Television The Last of Us - TV Series HBO | NO GAME REFERENCES OR SPOILERS | Receives 24 Emmy nominations

[Widow]

The trailer is around the 1.45 mark.

Sorry if there is already a thread on this, I did a quick search but didn't see anything.


The Last of Us is an upcoming American post-apocalyptic drama television series set to air on HBO. Based on the 2013 video game of the same name developed by Naughty Dog, the series will follow Joel (Pedro Pascal), a smuggler tasked with escorting the teenage Ellie (Bella Ramsey) across the post-apocalyptic United States. It will also feature Tommy (Gabriel Luna), Joel's younger brother and a former soldier.

The series, said to be the largest television production in Canadian history, was filmed in Calgary, Alberta, from July 2021 to June 2022. It is the first HBO series to be based on a video game and is a joint production by Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions, Naughty Dog, The Mighty Mint, and Word Games. The first season will consist of ten episodes written by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann; the latter wrote and directed the game. Original game composer Gustavo Santaolalla will compose the score, and Kantemir Balagov will direct the pilot episode.

The first season is expected to debut in early 2023.

 

[Balljy]

It's a good story, and it should adapt well to a series so I'm slightly hopeful of this one. We've basically already had a Last of Us movie in Logan anyway and that was a decent watch.

 

[Massive Spanner]

Looks promising. The game has an incredible story with two amazing main characters so if they get it right it could be great.

not sure about Ron Swanson as Bill, but let’s see.

 

[SuperiorXI]

Will they be following the games completely or will they go their own direction?

 

[Gringo]

Was hoping it would look more filmic with a colour grade over the top.

 

[Rooney in Paris]

Pedro Pascal is a great casting choice for Joel. Really depends on the writing, but the fact Neil Druckmann is involved makes me slightly hopeful. Gustavo Santaolalla scoring it is great too, the music was a big part of what made the game's atmosphere work so well.

EDIT: just saw that Craig Mazin is the guy that created and wrote Chernobyl, so that's another positive sign.

 

[BusbyMalone]

The thing is, these characters are so well established that it's difficult to envision anyone else playing them. I think Pedro Pascal is a good actor, but I'm not really seeing Joel in that clip. Granted, it's a short clip, but...not feeling it. Definitely going to watch it though.

Also, a curious aesthetic choice. Particularly in that scene where they're crossing the bridge. Very natural. Almost documentary-like. Was expecting something a little more cinematic.

 

[Massive Spanner]

Pedro Pascal is a great casting choice for Joel. Really depends on the writing, but the fact Neil Druckmann is involved makes me slightly hopeful. Gustavo Santaolalla scoring it is great too, the music was a big part of what made the game's atmosphere work so well.

EDIT: just saw that Craig Mazin is the guy that created and wrote Chernobyl, so that's another positive sign.

Don't forget he wrote The Hangover and Scary Movie 3 and 4

 

[Rooney in Paris]

Don't forget he wrote The Hangover and Scary Movie 3 and 4

I saw that... I chose to ignore it, let's call them mistakes of youth. His more recent work is a lot more promising.

 

[SuperiorXI]

I saw that... I chose to ignore it, let's call them mistakes of youth. His more recent work is a lot more promising.

The Hangover was good

 

[Massive Spanner]

I saw that... I chose to ignore it, let's call them mistakes of youth. His more recent work is a lot more promising.

Chernobyl was incredible, probably the best mini series of the last few years, and weirdly has a similar tone and "look" to how I would expect The Last of Us to look if done well, so it does feel like a perfect fit!

And, I love me some Pedro

 

[Tom Van Persie]

I can't wait. Pedro Pascal is a fantastic actor.

 

[One Night Only]

Yeah, not feeling Pedro Pascal as Joel tbh.

Even the "you have no idea what loss is" sounds ridiculous in that trailer, delivered weird as hell.

I want it to be good, but can't see it lasting more than a season anyway.

 

[Rooney in Paris]

The Hangover was good

It was okay-ish. It's not exactly work I'd use to defend someone's talent a screenwriter. Chernobyl, on the other hand...

Chernobyl was incredible, probably the best mini series of the last few years, and weirdly has a similar tone and "look" to how I would expect The Last of Us to look if done well, so it does feel like a perfect fit!

