Naughty Dog made video game history in 2013 with the release of their post-apocalyptic action-adventure epic, The Last of Us. Starring Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson, the game was a triumph of narrative storytelling, where the human drama was just as if not more compelling than the gameplay itself. The story follows Joel and Ellie, two survivors of a catastrophic outbreak that infects humans and turns them into horrifying creatures.
Tapping into the culture's love for post-apocalyptic zombie tales and the like, The Last of Us was met with critical acclaim, huge sales, and a passionate fanbase that continues on to this day. A remastered version, a direct sequel, and a full-on remake have all followed in the wake of the 2013 original, adding to its already strong legacy. Next up? A television series from the leaders of compelling television drama: HBO.
A big screen adaptation for the game was in development for several years before falling apart, but a series honestly seems like the better way to go for this particular story. Neil Druckmann, who wrote and directed the original game, is directly involved with the project in a big way, both executive producing and writing every episode alongside Craig Mazin (Chernobyl). Filmed in Alberta, it has become the largest television production in Canadian history. It's also the first ever series from PlayStation Productions, whose first film, the big screen adaptation of Uncharted, was released earlier this year.
The first season will consist of ten episodes and will star the Mandalorian himself, Pedro Pascal, as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie. Gabriel Luna will star as Joel's younger brother Tommy, Anna Torv stars as Tess, Joel's smuggling partner, and Merle Dandridge reprises her role from the game as Marlene. Other members of the cast include Nick Offerman, Murray Bartlett, Storm Reid, Jeffrey Pierce, and Nico Parker. Composer Gustavo Santaolalla is also returning to the franchise to score the series.
Check out the teaser trailer below, which sets the tone, gives us a solid first look at the world and its characters, and of course gets fans properly hype leading up to its premiere sometime next year.
