Movies - TV
How The Last of Us Was Pitched To HBO
By SHANIA RUSSELL
When “The Last of Us” video game creator Neil Druckmann became inspired by the HBO hit limited series “Chernobyl,” he found his vision for “The Last of Us” as a TV adaptation and partnered with “Chernobyl” creator Craig Mazin to pitch the project to HBO. When the two finally met with HBO’s higher-ups to pitch the show, Druckmann watched Mazin deliver a soul-stirring pitch.
Mazin dramatically told the HBO executives the story of a surrogate father to an orphaned girl crossing paths, surviving a treacherous wasteland, and finding the hope they both desperately need to keep moving forward. Druckmann said, “I was finding myself emotionally moved by a story that — for all intents and purposes — I shouldn't be moved by anymore.”
HBO Chairman and CEO Casey Bloys later told The Hollywood Reporter, “I'm not a gamer. I approached this as: Is it a great TV show?” Based on what the execs heard in that room, the answer was a resounding yes, and audiences will get the chance to decide for themselves when “The Last of Us” finally debuts on HBO on January 15, 2023.