HBO has revealed it is working on a television adaptation of the award winning video game The Last of Us.
According to the Hollywood Reporter , Chernobyl creator Craig Mazin will write and executive produce the series alongside the game's director, Neil Druckmann.
The Last of Us HBO series is said to be a co-production with Sony Pictures Television and PlayStation Productions and will be the first television show developed by the game maker.
The story takes place twenty years after modern civilisation has been destroyed by a mutated fungal infection that turns the afflicted into savage monsters. 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 work together to survive.
The announcement follows the success of The Witcher on Netflix and news that Microsoft is working with Showtime on a TV series of Halo.
“This is an incredibly exciting opportunity for us to partner with Craig, Neil, Carolyn and the teams at Sony, Naughty Dog and PlayStation to bring the virtual world of this acclaimed game to life,” said HBO programming president Casey Bloys.
“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.”
The Last of Us was released back in 2013 for PlayStation 3 to huge acclaim from critics and players alike, with the game eventually getting a remastered edition for the PS4 the following year. Eagerly anticipated sequel The Last of Us Part II is currently set to release on May 29.
There is no date set for when The Last of Us HBO series is planned to enter production or when it will appear on the tiny screen, but we'll keep you updated with any more developments as soon as they surface.
