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The Last of Us is an American post-apocalyptic drama television series created and written by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann for HBO. Based on the 2013 video game of the same name, developed by Naughty Dog, the series follows Joel (Pedro Pascal), a smuggler tasked with escorting Ellie (Bella Ramsey), a teenage girl, across a post-apocalyptic United States, and Joel's younger brother and former militiaman, Tommy (Gabriel Luna).

A joint production by Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions, Naughty Dog, The Mighty Mint, and Word Games, the series was filmed from July 2021 to June 2022 throughout Alberta. The first season adapts the events of the first game and premiered on January 15, 2023.[2] Some dialogue was lifted directly, but some episodes "deviate greatly" from the game.[13] It consists of nine episodes.[2] Gustavo Santaolalla returned to compose the score, reprising his role from the game.

An official companion podcast hosted by Troy Baker aired alongside the series.[14] On January 27, 2023, it was announced that HBO has renewed the series for a second season, set to premiere in 2025,[15][16] sometime between March and May.[17]

Cast and characters[]

Main cast

Recurring cast

Guest cast

Plot[]

The Last of Us takes place in a post-pandemic United States, 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed by an outbreak of the Cordyceps brain infection, which turns its human hosts into aggressive creatures, in the year 2003. Since the outbreak, the Federal Disaster Response Agency (FEDRA) have turned cities into quarantine zones where people serve under their tyrannical regimes for guaranteed protection from infected humans and the Cordyceps. These quarantine zones across the nation are placed under martial law one by one. A militia group known as the Fireflies has developed to oppose FEDRA, in order to restore freedom and democracy, while looking to find a cure for Cordyceps.

The series follows a smuggler named Joel Miller, a teenage girl named Ellie Williams, who is immune to Cordyceps, and Joel's younger brother and former militiaman, Tommy Miller, as well as a skilled soldier named Abby Anderson.

Season overview[]

Season Episodes Originally aired
Premiere Finale
1 9 January 15, 2023 March 12, 2023
2 7[12] 2025[16] TBA

Episodes[]

Season 1[]

No. Title Directed by Written by Original air date U.S. viewers (millions)
1 "When You're Lost in the Darkness" Craig Mazin Craig Mazin & Neil Druckmann January 15, 2023 4.7[41][42]
2 "Infected" Neil Druckmann Craig Mazin January 22, 2023 5.7[43]
3 "Long, Long Time" Peter Hoar Craig Mazin January 29, 2023 6.4[44]
4 "Please Hold to My Hand" Jeremy Webb Craig Mazin February 5, 2023 7.5[44]
5 "Endure and Survive" Jeremy Webb Craig Mazin February 10, 2023 (HBO Max)
February 12, 2023 (HBO)
11.6[45]
6 "Kin" Jasmila Žbanić Craig Mazin February 19, 2023 7.8[46]
7 "Left Behind" Liza Johnson Neil Druckmann February 26, 2023 7.7[47]
8 "When We Are in Need" Ali Abbasi Craig Mazin March 5, 2023 8.1[48]
9 "Look for the Light" Ali Abbasi Craig Mazin & Neil Druckmann March 12, 2023 8.2[49]

Season 2[]

No. Title Directed by Written by Original air date U.S. viewers (millions)
1 TBA Mark Mylod[50] TBA 2025[16] TBD
2 TBA Mark Mylod TBA TBA TBD
3 TBA TBA TBA TBA TBD
4 TBA TBA TBA TBA TBD
5 TBA TBA TBA TBA TBD
6 TBA TBA TBA TBA TBD
7 TBA TBA TBA TBA TBD

Production[]

Development[]

After the film adaptation for The Last of Us entered development hell for six years and subsequently cancelled, a new television series for HBO was announced on March 6, 2020. Craig Mazin, the creator of acclaimed HBO limited series Chernobyl, and Neil Druckmann, writer and creative director of the game, will executive produce the series. Evan Wells, president of Naughty Dog, and Carolyn Strauss will also be executive producers. Sony Pictures Television will co-produce the series in association with PlayStation Productions.[1] After the initial attempt at a film adaptation was dropped, the possibility of adapting the story as an animated series was considered.[51]

On March 12, 2020, Druckmann announced on Twitter that The Last of Us veteran Gustavo Santaolalla will return to write the music for the series.[8] In January 2021, the Mighty Mint joined production, and Kantemir Balagov was announced as the pilot episode's director.[52] He had been interested in adapting the game for years and was set to direct several opening episodes.[53] However, by October 2022, Balagov said he left the project a year prior due to creative differences.[54] Rose Lam was added as executive producer in February 2021.[22] Pre-production in Calgary, Alberta, began on March 15; with Mazin arriving in May 2021.[55] Ali Abbasi and Jasmila Žbanić were announced as directors in April.[56] On June 3, 2021, Eben Bolter announced that he will serve as the director of photography for the series.[57] In July 2021, the Directors Guild of Canada revealed Peter Hoar was assigned to direct, followed in August by Mazin, then in September by Druckmann[58] Lastly, in January 2022 by Liza Johnson and Jeremy Webb.

