The highly anticipated forthcoming HBO series, The Last of Us, will not debut this year. Based on the 2013 PlayStation game of the same name, the show is said to be the largest television production in Canadian history.
Starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, The Last of Us takes place 20 years after present society has been obliterated by a fatal virus. The series follows Joel (Pascal), a toughened survivor of the disease who is appointed to sneak a 14-year-old, Ellie (Ramsey), out of a tyrannical quarantine zone to a cure-searching organization named the Fireflies. Soon, a brutal and heart-breaking journey ensues as the two must travel across the U.S with only each other to depend on in the fight to stay alive. Clearly, the fans have plenty to look forward to and, while there was hope that the series would debut in 2022, they will have to wait a bit longer.
In a conversation with Deadline tied to TCA, HBO and HBO Max Chief Content Officer, Casey Bloys, provided an update on the development of The Last of Us, saying, “It’s not going to air in 2022 – they are still shooting in Canada. I imagine you will see it in ’23.” However, although the premiere is further away than expected, Bloys teased what is to come from the upcoming The Last of Us series. He said, “I have seen some early episodes, and I’m very excited. Craig (the creator) did Chernobyl for us, he is a fantastic writer and director.”
Evidently, The Last of Us is set to be a show full of action and excitement. Enthusiasts of the fantasy drama series Game of Thrones may also become fans of this video game adaptation, as both shows have been strongly compared to one another due to their genre, scope, and especially because Game of Thrones' executive producer, Carolyn Strauss, is now working on The Last of Us. Despite the direct comparison, Bloys was swift in shutting down claims that his new show was attempting to follow in the footsteps of HBO's previous biggest series “There is no next Game of Thrones, I’ve been here long enough that I’ve been through, what’s the next Sopranos, what’s next Game of Thrones, now what’s next Succession. There is no next Game of Thrones.”
The first season of The Last of Us will consist of ten episodes developed by Craig Mazin and Naughty Dog's Neil Druckmann, the latter being the writer and director of the original game. Alongside Pascal and Ramsey, the series also features Anna Torv, Merle Dandrige, Nick Offerman, Nico Parker, Gabriel Luna, Jeffrey Pierce, and Murray Bartlett.
With many fans of the 2013 video game eager to watch this new series, The Last of Us has plenty of expectations to meet. However, with all the excitement that has been revealed about the show so far, it seems they will not disappoint.
The Last of Us is expected to debut on HBO in 2023.
Source: Deadline