As the HBO adaptation of acclaimed Naughty Dog video gameThe Last of Uscontinues to take shape, we’ve learned who has boarded to both direct the first episode and serve as an executive producer. Back in March, we learnedChernobylcreatorCraig Mazinwas working withNeil Druckmann, theLast of Usfranchise creator to adapt the post-apocalyptic video gameinto a live-action HBO series. Mazin and Druckmann are serving as executive producers and writers, withCarolynStraussandEvanWells, the president of Naughty Dog, also executive producing. Additionally,The Last of UscomposerGustavoSantaolallawill be back toscore the TV series.
Now, it has been revealed in a recent interview withDiscussing Filmthat directorJohan Renckhas boarded the Mazin/Druckmann series. Renck is an accomplished TV director with a connection to Mazin through his work onChernobyl, having directed all episodes in the historical drama. In addition to his work onChernobyl, Renck has also directed episodes ofBreaking Bad,Vikings,The Walking Dead, andBates Motel, to name a few. TheChernobyldirector confirmed his involvement as director to Discussing Film, adding,“I’m an executive producer on it and attached to it. It’s an ongoing TV series. So that’s not something that I will be able to take on to that extent, but I’m part of that series and I will be directing at least the pilot.”
Confirmation of Renck’s involvement is exciting news, indeed, but it would be foolish not to address the director’s very interesting mention of “ongoing” in his comments to Discussing Film. UnlikeChernobyl, which was a limited series, it sounds like Mazin’s new project has a multi-season arc in mind. Considering the massive scope and depth of the world, characters, and story inThe Last of Us, it makes sense this would be the case; to contain this all to a handful of episodes would be a great disservice. As we noted in our March report onThe Last of Usadaptation, plans to cover as much of the first chapter of the Druckmann-created story were already in place and it is expect the HBO series will also include plot points from fromThe Last of Us Part II.
Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann’s HBO adaptation ofThe Last of Usis currently set for a 2021 release. Get even more updates onThe Last of Us Part IIhere.
