The Last of Us HBO series will not include spores from the video games. It could be assumed that the series would be making a few changes from the games, but the fact that spores won’t make any appearance is shocking.
Spores are depicted as cordyceps particles that manifest in the air around deceased infected individuals as the fungi virus continues to form around the bodies. This makes the environment deadly to anyone who breathes in these spores. Just as a bite or scratch from an infected will turn an individual into a walking fungal zombie, so will breathing in the particles. In The Last of Us games, spores were a visual indicator that the infected were nearby, so Joel and Ellie would put on their gas masks. However, it is what spores represent as a narrative storytelling device that makes them integral to the story. Even so, it looks like the HBO Max series will do away with spores completely.
Collider interviewed co-creators of The Last of Us, Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin, regarding the upcoming series. During this interview, Druckmann expressed that the decision to remove spores from the show was made early on and was replaced with the idea of tendrils, an interconnected network similar to how actual fungi operate. Spores did not align with this vision that Druckmann and the team had for the series, but they expressed that it was in service of making the world more believable and the virus even more frightening. The changes to The Last of Us narrative were made by the video game creators, which might put fans' minds at ease in knowing this decision was not made lightly.
The changes made to the series, such as expanding the world of The Last of Us and how the series will differ from the games, should be exciting for new audiences and returning fans. The Last of Us series is getting great reviews, which is good news for video game adaptations on the big screen. Thankfully, this is what happens when the original creators are actively involved in an adaptation, and seeing as how The Last of Us was already recognized as the epitome of cinematic storytelling, the series has the recipe for success.
Fans won’t have long to wait, as the series begins this Sunday. Until then, Naughty Dog released a The Last of Us clip, which showcases Bella Ramsey as Ellie.
The Last of Us premieres on HBO and HBO Max on January 15, 2023.
Source: Collider