With video games looking more and more like movies every year, it’s still a mystery why Hollywood can’t transition these games to the big screen properly. However, Screen Gems has taken a step in the right direction by acquiring the distribution rights to the movie adaptation of Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us, according to Deadline.
Neil Druckmann, who worked as the creative director for the game, is writing the script. And according to the site, legendary horror guru Sam Raimi has been brought on board as a producer. The game focuses on a man named Joel and his young companion, Ellie, as they navigate a war-torn world that is dealing with a viral pandemic.
“Screen Gems’ Brian Dukes and Eric Ling brought this game to my attention insisting we go after it, and when I saw the quality of the storytelling, I knew the audience for this project was far greater than just the gaming community and that Neil Druckmann must write the screenplay,” Screen Gems president Clint Culpepper said in a statement. “I am thrilled that SCEA’s Riley Russell was able to get me in front of Neil and Evan Wells to plead my case. Sam and his team at Ghost House round out the perfect team to help realize Neil’s vision.”
With the talent involved here, The Last of Us has the potential to be the rare game-to-film translation that actually works.
[via Deadline]
