HBO has officially pressed “Play” on a live-action adaptation of the hit video game The Last of Us. News of its development was announced back in the spring, but HBO finally came through with a series order for the adaptation from Chernobyl creator Craig Mazin and Naughty Dog game developer Neil Druckmann. The Last of Us focuses on survivors Joel and Ellie as they navigate a post-apocalyptic America that’s been ravaged by a zombie pandemic.
“Craig and Neil are visionaries in a league of their own,” HBO Executive Vice President Francesca Orsi said in a statement. “With them at the helm alongside the incomparable Carolyn Strauss, this series is sure to resonate with both die-hard fans of ‘The Last of Us’ games and newcomers to this genre-defining saga. We’re delighted to partner with Naughty Dog, Word Games, Sony and PlayStation to adapt this epic, powerfully immersive story.”
While talks have centered solely on adapting the first game, its 2020 sequel The Last of Us: Part II was a critical and commercial hit, which should prove fertile ground for future seasons of the HBO zombie series.
Here’s the official synopsis:
Based on the critically acclaimed video game “The Last of Us,” developed by Naughty Dog exclusively for the PlayStation® platforms, the story takes place twenty years after modern civilization has been destroyed. Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal, heartbreaking journey, as they both must traverse across the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.
The Last of Us will also be available to stream on HBO Max.