Since last year, HBO has been shooting their high-profile series adaptation of the beloved narrative-focused video game “The Last of Us” in Calgary. The series takes place 20 years after a deadly virus, how timely, has destroyed modern civilization. It focuses on Joel, who is tasked to smuggle Ellie (a 14-year old girl) from an oppressive quarantine zone to the Fireflies, a group searching for a cure. It is a brutal and emotional adventure across America that should make for some compelling television.
According to Deadline, actress Storm Reid has joined the series taking the role of Riley Abel, one of the remaining human survivors located in Boston. Reid has been recently seen in HBO’s “Euphoria,” “The Invisible Man,” and James Gunn’s “The Suicide Squad.”
She joins a cast that already includes Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Anna Torv, Merle Dandrige, Nick Offerman, Nico Parker, Gabriel Luna, Jeffrey Pierce, and Murray Bartlett.
The show comes from acclaimed “Chernobyl” writer/producer Craig Mazin and “The Last Of Us” creator Neil Druckmann, who will co-write and executive produce. It will be a co-production between Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions, Word Games, The Mighty Mint, and Naughty Dog. Kantemir Balagov, Ali Abbasi, Neil Druckmann, Peter Hoar, and Jasmila Zbanic are part of the team directing episodes.
Pascal is also expected to return for the third season of “The Mandalorian” later this year. It has been shooting in California without him, but since the character wears a helmet most of the time, the actor can dub his lines later and do any unmasked scenes afterward.
Another big video game adaptation series on the horizon is Amazon’s attempt to turn “Fallout” into a show that will be directed by Jonathan Nolan (“Westworld”). Perhaps, video game properties can find massive success on the small screen when the big screen seems to more challenging format to execute.