HBO’s ‘The Last of Us’: Cast, Plot, Trailer, and Everything We Know So Far
The Last of Us’ considered the finest video game of its time. Almost every aspect of the task has been nearly perfected. It pushed the Playstation 3 to its boundaries with top-notch animation and graphics realism brought to life by actors and motion capture professionals, rivaled only by L.A. Noir. A decade later, The Last of Us has only one sequel, which surpasses the original in every respect. Despite its sad characters and mundane but beautiful location, it is one of the most cherished storylines in video games. The series is perfectly suitable to film or television thanks to Neil Druckman’s cinematic direction and the cinematic presentation of the game’s violent battles. In reality, Sony announced a cinematic adaptation in 2014, with Druckman attached as the screenwriter and Sam Rami as the producer. It was never published; more on it below:
Fans finally receive a live-action adaption after years of anticipation. HBO confirmed a television adaptation of The Last of Us in November 2020. Druckman, writer and creative director for The Last of Us and The Last of Us II, is one of the show’s creators. He will collaborate with Craig Mazin (Chernobyl) on the project as a writer, executive producer, and director. Kantemir Balagov directed the pilot episode of the series (Beanpole). Two episodes are ascribed to Balagov, who is accompanied by Ali Abbasi (Border), Peter Hoar (The Defenders), and Jasmila Zbanic (Where Is Aida?). In addition to Druckman, various performers and Oscar-winning composer Gustavo Santaolalla joined the creation of the television series based on the video game.
What is the plot of The Last of Us?
The Last of Us is an action/horror post-apocalyptic drama. Twenty years have passed since a kind of cordyceps fungus infected humanity, transforming people who inhaled its deadly spores into animalistic, zombie-like afflicted. In the first game, the player assumes the role of Joel. Joel is a thug who lives in a quarantine zone in Boston, Massachusetts, which is one of the few areas of civilization still subject to martial control and intense surveillance. Joel and his companion, Tess, by multiple definitions, steal, deal, smuggle, and intimidate on a daily basis in order to maintain a comfortable level of living during the worst of times. They are coerced into smuggling Ellie out of the quarantine zone, and, as the official synopsis states, “what begins as a task quickly turns into a violent, devastating trip as they must traverse the United States and rely on each other for survival.”
While the program sounds quite similar to the game in terms of tone and plot, developer Neil Druckmann has made it clear that certain elements of the series may be different. Druckman explained in an interview with IGN how the show will be similar yet distinct. “HBO has been terrific about encouraging us to move away from intense action and focus more on interpersonal drama.” Some of my favorite episodes to date have departed significantly from the plot, and I cannot wait for the audience to see them,” he remarked. Sometimes, things are quite close. It’s amusing to see my lines from the games in HBO scripts, albeit they often diverge significantly for the better because we’re working with a different medium.”
Is a Trailer Available for The Last of Us?
Fans received their long-awaited first, albeit brief, peek at The Last of Us series at the conclusion of an HBO Max promotional film that aired on August 21, 2022, immediately prior to the series premiere of House of the Dragon.
A little over a month later, on September 26, the first full teaser was released online in celebration of The Last of Us Day, the day in the game that signifies when the virus outbreak reached critical mass. Set to the legendary Hank Williams & The Drifting Cowboys song “Alone and Forsaken,” the trailer contains very little dialogue, but the nearly two-minute teaser suggests that this adaptation will be true to the spirit of the video games.
Who are the characters in The Last of Us?
Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, has only ever known life in the quarantine zone under martial control. She is the courageous and daring girl who Joel and Tess are tasked with smuggling to The Fireflys, a human faction that operates autonomously from the remaining vestiges of the United States. Beginning with Ellie may seem like burying the lead, but Neil Druckman argued for her inclusion on the game’s cover by declaring, “This is her tale.” His involvement with the show shows that the transition from Playstation to television will not be drastic. Ashley Johnson voiced and portrayed her beautifully in both games, leaving enormous shoes for Ramsey to fill as a young actress. However, Ramsey will not be the only cast member playing a revered character.
Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian) plays the role of Joel. In The Last of Us, he reunites with another Game of Thrones star Bella Ramsey, although they never had screen time together. In and around the Boston quarantine zone, Joel is a former highwayman, a former father, a brother, and a kickass mover. Marlene, a contact with ties to The Fireflys and the quarantine zone, has hired him to transport Ellie to a rendezvous place where she would be handed over to The Fireflys. Troy Baker gave a fantastic performance as him in the games. With Joel and Ellie being one of the most adored gaming duos, Pascal has a lot to live up to. A glance of the protagonists in costume provides a view of the world as it is represented.
Anna Torv (Mindhunter) portrays Tess’s perspiration and grit in the show. Tess is an integral member of Joel’s criminal enterprise. She and Joel reluctantly accept the job of transporting Ellie out of Boston for Marlene’s benefit.
Merle Dandridge reprises her role as Marlene from the video games. Uncertain if the program will increase Marlene’s small but significant part, it’s a joy for fans to witness the actress make the transition from disc to screen.
Gabriel Luna (Terminator: Dark Fate) as Joel’s younger brother Tommy and Nico Parker (Dumbo) as Joel’s biological daughter Sarah round out Joel’s on-screen family.
Jeffrey Pierce, who provided the voice of Joel’s brother Tommy in the video games, has joined the cast as an original character. Murray Bartlett (The White Lotus) and Con O’Neill (Chernobyl) have been cast as Bill, a suburban survivalist, and Frank, Bill’s partner. Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation) was later confirmed to have replaced O’Neill in the role of Frank. Riley Abel, Ellie’s best friend and subsequent love interest, first featured in the DLC expansion of the video game The Last of Us: Left Behind. Storm Reid (Euphoria) was announced to play Riley Abel.
Lamar Johnson (The Hate U Give) will play Henry, Keivonn Woodard (a newcomer) will play Sam, Graham Greene (The Green Mile) will play Marlon, Elaine Miles (Northern Exposure) will play Florence, and Melanie Lynskey (Yellowjackets) will play Kathleen.
Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson have both been confirmed to have unspecified cameo appearances in the series. In addition, Rutina Wesley (True Blood) and Brad Leland (Friday Night Lights) have been cast in unknown roles. Neil Druckmann confirmed that the character Maria will also appear in the series, however it is still unknown who will portray her.
How Many Episodes Will There Be of The Last of Us?
The first season will consist of nine unspecified-length episodes. The show is already projected to be one of the most expensive television programs ever produced. Initial reports predict that the episode’s budget will exceed $10 million. Appropriately, the drama shares cast members with another of television’s most expensive series, Game of Thrones.
When/where will The Last of Us be accessible for viewing?
The Last of Us is an HBO production. It is logical to presume that an HBO membership through cable or their streaming platform, HBO Max, will allow access to the post-apocalyptic drama for which fans are constantly demanding. And with a budget estimated to exceed $100 million, it will require as many viewers as possible.
The filming of the first episode of the series concluded in August, and production is slated to conclude in the summer of 2022. The series will debut on HBO and HBO Max on January 15, 2022, at 9:00 PM ET/PT. In less than two months, fans will be able to see their favorite video game characters come to life in an entirely new way.
