The filming of The Last of Us in Calgary, Alberta, has been completed, putting the programme on pace to premiere in 2023. Even while HBO hasn’t given us a specific release date for the series, which is based on Naughty Dog’s video game of the same name, we’re getting plenty of information in the meantime. Listed below is all we know about the show’s cast and crew, as well as a possible TV adaptation of the story. No trailer has been released yet, but we’ve seen plenty of behind-the-scenes photographs and videos, including one that shows Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and Joel (Pedro Pascal) in action.
This gives us a nice idea of what to anticipate from the finished film. So, to catch up with the rest of us here’s everything we know so far about the upcoming TV series The Last of Us. According to HBO, The Last of Us will premiere in 2023. HBO has now stated that we shouldn’t expect to see The Last of Us on our screens until 2023, even if we don’t have a precise release date just yet.
“While filming in Canada, the show will not air in 2022. I think you’ll see it in ’23, at the earliest “Casey Bloys, HBO Max’s chief content officer, said at the time. Despite prior director posts and other rumours pointing to a 2022 release date, this is still the case. For the 1st time since April of 2021, the filming has finished in Canada following a 13-month production that transformed Calgary, Alberta, into a dystopian nightmare. This still puts the release date for 2023 on track.
“Enhanced” version of The Last of Us TV show story: but will it include elements from both games?
HBO has so far only released a summary of the show: “The tale begins 20 years after the collapse of contemporary civilisation. Ellie, a 14-year-old trapped in a harsh quarantine zone, has been paid by Joel, a tough survivor, to smuggle her out of the area. To begin with, it appears to be an easy task, but it soon turns into a gruelling and heartbreaking journey across the United States.” The series would “follow the events of the original game… with the prospect of extra content based on the impending game sequel [The Last of Us 2],” according to a report from The Hollywood Reporter(opens in new tab) in March 2020.
Even if this isn’t going to be a short-lived miniseries like Chernobyl, another source from the newspaper says that “future seasons” are possible. HBO’s new series, The Last of Us, may also pique the interest of those who loved the sequel, The Last of Us 2. Ten episodes will be shown in the first season. The first season may or may not cover the totality of the events in the first game. “The adjustments that we’re doing are aimed to flesh things out and grow, not to undo, but rather to enrich,” says co-creator Craig Mazin. It was also mentioned that the TV series will have a scene that we won’t see in the games.
So, how do you transform one of the world’s most cherished games? Probably with caution. In an interview with EW, the creative director of The Last of Us, Neil Druckmann, discussed the difficulties of adapting the game’s plot to HBO. “Determine how a TV show conveys its message or tells a story. How can you make the tale stand out in this new medium when the interactivity has been removed? To me, it’s a fascinating task with a great deal to learn. As soon as I heard that [Craig Mazin] had some ideas about how to adapt the programme, I was intrigued. With all of HBO’s entertainment available under the same roof, this was a no-brainer decision.” There is no doubt in Troy Baker, the actor who portrays Joel in both The Last of Us and its sequel, about how well the tale adaption works.
It’s the fact that a lot of people from Hollywood saw The Last of Us’ popularity and thought, “Oh, a lot of people enjoy this – we should convert it into a movie,” that inspires me most about the HBO show, Baker tells Fandom(opens in new tab). It’s all he wants people to know about this.
Who plays Joel and Ellie in The Last of Us?
With Pedro Pascal, better known as “TV’s Favorite Dad,” taking on the starring role of Joel in The Last of Us TV series, the game’s Joel actor, Troy Baker, has offered his mark of approval. “THE WAY TO DO IT. Totally on board. There will be no more words. Pedro, I can’t wait to see a side of Joel that I’ve never seen before “Instagram is where he shared his thoughts. But don’t worry, he has a valid reason for not playing video games. “I was blown away by Joel’s performance — the whole thing was a visual treat. Hence, I began to worry that I could want to emulate too much, which I believe could be appropriate in some situations, but could also be a mistake in other cases. So my goal was to keep a healthy gap between myself and the show’s co-writers, Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, and leave the game’s direction in their capable hands.”
Bella Ramsey, a Game of Thrones star, will play Ellie in Pascal’s new show. Ramsey has previously demonstrated her ability to play a tough, assertive, and show-stealing figure with her portrayal of Lady Lyanna Mormont in Game of Thrones. Tommy, the younger brother of Joel, will be played by Gabriel Luna. Luna has previously appeared in Terminator: Dark Fate, True Detective, and Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD, among other projects. Originally on board will be Merle Dandridge, who will reprise her role as commander Marlene of The Fireflies, a position she also performed in the game. Joel and Ellie meet because of Marlene’s efforts.
Sarah, Joel’s daughter, will be played by Nico Parker. Milly Farrier in Tim Burton’s Dumbo remake was Parker’s breakout performance. As Ellie (not that Ellie), she appeared in three episodes of the upcoming 2020 HBO series The Third Day. Due to a conflict in schedules, Con O’Neill will be replaced by Nick Offerman as Bill, and Murray Bartlett will portray Frank. “Post-pandemic survivalists living alone in their own remote town” is how Deadline(opens in new tab) describes the duo. Perry will be voiced by Jeffrey Pierce, the guy who voiced Tommy in the video games.
It has been announced that Anna Torv would portray Joel, Ellie’s best friend and fellow smuggler who helped Joel and Ellie travel to the Fireflies. The character of Tess will appear in several episodes as she is a recurrent one. It’s possible that Storm Reid may portray Riley, a character from the Left Behind DLC, in the show. Brad Leland will take on the role of Mr Adler, a mystery individual. Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson, Joel and Ellie’s game actors, will also appear in unspecified roles.
For the rest of the jobs, you can check out what Neil Druckmann has to say about them on Twitter. One of the WLF members and one of the key characters in The Last of Us 2 (minor spoilers for the sequel) named Abby, as well as Maria, are there. In addition to the actors and director, there is a particular composer. Just like the past two games, Gustavo Santaolalla will be composing the soundtrack for the HBO series. In addition to Jasmila bani, Kantemir Balagov, and Ali Abbasi, there are numerous more directors on board. A production listing informs us that Neil Druckmann will also be directing an episode.