The Last of Us Creative Director Neil Druckmann is likely to direct one or several episodes of the game’s HBO adaptation, according to a recently updated production list. Druckmann was already confirmed as producer and writer for the show, and it looks as though the Naughty Dog co-president is also making his foray into film direction.
In addition to Druckmann, showrunner Craig Mazin, Jasmila Zbanic, and Peter Hoar will also direct some parts of the series. As the first season of the series will include a total of ten episodes, Druckmann appears to be directing at least one of them—though the official number is not confirmed.
When asked about how the adaptation would compare to the original, Druckmann stated back in March that the story would be “pretty close,” borrowing some dialogue from the game. However, Druckmann also revealed that there would be some significant deviations in order to capture the “philosophical underpinnings” of The Last of Us. While prominent Russian director Kantemir Balagov will direct the pilot episode, it’s comforting for fans to know that the Druckmann will have at least some sort of directorial input in the adaptation.
The star-studded cast of The Last of Us made headlines last year after the series tapped prominent Mandalorian and Narcos actor Pedro Pascal for the role of Joel, as well as Game of Thrones‘ Bella Ramsey for the role of Ellie. Throughout the year, the series has steadily revealed other cast members such as Merle Dandridge reprising her role—she originally played Marlene in the first The Last of Us game—and Mindhunter’s Anna Torv as Tess.
Reports from July also indicated that the series’ budget exceeds “well over eight figures” per episode, mainly shot in Alberta, Canada. Film union president Damian Petti called the project a “monster” that involved a total of “five art directors and employ[ed] an army of hundreds of technicians” over the course of 12 months.
The Last of Us HBO series does not currently have a release date.
[Source: IGN]