In February, Druckmann confirmed he directed an episode and felt his experience reinforced and reflected his experience in directing games.[59] After several months traveling between Calgary and Los Angeles, Druckmann struggled to fulfil obligations at Naughty Dog and returned home to advise remotely, feeling confident in Mazin.[60]

The Last of Us is believed to be the largest television production in Canadian history, expected to generate over CA$200 million in revenue for Alberta.[61][62] Calgary film officials felt the production team chose Alberta for production partly due to the government's 2021 decision to remove its tax credit cap of CA$10 million per project. Canadian artists union IATSE 212 claimed the production led to a 30 percent increase in union membership and employment.[63] Mazin said the first season would consist of ten episodes in July 2021,[64] but were reduced to nine by November 2022.[65] However, the first two days were subsequently combined after HBO executives felt the first would not compel viewers to return.[66] The production team included five art directors and hundreds of technicians.[67] The game's art director, concept artists, and environment artists provided feedback on the costumes and sets.[68]

Production designer John Paino referenced the video game but focused more on the references used by Naughty Dog during development. He created an image collage which included a photograph of reassembled chairs, which Mazin considered the show's mandate: "the built world is unbuilt and rebuilt".[69] Paul Becker choreographed the series,[70] and Barrie Gower was the prosthetics designer, responsible for the designs of the Infected.[71] Elastic created the show's title sequence; Mazin enjoyed the idea of the fungus appearing beautiful despite its destructive nature.[72] Visual effects studio DNEG are involved with the series.[73]

On March 14, 2023, it was announced by HBO, that the first season will be available to purchase Digitally on April 11, 2023 while the 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD will be available on July 18, 2023 to purchase online and in-store. Special features on the Digital version include various featurettes to give fans a look into the behind-the-scenes making and insight of actors, creators, and experts. Starting with The Last of Us: Stranger Than Fiction, is a featurette for people who have been wondering about the likelihood of a fungus creating the post-apocalyptic disaster. The cast and filmmakers speak to experts in survival, microbiology, and parasitology for a discussion on the realities of the invasive fungus and subsequent apocalypse. Another featurette, Controllers Down will be focused on adapting The Last of Us from console to screen, as cast and filmmakers take us inside the process of expanding the world and the game’s beloved characters. From Levels to Live Action will showcase how the series incorporated and expanded fan-favorite game moments in the series.[74]

Casting[]

On February 10, 2021, it was reported that Bella Ramsey was cast as Ellie in the series.[3] Pedro Pascal was also cast as the series' Joel.[18] The pair had already starred together in HBO's Game of Thrones, though this will be the first time they will share scenes together.[3] On April 15, 2021, it was reported that Gabriel Luna was cast as Tommy in the series.[22] On May 27, 2021, it was reported that Merle Dandridge was cast as Marlene in the series, reprising her role from the game.[23] On June 30, 2021, Deadline reported that Nico Parker was cast as Sarah in the series.[25] On July 15, 2021, Deadline reported that Jeffrey Pierce, Murray Bartlett, and Con O'Neill had joined the cast of the series.[32] However, Nick Offerman would later be recasted as Bill due to scheduling conflicts.[33] On July 22, 2021, Deadline reported that Anna Torv was cast as Tess.[21] Deadline officially reported on January 14, 2022, that Storm Reid, best known for her performance on HBO's Euphoria, was cast as Riley.[31] During Summer Games Fest 2022, Naughty Dog announced that Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson, who portray Joel and Ellie in the video games respectively, would join the cast in unspecified "major roles".[37]

On February 27, 2023, during a recent interview, Jeffrey Pierce – who played Joel’s brother Tommy Miller in the video game and appeared as revolutionary rebel Perry in the TV adaptation, opened up about the early stages of the HBO series’ development. When asked about whether he was in the pipeline to play Tommy again for the TV show, he recalled the ‘talks’ that were had with Mahershala Ali about him supposedly taking on the lead role of Joel.[75] On March 5,2023, Baker mentioned how he thought he was gonna get a walk-on role, but then he got the script, and realized that there was substance to his character.[76]

Filming[]

On April 2, 2021, it was reported that series is scheduled to start filming on July 5, 2021, and expected to wrap by June 8, 2022, in Calgary, Canada.[77] Reportedly, the word "zombie" was banned from use on the set.[78]

On March 6, 2023, Ramsey particularly praised the "gay army" of supporters for standing up for their character Ellie and the entire series in general. They said that, "I had an oath with Craig Mazin [The Last of Us series creator] that I wasn't going to look at comments, and I feel like I've slightly dramatically blown open that oath the last couple of weeks. I'm very aware that there's a gay army who are on Twitter who are just supporting me and Ellie, and it's like they're so much louder than any people who still hate it, or hate the show, the homophobic trolls, whatever. And it's just like that feels nice to just have that army behind me. That's been a reaction that I've really enjoyed."[79] Also on this day, it was revealed that the show’s eighth episode has now delivered the series’ highest viewership so far this season with 8.1 million viewers on Sunday night.[80]

On March 12, 2023, it was announced that the season 1 finale had a 43-minute runtime.[81] Also, in the season finale, the giraffe was actually real and not CGI. Their name is Nabo and Bella Ramsey called working with the giraffe a "spiritual experience." The episode's locations manager Matt Palmer said, "You can create a giraffe in visual effects, but it's just not the same."[82]

On March 13, 2023, the HBO drama's first six episodes received a bigger audience than the Game of Thrones prequel, and Sunday's finale hit a premiere night high.[83]

In the Season 1 finale episode, "Look for the Light," series co-creator Craig Mazin revealed to GQ that there was a longer and sadder final scene between Joel and Ellie. In the alternate ending, the duo is walking back to Jackson, but there is a clear and quiet divide between them. Joel promises Ellie that they will find something else to fight for, and she simply says “Okay,” before walking in her own bubble. This ending would be more of a growing distance between them over Joel’s decisions versus the cliffhanger we got.[84]

Gallery[]

Promotional images[]

Behind the scenes[]

Videos[]

External links[]

References[]

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