And, I love me some Pedro

Yeah agree on both counts.

Yeah, not feeling Pedro Pascal as Joel tbh.

Even the "you have no idea what loss is" sounds ridiculous in that trailer, delivered weird as hell.

I want it to be good, but can't see it lasting more than a season anyway.

Eurgh, judging someone's capacity to be good in a role on the basis of a 30 second clip...

What do you think isn't good about PP in that role?

 

[AaronRedDevil]

Her as Ellie... Just bad casting. Luckily Pedro is a good enough actor to carry it

 

[One Night Only]

Eurgh, judging someone's capacity to be good in a role on the basis of a 30 second clip...

What do you think isn't good about PP in that role?

Ah I shall just base my opinion on something that might be, or I can imagine? I'm literally basing am opinion of what is in front of me. It's there, I don't like the way that is delivered, to me it sounds like that cnut from star trek telling luke skydriver he is his father. Sounds way too forced and not a natural delivery.

I like the guy as an actor, just don't think his physique or demeanor fits the role at all, from what I've seen of the games..

Could be a stellar Joel. I just don't fancy him as a top choice. Could be proven wrong. Don't mind if I am.

 

[One Night Only]

Her as Ellie... Just bad casting. Luckily Pedro is a good enough actor to carry it

Was always going to be a rough casting choice. No getting away from the fact Ellie was basically Ellen (Elliot) Page.

 

[Gringo]

I think you're over analysing it but I see where you're coming from as I felt the same on initial viewing. Bear in mind it's an overly edited trailer with beat thumping music in the background. The tone and delivery is going to come across differently in the full scene.

It goes to show how bleeding great the games are though. Naughty Dog should themselves be a production company and make their own films.

 

[One Night Only]

I think you're over analysing it but I see where you're coming from as I felt the same on initial viewing. Bear in mind it's an overly edited trailer with beat thumping music in the background. The tone and delivery is going to come across differently in the full scene.

It goes to show how bleeding great the games are though. Naughty Dog should themselves be a production company and make their own films.

Very true. Watched it a few more times and it could be different in show, just feels dreadful in that trailer.

Modmin Edit: References to the game removed.[/spoiler]

 

[Widow]

I think you're over analysing it

This and every TV show, ever. I'm so lucky that my ignorance allows me to enjoy a show for what it is without the need to overthink it.

 

[RedSky]

Her as Ellie... Just bad casting. Luckily Pedro is a good enough actor to carry it

I'm struggling with her casting too, but she's clearly been chosen for her acting skills rather than her looking like the character. Hopefully she can pull it off, otherwise she'll receive a load of hate from the internet twat brigade.

 

[Stack]

One battle with casting is people subconciously want characters to look like previous iterations or illustrations. I bet the castings here work out perfectly, both the main actors are brilliant. The other thing of course is there are a huge number of people who watch this who wont have seen the games so wont have that bias.

 

[Dirty Schwein]

I saw that... I chose to ignore it, let's call them mistakes of youth. His more recent work is a lot more promising.

I think from his podcast he said those were "foot in the door" type of jobs. He's used that to leverage Chernobyl and think he'll stay on course for more serious screenwriting going forwards.

 

[Massive Spanner]

The last of us is a pretty average story and a pretty average game.

 

[Rooney in Paris]

I think from his podcast he said those were "foot in the door" type of jobs. He's used that to leverage Chernobyl and think he'll stay on course for more serious screenwriting going forwards.

That sounds VERY good. Cheers!

I love this gif.

Modmin Edit: removed text as it contains game plot references.

I honestly don't understand how you can judge anything from a 5 second clip in a trailer, surrounded by other snippets completely disconnected, the wrong music... There will be none of the build up that will actually happen in that scene, different music... I find it utterly strange, I have to say.

 

[Massive Spanner]

I honestly don't understand how you can judge anything from a 5 second clip in a trailer, surrounded by other snippets completely disconnected, the wrong music... There will be none of the build up that will actually happen in that scene, different music... I find it utterly strange, I have to say.

This will always be the shows biggest problem, people comparing it to the game. Especially as Troy and Ashley did such an incredible job as Ellie and Joel. I think it's totally pointless and people need to respect that it'a different medium with different actors, it's also a ten episode show, not a video game!

