A film adaptation of Naughty Dog's 2013 video game The Last of Us was announced in March 2014, to be written by the game's writer and creative director Neil Druckmann; it had entered development hell by 2016, and the partnership ended and rights relinquished by 2019. Due to the extensive development of a film based on Uncharted, another game series by Naughty Dog, Druckmann ensured specific plot points were included when negotiating a deal with film and television studios; he felt more closely connected to The Last of Uss creation and development than Uncharteds and always wanted to be involved in its adaptation in some manner. In 2018, writer and director Craig Mazin was approached by PlayStation Productions with a list of video games for potential television adaptation; he was disappointed to discover The Last of Us was being adapted into a film at the time as he felt television was a better fit. A fan of the video game, having played it about twelve times, Mazin was introduced to Druckmann through Shannon Woodward, a mutual friend, in 2019. Druckmann, a fan of Mazin's series Chernobyl, agreed with Mazin that The Last of Us required the length and pacing of a television series. They pitched the series to HBO about a week after meeting.
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News
- Bella Ramsey tells ‘The Last Of Us’ critics not to watch season three NME August 29, 2025
- ‘The Last of Us’ Co-Creator Confirms Season 3 Will Center on Kaitlyn Dever’s Abby: ‘Spoiler Alert’ Variety June 10, 2025
- 'The Last of Us' Co-Creators Never Entertained an Alternative to Jesse's Finale Fate: 'Always Sealed' TheWrap May 28, 2025
- 'The Last of Us' Co-Creator Teases Joel's Return in Another Flashback in Season 3 Collider May 26, 2025
- ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2, Episode 6 Recap: Memories, Revelations and Broken Promises TheWrap May 19, 2025
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| Country | |
| Spoken Language | english, indonesian |
| Runtime | 43 min – 1 hr 21 min |
| Budget | $150 000 000 |
| Channel | HBO (21:00, United States) |
| Digital: World | January 15, 2023 |
| Parental Advisory | Frightening & Intense Scenes, Profanity, Violence & Gore, ... |
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| Production Companies | |
Description
After a global pandemic destroys civilization, a hardened survivor takes charge of a 14-year-old girl who may be humanity’s last hope.Сast and Crew
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- Premiered on January 15, 2023 on HBO; streamed on HBO Max (now Max), with partner broadcasters in various regions (Sky/Now in Europe, Crave in Canada, Binge in Australia).
- About 4.7 million U.S. viewers on premiere night, the second‑biggest HBO series debut in recent years; viewership grew into episode 2, and the finale drew roughly 8.2 million same‑day viewers.
- In 2023 the season averaged over 30 million viewers per episode across platforms (per HBO).
- Episode 5 was released early on streaming to avoid the Super Bowl, a scheduling move that did not dampen demand.
- Renewed quickly for season 2; the second season was announced to premiere in 2025.
- Audience reception was highly positive: strong aggregator scores and wide praise for performances by Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, and Gabriel Luna.
- The episode ‘Long, Long Time’ ignited wide conversations about LGBTQ representation; Linda Ronstadt’s song of the same name spiked in streams and returned to charts.
- Game sales surged: The Last of Us Part I and Part II saw notable post‑episode uplifts, particularly in the UK retail charts.
- The finale aired opposite the Oscars yet maintained strong same‑day viewership, signaling sustained engagement.
- Across 2023–2024 the show earned dozens of major nominations and multiple wins, including Emmys (notably in Guest categories), cementing it as a marquee TV event.
- Its success accelerated industry appetite for prestige video‑game adaptations and served as a benchmark for future projects.
- Public interest in cordyceps and fungal outbreaks spiked, with explainers climbing in search and media.
Overview of the Game
The Last of Us is a critically acclaimed action-adventure game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. Released in 2013, the game is set in a post-apocalyptic world where players navigate through a narrative-driven experience, focusing on the journey of two main characters, Joel and Ellie.Game Creator
The game was co-created by Neil Druckmann, who played a significant role in both the writing and creative direction of the game. His vision and storytelling prowess have been pivotal in shaping the emotional depth and immersive experience that the game is known for.Game Features
- Storytelling: The game is renowned for its compelling narrative and character development, which have been praised for their emotional impact and depth.
- Gameplay: It combines elements of survival, stealth, and combat, requiring players to strategize and adapt to various challenges.
- Visuals and Sound: The game features stunning graphics and a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack that enhances the overall atmosphere.
Adaptation into the Series
The series adaptation of The Last of Us closely follows the storyline and character arcs established in the game. The creators of the series, including Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin, have worked to ensure that the essence and emotional core of the game are preserved in the television format. This dedication to authenticity has been a key factor in the series' reception and success.Production
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Friends comments and ratings
The season is interesting, Pedro Pascal is the best thing in the series.
Because of no 2nd season I lower the rating. I don’t put it to 6 because it is clear that Pedro Pascal is trying to pull the series out, but unfortunately he is not succeeding. Jeffrey Wright is also trying to show his acting, but there is very little of him in the series so far. The other actors are very weak. Kaitlyn Dever is trying to show a fight with a woman, but it is difficult to say anything yet.
The Last of Us
The best adaptation of a video-game ever made: one that deepens the game’s dystopian lore, while staying true to its emotional core.
I’ve completed the second part of the game. When the entire second season comes out, I’ll probably watch it. But, alas, it will only be half of the game, judging by everything.
The Last of Us
We loved its balance of horror and heart. It burrows under the skin and refuses to leave.
It feels like a completely different series. The season is close to teen series. Bella Ramsay whines and sorts out the relationship between her friend all the time. And the agenda here is no longer a slight hint. The whole season is a solid agenda.
Perhaps a couple of episodes is enough for me. I don’t understand why it’s worth watching after the first 40 minutes of the first series allegedly staged by Balagov. Expensive, but sterile porridge with badly serial dialogues, terrible pace and inappropriately adapted episodes from the game. Meh.
A month ago, a patch for the game on PC was released. Installed yesterday, shaders compiled. Playable! So I’m going through, and after a while we’ll watch the series with my wife. I keep you informed.
A good adaptation of the series. And the best thing about him is, of course, Pedro Pascal, who is in great demand today. We look forward to a good second season.
Ramsay is terrible, Pascal is good, overall boring and disgusting in places.
In general, looking at everything that the trio of streaming giants and those who are smaller have been doing lately, a picture emerges that TV has rolled back to where it came from: cheap dumb serials to fill the air with sooo rare glimpses of really good, cinematic …
After the finale, the same mood remained that went from the first episodes: the series is good, but not wow. The second season will hopefully be better.
A meticulously played post-apoca-drama, including all the clichés inherent in the genre. If, as experts say, the game has an almost identical plot, then I don’t understand pissing boiling water either from the series or from the original. Pedro/Joel is the main decoration of the show: pleasant and at the same time creepy.
Severe Pascal and inquisitive Ramsay in the most interesting adaptation of the popular game. There are ups and downs in terms of "bewitching effect", but overall it’s great! I hope the second season is not "cheap".
I do not share the general enthusiasm! The movie is completely different from the game. Ellie, this is not Ellie, but some kind of homeless woman. The entire budget of the series was leaked for the first two episodes, then there are cheap locations. The plot has been changed. There is no action at all. Secondary characters are not interesting and it is not clear why they are needed
I watched the first season of the game, and it was so awesomely done. Everything I watched and experienced was in the game. Of course, there is a minus, the extra 3rd episode (two Gays) can be skipped, but otherwise the series is fucking awesome. For me, "The Last of Us" is still a better series than "Fallout" (8/10). Rating 8.4/10
So, E2. Druckman in the director’s chair. When you play, slowly wander around the map, explore the beauty of the environment, loot every corner, listen to Ellie’s background drone – it works. In the film, this turns into boredom and cringe from the strained dialogue. And Ramsay’s mouth is sagging.
As a person who played dohrenillion hours in the first part, I really liked the pilot of the adaptation. But. The local Ellie is just some kind of #&learned emotional-mimic contradiction. Maybe Ramsay will open up in the next episodes, but so far – a log that causes only tears.
The first two are still interesting to watch, but with each episode it gets worse and worse. I don’t understand where such high ratings come from, apparently people are afraid to admit that they spent so much time on a frankly weak film.
Pedro Pascal. HBO made a bet on a new project and seems to have hit the jackpot. Mushroom post-apocalypse and a great adaptation of your favorite game.
My expectations were met completely, with the exception of a couple of episodes, the film adaptation is truly bad. And it’s not even about the agenda, but the scripts that have been cobbled together in a hurry, which is replete with logical holes and immaturity. If I were a fan of the game, my fart would be bursting with anger right now.
More of a soulful series, well filmed, but nothing special. There is little tension, the setting is faded. You get used to Ramsay over time, and Pascal is the main plus of the series. The second season, if I look, then in the background.
The series that people were literally screaming about "from everyone’s mouth." In fact, it’s a moderately interesting, moderately adventurous, moderately dramatic project. But without revelations and wow-turns: everything is within the stereotypical framework of the post-apa genre.
I didn’t play the original game, because there is no possibility, but I’ll look at the praised film adaptation.
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