One of the most highly anticipated shows of the year is just days away, as The Last of Us finally comes to screens. The series – based on the critically acclaimed 2013 game of the same name – has been adapted for TV by HBO and is set to launch on Sky and Now later this month.
The nine-episode series is created, written and co-executive produced by Chernobyl showrunner Craig Mazin and the game’s writer and creative director Neil Druckmann, and is expected to be one of 2023’s biggest TV events. According to reports in The New Yorker, the show has a bigger budget than the first five seasons of Game of Thrones, so HBO clearly believe they have a winner on their hands.
Many video game adaptations fall foul of what has become known as the ‘video game curse’, where a widely successful game fails to translate to the screen – think Resident Evil, Tomb Raider or Assassin’s Creed. It appears the team behind The Last of Us may have broken the curse, as the first reviews for the show have started to flood in – and they’re incredibly promising.
The game itself has been lauded as one of the best ever – it became one of the highest selling games of all time and has received countless year-end accolades including several Game of the Year awards. Now, as critics around the world feast their eyes on its TV adaptation, it seems HBO may have pulled off yet another smash it.
BBC described The Last of Us as “the best video game adaptation ever made,” while The Telegraph similarly called it “the greatest video game adaptation ever made.” IGN credited its success to “phenomenal lead performances and a beautifully executed vision,” while The Independent praised its “stunning design” and cited it as “a new landmark in the seemingly impossible task of adapting video games”.
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The series is said to faithfully follow the game’s narrative, with many scenes offering shot-for-shot adaptations of the source material. With this in mind, The Last of Us promises to be a hit for both fans of, and newcomers to, The Last of Us franchise.
What is it about?
The Last of Us takes place twenty years after modern civilization has been destroyed by an outbreak of a mutated fungus. Hardened survivor Joel is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone and traverse a dangerous, post-apocalyptic United States.
What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal, heartbreaking journey, as they depend on each other for survival while coming face to face with violent cannibalistic creatures and equally dangerous and desperate survivors.
Who are the cast?
The Last of Us is fronted by Chilean-American actor Pedro Pascal, who stars as the world-weary Joel. Pascal has become a widely popular star of the big and small screen in recent years after starring in several hit shows and movies.
He is best-known for his head-crushing performance as Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones, the man behind the mask in Star Wars spin-off The Mandalorian, and as Pablo Escobar hunter Javier Peña in Narcos. His big screen performances include Wonder Woman 1984 and Kingsman: The Golden Circle.
Starring alongside him as the teenage Ellie is another Thrones alumnus in the form of 19-year-old Bella Ramsey. The British actress gained attention for her scene-stealing turn as the of head of House Mormont and eventual ally to Jon Snow, Lyanna Mormont – her first credited role.
Since her time in Westeros, Ramsey has appeared in BBC’s His Dark Materials and CBBC’s The Worst Witch, the latter of which saw her awarded the BAFTA for Best Young Performer in 2019. Rounding off the cast is Mindhunter star Anna Torv as Joel’s smuggling partner Tess, Terminator: Dark Fate actor Gabriel Luna as Joel’s brother Tommy, and American actress and singer Merle Dandridge, who reprises her role from the games as Marlene, the head of resistance group the Fireflies.
Also appearing are Parks and Recreation star Nick Offerman and original Joel and Ellie voice actors Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson.
When is The Last of Us released?
Episode one of The Last of Us will air on Sky Atlantic and Now on Monday, January 16 at 9pm, with subsequent episodes released weekly.
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