The Last of Us is getting a TV adaptation for HBO, and one of the co-creators of the PlayStation game will be involved. Neil Druckmann, the creative director and writer of the 2013 game and its impending sequel, will write and executive produce alongside Chernobyl creator Craig Mazin. The Last of Us, remastered in 2014 for Playstation 4, is a zombie apocalypse survival horror–type story set in 2033; it's widely regarded as one of the greatest narrative achievements in gaming history.
Druckmann isn't the only person from developer Naughty Dog to get involved, either, as the company's president Evan Wells will executive produce with Carolyn Strauss, the Hollywood Reporter revealed. In a brief announcement on Twitter, Naughty Dog shared the news. The HBO show will be the first TV series from PlayStation Productions.
"Neil Druckmann is without question the finest storyteller working in the video game medium, and The Last of Us is his magnum opus," said Mazin of the news. "Getting a chance to adapt this breathtaking work of art has been a dream of mine for years, and I'm so honored to do it in partnership with Neil." There's no tentative date for the show just yet, but it is set to follow the events of the 2013 game, which received rave reviews for its story and script.
"From the first time I sat down to talk with Craig I was equally blown away by his approach to narrative and his love and deep understanding of The Last of Us," added Druckmann. "With Chernobyl, Craig and HBO created a tense, harrowing, emotional masterpiece. I couldn't think of better partners to bring the story of The Last of Us to life as a television show."
The news comes just ahead of the release of the long-awaited sequel, The Last of Us Part II, which will hit stores on May 29, 2020.
