The first trailer for The Last of Us on HBO has been released and is sure to ease any potential worries fans had left about the adaptation. The Last of Us is the third attempted adaptation of the hit 2013 game after a live-action film produced by Sam Raimi and an animated short film were both canceled by Sony after years of development hell. In 2020, however, it was confirmed that a TV show from HBO was in early development by game director Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin, creator of HBO's Chernobyl.
Since then, anticipation has only grown exponentially for the HBO adaptation due to both the talent behind and in front of the camera and the beloved story of the source material. Since production on The Last of Us started, Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey were cast as Joel Miller and Ellie Williams, respectively, the two main characters of the game. Alongside Pascal and Ramsey are Gabriel Luna as Tommy Miller (Joel's brother), Merle Dandridge as Marlene (the head of the Fireflies), and Anna Torv as Tess (Joel's smuggling partner).
Naturally, excitement has run rampant with a cast such as this and the incredibly talented people working on the series' development. However, what always comes hand in hand with intense anticipation are the worries of a poor adaptation of beloved source material. With the release of the first official trailer, though, HBO has shown fans eagerly anticipating the series exactly what they wanted to see. From the intense vibe of the trailer to the cast in action and the visuals being ripped straight from the game itself, including the infamous Clickers, The Last of Us trailer has surely eased all worries.
Why HBO's The Last Of Us Trailer Should Ease Worries
The main thing that stands out from The Last of Us trailer that should put minds at rest is the tone and vibe presented. One of the standout aspects of the 2013 video game is the somber, intense tone that permeates every minute of the game. While there are a few moments of comedic relief and heartwarming character beats, the majority of the game is a bleak look at the post-apocalyptic USA. The trailer for The Last of Us certainly captures this tone exceptionally well, from using the same foreboding trailer song as the first game's trailer to the identical visuals.
With these visuals, HBO is proving that fidelity to the original game was key when crafting The Last of Us. This faithfulness to the game was evident when cameos from Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson in The Last of Us were confirmed, the two voice actors of Joel and Ellie from the games. However, in the trailer, scenes almost identical to the game's iconic visuals are showcased. Some of these include perfectly recreated scenes from the opening section of the game, which shows the initial outbreak of disease responsible for the collapse of society. Another includes the recreation of an iconic level outside of Boston in an overran-by-nature neighborhood, overlooked by two collapsing skyscrapers.
Finally, another thing that should ease worries from The Last of Us trailer is its showcasing of characters, both living and undead. Game characters from The Last of Us shown in the trailer include Joel, Ellie, Tess, Marlene, Tommy, Sarah, Bill, and Riley. This again proves the faithfulness to the original game, with the trailer easing any worries of a change to the story or characters while also providing teases to some of the game's most iconic character moments. One of the final shots of the trailer also provides a sneak peek at one of the game's most iconic undead creatures, the Clickers, which look phenomenal as practical, tangible, and most of all, terrifying monsters. All of these things only go to increase excitement towards The Last of Us, making the wait for 2023 and the series premiere all the more difficult.