HBO has renewed the film adaptation of the eponymous computer game The Last of Us for a second season. So far there are only two episodes of the series, and the third will premiere this Sunday. Variety writes about it.
“I am honored and frankly overwhelmed that so many people have joined our retelling of Joel and Ellie’s journey. Working with Craig Mazin, our incredible cast and crew, and HBO has exceeded my already high expectations,” said executive producer Neil Druckmann, who also wrote and co-created the game.
The decision to extend the show was not a surprise, as it was praised by critics and viewers alike. The Last of Us has a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Last Sunday, the second episode was watched by 5.7 million viewers, 22% more than the first episode. This is the largest audience increase for the second week after the premiere in HBO history.
The series takes place twenty years after the destruction of modern civilization. A hardened survivor named Joel (Pedro Pascal) has been hired to get 14-year-old Ellie (Bella Ramsey) out of the quarantine zone. What starts out as a small job for the hero soon turns into a violent and emotional ride.
Recall that the first series of “The Last of Us” was to be filmed by the Russian director Kantemir Balagov. However, due to creative differences, he left the project and was replaced by Craig Mazin. As a result, 40% of the material (approximately 16 minutes) in the first 40 minutes of the series is his work.
