HBO is developing an adaptation of the popular PlayStation video game “The Last of Us,” which will be helmed by “Chernobyl” writer Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, the game’s creator.
Mazin and Druckmann will write and executive produce the project with Carolyn Strauss and Evan Wells, the president of “The Last of Us” developer Naughty Dog. The project is a co-production with Sony Pictures Television and in association with PlayStation Productions. This is the first television series from PlayStation Productions.
“This is a true thrill for us at Sony Pictures Television. ‘The Last of Us’ is a brilliant achievement in storytelling and character development, and we are lucky to have the opportunity to work with this team to adapt it,” said Chris Parnell, co-President of Sony Pictures Television Studios. “This is the first of many shows we intend to develop with our friends at PlayStation Productions.”
“The Last of Us” story takes place twenty years after modern civilization has been destroyed. Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal, heartbreaking journey, as they both must traverse across the U.S. and depend on each other for survival. The HBO series will cover the events of the original game, which was written by Druckmann, with the possibility of additional content based on the forthcoming game sequel, “The Last of Us Part II,” which will release on May 29, 2020.
“This is an incredibly exciting opportunity for us to partner with Craig, Neil, Carolyn and the teams at Sony, Naughty Dog and PlayStation to bring the virtual world of this acclaimed game to life,” said HBO programming president Casey Bloys.