As time passes and more rumors start to circulate, it's looking like a remake of The Last of Us might release sometime later this year. While that's certainly exciting for fans of the game who are looking to revisit it through a new lens, one big question lingers: namely, who will voice its lead characters. After the release of the original title in 2013, Joel and Ellie became iconic PlayStation characters, so if the game with these two stars is going to be remade, the studio behind it may need to make some tough choices when it comes to the title's cast.
Although it might be tempting to cast Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson as Joel and Ellie again, the remake may consider putting two new actors in the lead roles. This sort of choice is easier said than done, but its challenge highlights one of the major difficulties of remaking such an iconic game. The Last of Us remake needs to decide if it wants to forge its own identity as a game separate from the original, or if it wants to simply invoke the original game's essence.
The Last of Us Remake's Cast
The Last of Us is one of gaming's most beloved titles in recent years, and not necessarily because of its gameplay. The mechanics are solid, but the thing that really sells the game is watching the growing relationship between Joel and Ellie; specifically how the two start off as indifferent partners and end the game as father and daughter. In the hands of lesser actors, The Last of Us' story could have been passable thanks to its writing, but it's truly elevated by knock-out performances from Baker and Johnson.
When it comes to remaking The Last of Us, bringing back Baker and Johnson to reprise their roles seems like it would be a good idea due to how well-received their performances were. That said, those performances are still so fresh in the minds of fans because of how recently the original game and its remaster came out, so it might be worth the remake's time to put new actors in the roles to avoid feeling like it's just retreading old ground.
Because of the nature of remaking a game, comparisons to the original are unavoidable. Casting new actors who are willing to try their hands at giving new interpretations of the characters might be a surefire way for The Last of Us remake to establish its own identity. It's for this reason that fans are cautiously optimistic about the upcoming HBO series based on the first game, as Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal seem like they'll be able to bring a new side of the characters to life.
There's been plenty of speculation that The Last of Us remake will be released around the premiere of the HBO series, so it stands to reason that the game might be used to promote the show and vice versa. If that's the case, the remake could feature Ramsey and Pascal in the lead roles. Given how common it has become to cast Hollywood actors in games, it doesn't seem like too much of a stretch to think something of the sort could be happening. Even if the two aren't cast as Joel and Ellie for the remake, seeing two new actors take the digital stage would do a lot to breath new life into a franchise that many fans believe is too fresh to get a remake.
The Last of Us Remake is rumored to be in development.