‘The Last of Us’ series under way at HBO with ‘Chernobyl’ creator

It has been 7 years since ‘The Last of Us’ took us on an emotional roller coaster. Many critics regard it as one of the greatest video games of all time. Neil Druckmann at Naughty Dog really hit a jackpot with this game, but there is much more to come! Apart from a sequel to the game, a TV series is in production over at HBO. And the television network giants are teaming up with ‘Chernobyl’ creator Craig Mazin to bring the video game to our tv screens. Here is what we know!

HBO’s big announcement

Yesterday, HBO announced through a tweet about ‘The Last of Us’ series being in the pipeline.

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

Moreover, Craig Mazin will team up with the writer and director of the game, Neil Druckmann. This sounds like a match made in heaven for anyone who is a fan of ‘Chernobyl’ and the game. The TV show received massive appreciation from people across the globe, including George R.R. Martin, who tweeted:

Binge-watched @HBO's CHERNOBYL. Terrifying, exciting, heartbreaking. If this one does not win a truckload of Emmys, there is no justice in Hollywood. And special shout out to the talented @JaredHarris for his amazing performance … pic.twitter.com/07hxV0loj9

— George RR Martin (@GRRMspeaking) June 25, 2019

Furthermore, Craig Mazin seems like the perfect person to adapt this iconic video game into a TV series. No video game has ever been adapted into a good film, let alone a TV show. He is an eager player of ‘The Last of Us’ and admires Neil Druckmann’s work, saying:

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.

Neil has also said some very kind words about Craig, stating:

From the first time I sat down to talk with Craig I was equally blown away by his approach to narrative and his love and deep understanding of The Last of Us. 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.

This is what we know about the series for now. So, how great was this game after all? Let’s take a look!

Remembering ‘The Last of Us’

This game requires no introduction to any person who has played on a Sony console in their life. It is the 3rd highest-rated game for PS4 on Metacritic, barely falling behind ‘Grand Theft Auto V’ and ‘Red Dead Redemption 2’. Moreover, the critical reception it got was mindblowing, with 68 positive critic reviews on Metacritic. David Houghton over at GamesRadar described in his review as:

This is no mere action game you’re reading about. It isn’t even ‘just’ a very good one. It’s a bona fide, genre-defining, once-or-twice-a-generation Big Deal; the game Naughty Dog has always threatened to make but never really delivered.

The plot

The story of ‘The Last of Us’ is just as important as the game itself. It revolves around two characters, in a post-zombie-apocalyptic world. Joel, a veteran survivor, is hired to smuggle a 14-year-old girl, Ellie, who is key to finding a cure to this deadly virus that has destroyed the world. The story is incredibly immersive and takes us on an emotional ride unparalleled by any other game.

In conclusion, we can say that we have big hopes for this series. HBO has a track record for producing some iconic shows that rarely anyone can match in quality. Plus, with Craig Mazin at the helm along with Nick Duckermann, we can have our hopes up for this series.