HBO has finally unveiled the first trailer for the highly anticipated TV adaptation of The Last of Us, Naughty Dog’s beloved video game about finding a family amidst a zombie apocalypse. The new trailer was released as part of Outbreak Day, aka The Last of Us Day, a yearly celebration of the franchise held by developer Naughty Dog.
The new trailer introduces Pedro Pascal as Joel, a middle-aged man who becomes a delivery specialist once a deadly virus almost wipes out humanity. Just as in the original game, the series will follow Joel as he escorts Bella Ramsey‘s Ellie to a lab where scientists can study her blood. Since Ellie is apparently immune to the virus, her body might be the key to finding a cure and taking back society. The Last of Us follows Joe and Ellie as they navigate the ruins of the United States, evading the highly-aggressive Infected. At the same time, they also need to deal with other survivors, some of them willing to do anything to gather resources and ensure their own survival.
While there are zombie stories aplenty nowadays, The Last of Us won the hearts of millions of fans due to the highly-emotional story it tells. While they work together to stay alive, Joel and Ellie form an unbreakable bond, which increases the stakes of the narrative. The trailer shows how HBO’s series adaptation will stick close to the game, with some locations perfectly reproduced for TV. However, it mainly shows just how perfect Pascal and Ramsey are for the roles they are playing. Just like Joel and Ellie are the anchors that holds The Last of Us together, Pascal and Ramsey shine in the new trailer. We can all be at ease after this trailer; the show is in excellent hands.
HBO’s The Last of Us also stars Storm Reid as Riley Abel, another survivor who was the focus of the first game’s DLC, The Last of Us: Left Behind. That means the show will go beyond the original game story, expanding on the universe created by Naughty Dog. The series’ cast also includes Lamar Johnson as Henry, Keivonn Woodard as Sam, Parks and Recreation’s Nick Offerman, Anna Torv, Merle Dandrige, Nico Parker, Gabriel Luna, Jeffrey Pierce, and Murray Bartlett. As announced in Summer Game Fest, Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker, who voiced Ellie and Joel in the games, have also joined the series in undisclosed roles.
The first episode of The Last of Us will be directed by Kantemir Balagov. Original game creators Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin are listed as creators for The Last of Us and will also serve as executive producers.
The Last of Us is set to premiere on HBO sometime in 2023. Check out the trailer below: