HBO programming president Casey Bloys announced today that Neil Druckmann and “Chernobyl” creator Craig Mazin will develop a series adaptation of the award-winning video game “The Last of Us.”Based on the critically acclaimed video game “The Last of Us,” developed by Naughty Dog exclusively for the PlayStation® platforms, the 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.Druckmann and Mazin will write and executive produce; Carolyn Strauss (“Game of Thrones,” “Chernobyl”) also executive produces along with Evan Wells (President of Naughty Dog).“Neil Druckmann is without question the finest storyteller working in the video game medium, and ‘The Last of Us’ is his magnum opus,” said Craig Mazin. “Getting a chance to adapt this breathtaking work of art has been a dream of mine for years, and I’m so honored to do it in partnership with Neil.”“From the first time I sat down to talk with Craig I was equally blown away by his approach to narrative and his love and deep understanding of ‘The Last of Us,’” said Neil Druckmann. “With ‘Chernobyl,’ Craig and HBO created a tense, harrowing, emotional masterpiece. I couldn’t think of better partners to bring the story of ‘The Last of Us’ to life as a television show. I’m beyond excited to collaborate with them.”The project is a co-production with Sony Pictures Television and in association with PlayStation Productions. The series will be the first from PlayStation Productions.
