HBO's adaptation of The Last of Us turned one of gaming's most revered titles into highly acclaimed television. While the structure of the show worked perfectly for Part 1, the series is destined for a difficult decision. The first season of The Last of Us covered the entire first game, and with season 2 breaking ground on The Last of Us Part 2, it won't be long before there's nothing left to adapt. This draws parallels to another HBO adaptation, Game of Thrones, which found itself forced to create an original ending to the long-running book series. With The Last of Us Part 3's release date currently unknown, HBO's The Last of Us will soon face Game of Thrones' problems.
The Last of Us is considered by many to be a modern gaming masterpiece. While the overall narrative has proven divisive to some, few can debate the quality of its human interactions, gameplay, and complex themes. As The Last of Us' show attempts to adapt the second game, it's currently unknown how the game's weighty narrative will grow or change. With no current follow-up to The Last of Us Part 2, the show will need to make some tough decisions, many of which could see it forced to depart from the material it hopes to adapt.
The Last of Us May Follow In Game of Thrones' Footsteps
The Game of Thrones series was an absolute powerhouse in its earliest seasons. However, the HBO adaptation quickly ran out of source material to translate to the screen. In fact, Game of Thrones' first season aired just before the book series' fifth volume, A Dance With Dragons, was released, with the remainder of the show's eight seasons airing before a follow-up title came out. Soon, The Last of Us will be in the same situation, as its next season begins to cover the most recent entry with no indication whether its follow-up, The Last of Us Part 3, will release in time to be adapted.
Game of Thrones decided to move beyond George RR Martin's A Song of Fire and Ice series, rather than wait for the source material to catch up. This was likely the right decision, as The Winds of Winter still has yet to be completed, four years after the series finale. However, it will no doubt clash with the version fans witnessed on screen, creating potential division within the fanbase. Should The Last of Us Part 3 not release prior to HBO's multi-season adaptation of Part 2, it could experience the same conflict.
The Last of Us Show Can Avoid Game of Thrones' Biggest Mistakes
While Game of Thrones' showrunners put up a valiant effort, many fans were unimpressed with the later seasons' original storylines. HBO may be able to develop a structure for the TV adaptation of The Last of Us Part 2 that helps it to avoid this particular pitfall. Luckily, the best structure for the TV version is likely a direct adherence to the game's structure. The Last of Us Part 2 jumped between two storylines: one in Jackson, and the other following Abby's revenge. While the show could split these into separate seasons, doing so would rob the story of its impact, as well as limit the show's ability to build upon its original elements.
Adapting The Last of Us Part 2 to TV is going to be tricky, but its multi-season format could allow it to avoid making Game of Thrones' mistakes. Adopting the game's two-tone structure opens the door for a variety of original content. This, in turn, could provide ample time for The Last of Us Part 3 to see release while ensuring that Part 2's adaptation isn't stretched too thin.
The Last of Us season 1 is available to stream now on Max.