Television network HBO has announced that it will produce a TV series based on The Last of Us, one of the most critically acclaimed video games of all time.
HBO made an announcement on Thursday that it will be developing a The Last of Us TV series based on the popular video game in partnership with Sony Pictures Television and PlayStation Productions.
The video game’s main protagonist is Joel, a divorced single father turned smuggler, who is tasked with smuggling a 14-year-old girl named Ellie across a post-apocalyptic US. The pair tries to survive in a dystopian world ravaged by the outbreak of a deadly disease turning people into murderous monsters, similar to those in the horror movie 21 Days Later.
In 2013, The Last of Us became one of the best-selling games of the year when it was released on the PlayStation 3. Critics and players praised the game for its harsh, dramatic themes and cinematic gameplay.
Sony released a remastered version of the game with enhanced graphics the following year on the PlayStation 4.
To bring the game onto the television screen, Sony and HBO paired the video game's BAFTA award-winning writer, Neil Druckmann with Chernobyl writer and executive producer Craig Mazin.
In a statement, Druckmann said: "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.”
"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," he added.
Following the announcement, The Last of Us fans celebrated and made it a trending topic on Twitter Thursday afternoon.
HBO emphasized that the project is in development and declined to specify a release date. An HBO spokesperson claimed that this will be the first PlayStation video game to be turned into a TV series.