Also, probably worth noting that a LOT of the people who'll watch the show won't even have played the game, so... spoilers.

 

[Sylar]

It would also be boring have a like for like no?
Surely some changes are expected as long as it's logical and the writing (and acting) is good

 

[Organic Potatoes]

Oh, that’s Lyanna Mormont. She‘ll do just fine.

 

[Dirty Schwein]

 

[Norman Brownbutter]

World weary old man takes chosen one to special location. Not exactly ground breaking stuff, is it?

 

[Shane88]

World weary old man takes chosen one to special location. Not exactly ground breaking stuff, is it?

Breaking stuff down like that is silly. You could make countless classic movies/games sound shite doing that.

It's about the 15-20 hour journey.

 

[Norman Brownbutter]

Breaking stuff down like that is silly. You could make countless classic movies/games sound shite doing that.

It's about the 15-20 hour journey.

Which is why I said its the characters that make it special. And more importantly, the performances of the actors playing those characters.

 

[Massive Spanner]

World weary old man takes chosen one to special location. Not exactly ground breaking stuff, is it?

I mean, you could summarise almost any tv show/movie in one line and make it look dull, or dumb.

Dying man sells meth to make money

Tiny hairy human brings ring to mountain

 

[Rooney in Paris]

I mean, you could summarise almost any tv show/movie in one line and make it look dull, or dumb.

Dying man sells meth to make money

Tiny hairy human brings ring to mountain

And those you couldn't really break down in such simple terms, with more convoluted plots (think Nolan stuff), this is the kind of poster that'd label this "thinks it's more clever than it is"

 

[Ish]

 

[Norman Brownbutter]

I can deal with it fine, in the sense that you're talking nonsense and I pity you.

Seems you cant, since you've resorted to that kind of posting. You take care now.

 

[Norman Brownbutter]

Groundbreaking stuff. Great backpedalling from a ludicrous initial comment.

not backpedaling, just your inability to extrapolate information and insert nonsense so you can feel and act superior to those you disagree with. Silly nonsense really. The premise isn’t original. I stand by that opinion and whether or not you agree with is up to you. For whatever reason you’ve decided to dig your heels in and fan girl for this show without even seeing it. The delivery of the lines in the trailer was shit. It’s not personal attack you, it’s just an opinion.

 

[Norman Brownbutter]

OK, I'm actually going to agree with the bit in bold here. I made a comment earlier in the thread about not being sure of Pedro Pascal as Joel. I think he's a great actor, but not sure about his suitability for this role as of yet. And yes, that delivery wasn't very good. However, I don't know if it wasn't very good because it was poor delivery, or because it doesn't sound like Joel (or, more specifically, Troy Baker). I'm of course biased and I have these preconceived notions of who Joel is because I've played the game, and I've heard him say that line. The way Pascal delivers it here seems a little flat to my ear. Obviously, you have to caveat this by saying this is literally a 5-second clip. We don't know what came before it, or after.

I'm willing to acknowledge that this could be a me problem, as opposed to a Pascal one. As for the other stuff you've said, I don't necessarily disagree with you that what makes this game stand out is the characters. In fact, I think that's generally the accepted view among many. I do think you were giving too much credit to the actors, but I think you did clarify that it's very much a collaborative process, and the writing is a major reason why they work so well.

I also think you're a little too dismissive of the story. I mean, what the story is about is one thing, but then it comes down to how it's executed. And it's executed very well in the game with great pacing. Distilling any story down to a few words is a bit reductionist.

The issue is that I was talking about the premise, which is a well worn tale. My fault for not being clearer. The details of course are important. But for me, it’s the performances that really set the bar as high as it is For the game. I like Pedro, I haven’t seen a thing yet I haven’t like him in. I watched the unbearable weight of massive talent recently, and he’s fecking brilliant. What I don’t here get is Joel’s emotionality. Which is something that was injected by Troy. So my gut feeling is that Neil has reduced Joel back to what he originally wrote. Which I think will suck. But that’s just me.

 

[SuperiorXI]

The Last Of Us an average game... I've heard it all now!

 

[Sylar]

The conversation of this thread is wild.

Breaking things down the way it is sucks all the fun out of everything. I don't know how things can be enjoyed like that. Especially as we haven't even had an episode released yet