Now that House of the Dragon is over, Sunday nights just aren’t the same. The Last of Us, an apocalyptic drama adapted from the critically acclaimed and universally beloved video game series of the same name is coming to HBO in January 2023 though, so you will have something addicting to bide the time until Succession returns for season four.
The Last of Us includes an all-star cast including some of Hollywood’s best such as international treasure Melanie Lynskey, comes from the Emmy-winning writer of Chernobyl, and from the looks of the powerful trailer at the top, it will be a good, if somewhat depressing, time.
Here’s everything you need to know about HBO’s The Last of Us, from the premiere date to the cast to the creatives behind the camera:
What’s It About?
The Last of Us is based on the video game series of the same name that is set 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed by a fatal virus. The story follows a teenage girl Ellie and a hired hand Joel who helps her travel across the United States. Here’s the official synopsis from HBO:
“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.”
Do I Know Anyone In It?
You’ve definitely heard of some of these people, yes. Pedro Pascal, who rose to prominence for his performance as Oberyn Martell in season four of HBO’s Game of Thrones, stars as Joel Miller, a hardened survivor who is tormented by his traumatic past. Joel is hired to smuggle a teenage girl out of a quarantine zone and across the United States. Bella Ramsey, another Game of Thrones alum (she played the fierce and memorable little Lady Lyanna Mormont) plays Ellie, the 14-year-old girl who might be the key to creating a vaccine for the infection that changed the world.
A few other notable cast members include Gabriel Luna, Anna Torv, Merle Dandridge, Nick Offerman, Melanie Lynskey, Murray Bartlett, and Storm Reid. Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker, who portrayed Ellie and Joel respectively in the video games, are reportedly appearing in the show in undisclosed roles.
Who Wrote This Thing?
The series was adapted by (former Ted Cruz roommate) Craig Mazin, and he co-wrote The Last of Us with Neil Druckmann. This isn’t Mazin’s first venture with HBO: he was the mastermind behind the incredible but very dark 2019 miniseries Chernobyl. Druckmann co-wrote and produced the video games the series is based on.
“Craig and Neil are visionaries in a league of their own,” Francesca Orsi, executive vice president of HBO Programming, said in a statement in 2020. “With them at the helm alongside the incomparable Carolyn Strauss, this series is sure to resonate with both die-hard fans of ‘The Last of Us’ games and newcomers to this genre-defining saga.”
Who’s Directing?
Rather than sticking to one director for the entire series, a few directors worked on season one of The Last of Us. Kantemir Balagov, who directed the 2019 film Beanpole, directed the pilot and episode two. Jasmila Žbanić, Jeremy Webb, Ali Abbasi, and Peter Hoar also directed episodes from the first season.
Okay, Sold! When Does It Come Out?
The Last of Us premieres its first episode on HBO Sunday, January 15 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Episodes will air weekly, with ten episodes in total.