his magnum opus. Getting a chance to adapt this breathtaking work of art has been a dream of mine for years, and I'm so honored to do it in partnership with Neil."
Mazin's dark and spellbinding work on Chernobyl is proof alone that he is more than capable of bringing The Last of Us to life. Already dark and menacing in its own right, add only the soft yet very close sounds of those terrifying Clickers and you have a recipe for a chilling, atmospheric show.
Druckmann says it best himself in that same exclusive: "With Chernobyl, Craig and HBO created a tense, harrowing, emotional masterpiece. I couldn't think of better partners to bring the story of The Last of Us to life as a television show."
In a vastly different interview with Lessons From the Screenplay, Druckmann dives deep into the narrative nuances and underlying choices made in development in order to give this amazing game such impact, depth and realism still unmatched in the industry. One of the biggest takeaways is how Druckmann infused The Last of Us with emotional beats told through interesting interactive stops in gameplay. Relying on Ellie in certain moments throughout the game in order to move onward is a creative way of building character, and will be even more interesting to experience on the TV screen.
Even beyond that, with a sequel debuting May 29 and a standalone multiplayer thing on the near-horizon, The Last of Us isn't dying anytime soon.