Hollywood has been trying for years to bring popular video game properties to life on both the big and small screen, and the results haven’t always been pretty. Between disasters like Doom, Need for Speed, Max Payne, Assassin’s Creed, and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, it seemed like video games simply didn’t translate into more straightforward narratives. However, the last few years have seen an uptick in the quality of video game-inspired projects with Uncharted, Sonic the Hedgehog, Paramount+’s Halo, Pokemon: Detective Pikachu, and Werewolves Within. HBO’s highly anticipated adaptation of The Last of Us hopes to be the best of them all, but before Chernobyl creator Craig Mazin got his hands on the material, a cinematic version was considered.

The Last of Us sent shockwaves through the video game community when it debuted in 2013. While the quality of video games’ writing and emotional impact had improved significantly, The Last of Us was hailed as having a narrative and characters that truly felt cinematic. The performances by Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson were heralded, as was the game’s subversive take on the post-apocalyptic concept. Unsurprisingly, this quickly drew Hollywood studios to begin exploring a cinematic adaptation; the game obviously had a large, built-in fan base that would seemingly be interested in seeing a film version. At the time, the film industry considered video game movies to reach the same level of success as recent comic book adaptations.

A Hot Property

Joel and Ellie in The Last of Us Game
Image via Naughty Dog

In 2014, Screen Gems formally announced that they would be developing the film. It was a move that made sense, as the studio had also found financial (if not critical) success with the Resident Evil franchise with director Paul W.S. Anderson. However, it seemed like The Last of Us was planned as a potentially more “elevated” project based on the attached creative team. In addition to bringing back the game’s creator and writer, Neil Druckmann, Naughty Dog Co-Presidents' Evan Wells and Christophe Balestra, and Game Director Bruce Straley were all attached as producers.

The legendary horror maestro Sam Raimi was brought in to produce the film alongside Ghost House Pictures. Raimi was seemingly the perfect choice to handle the material; his Evil Dead trilogy changed horror cinema forever, and shaped the way that the “infected” were depicted in popular culture. It’s not hard to see the link between Raimi’s influence and the designs that are used in The Last of Us. Additionally, Raimi was known for his ability to craft a strong blend of practical and visual effects, and would be able to retain the integrity of the aesthetic that had made The Last of Us so realistic.

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A Veteran Filmmaker

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Raimi certainly had his doubters after the panned critical reception of Spider-Man 3 and the cancelation of Spider-Man 4, but he had just had a major comeback with Drag Me To Hell. The 2010 horror film proved that Raimi could terrify audiences in the same way that he always had, and that he was able to retain his roots within the studio system. While 2013’s Oz: The Great and Powerful wasn’t beloved, it was undoubtedly a financial success that signified Raimi was comfortable using 3D.

Unsurprisingly, casting was going to be very integral to a film adaptation considering how much attention to the performances in the game had received. Druckmann did a read-through of a draft of the script with actors early on in the process, and completed a second draft of the script in early 2015. While Druckmann revealed that the film would have some “big changes” to the original story, he ensured nervous fans that he would remain true to the tone, message, and emotion of the game. Obviously, some alterations to the material would be required to fit the massive spectacle of the game into the confines of a blockbuster film.

Hollywood certainly had its eyes on The Last of Us as a potentially colossal hit; this was during a period of active development of video game movies by respected filmmakers including Duncan JonesWarcraft, Justin Kurzel’s Assassin’s Creed, and Roar Uthaug’s reboot of Tomb Raider. Game of Thrones actress Maisie Williams signaled that she was interested in portraying Ellie after fan castings went viral. Williams met with the approval of Johnson, and reached out to an American agent to set up consultations with Raimi. Williams was asked to moderate a Comic-Con panel and do a playthrough of the game to prepare, but she was unable to do so due to the rigorous shooting schedule for Game of Thrones.

Creative Disputes

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Image via Naughty Dog

However, Druckmann reported in April 2016 that production was in development hell due to creative disagreements that he had with both Raimi and the studio over the tone of the film; Raimi confirmed the reports in November. Druckmann had intended the film to retain the dark, atmospheric vibe of the game, but the studio was insistent on adding more action sequences to make it easier to sell to a blockbuster audience. Druckmann stated his version of The Last of Us was close to No Country For Old Men; Screen Gems wanted the next World War Z.

As these conflicts dragged on the process, it seemed like Sony may have been looking at other concepts for the film. In early 2020, images from a leaked animated short surfaced online from the production agency Oddfellows. The 20-minute, canonical short would potentially bridge the narrative gap between the first and second games, fleshing out Ellie’s backstory and experiences. It’s unclear if this was intended to be a promotional video or the start of development on a standalone animated project, but the bold animation signified a change in style that would differentiate it from the game.

A New Direction

Pedro Pascal in The Last of Us
Image via HBO

It wasn’t until March of 2020 when Mazin, hot off of his Emmy wins for Chernobyl, was hired to craft the series adaptation for HBO starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey. While Druckmann had been cagey about working on an adaptation after the experience on the canceled film soured his appetite, he stated that he was interested in working with Mazin based on the tonal similarities between The Last of Us and Chernobyl. He later revealed that the HBO version would be the most accurate video game adaptation of all time. Mazin later joked that they didn’t have a high bar to clear, and cited the Assassin’s Creed and Doom films as examples of video game adaptations gone awry.

The Last of Us has a story that is worthy of the screen, but the density of material would already stretch the limits of even a three-hour narrative film. It would be disappointing to see one of the most decorated games in history to be brought to life as yet another generic studio vehicle. With Mazin and his expert team of creatives involved, it seems like HBO’s version will set a new standard for video game adaptations.