Yesterday it was confirmed that a TV series based on Naughty Dog's The Last of Us games is in production at HBO. The series will be a collaboration between Naughty Dog, HBO, and Sony with The Last of Us' director Neil Druckmann attached to write alongside Craig Mazin, the creator of HBO's Chernobyl.
However, an IGN report confirmed the new TV series would be replacing The Last of Us film that had been in development through Sony's Screen Gems movie label since 2014. IGN also says the project has been moved under the PlayStation Productions label, which is responsible for the Uncharted movie as well.
News about a movie based on The Last of Us stalled around 2016 when it became obvious the production was marred by a troubled development cycle. It's currently unknown exactly when the new series replacing that movie will be released, but Druckmann has said that Naughty Dog will be prioritizing the release of The Last of Us Part 2 first and foremost.
While the direct involvement of Mazin is big news for the video game adaptation given the acclaim Chernobyl has garnered since it was released in mid-2019, HBO also has some legs to stand on in terms of its recent popular culture adaptations. The HBO sequel series to Alan Moore's Watchmen graphic novel was another hugely popular drama the network released last year.
It would certainly be great to see Sony and Naughty Dog get a substantial "win" in their game adaptation column. The Uncharted prequel movie starring Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg was delayed again at the beginning of 2020, but has recently picked up steam with Ruben Fleischer of Zombieland fame taking over as director.
While that project seems a little too far into development to completely change gears and become a TV series, The Last of Us could pan out wonderfully with a more long-form structure of storytelling. Even though the first game was highly acclaimed for its narrative, there's plenty more in The Last of Us' universe to explore.
The Last of Us is in development at HBO.
Source: IGN
