How The Last of Us Was Adapted

Did the creators behind the HBO show pull it off?

The Last of Us are critically acclaimed video games known for their story, characters, world, and themes. On their own, they have won dozens of awards and won mainstream fandom.

But more recently, The Last of Us has been adapted by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann into an HBO original TV series, but it was not without its own trials and tribulations. Adapting a well-known and beloved game is not easy, and The Last of Us was no exception. Development was not smooth, expectations were high, and the ever-present videogame ‘curse’ could not be avoided.

But how did they do it? How were Craig and Neil able to transform The Last of Us into a cinematic masterpiece, enhancing the story and pleasing new and existing fans when others before had failed? How were they able to do what no one else could, and create the greatest adaptation of all time?

Created by Craig Mazin & Neil Druckmann
Starring Pedro Pascal & Bella Ramsey
Music by Gustavo Santaolalla

A video essay & analysis by Cinephiles, for Cinephiles

Produced by Josh Yang
Written by Cameron Thomson
Narrated by Caitie McCollow
Edited by Jay Da Rocha Luft

00:00 Challanges of Adapating A Game
01:18 Before HBO
01:53 Film VS TV
02:06 Neil Meeting Craig
02:36 Adapting A Game
02:56 What The Last of Us Is About
03:52 What To Keep & What To Change
04:32 Exploring Further
04:59 Making Sam Deaf
05:54 Battle of Kansas City
07:04 Bill & Frank
08:13 Prologue Scenes
09:00 Negative Space
09:50 Violence
11:21 Clickers
12:12 Landscapes
12:30 Meaning of Music
13:39 Understanding The Source Material

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