The Last Of Us TV Series - Release date, Cast, Story, First look

The PlayStation brand is slowly but steadily expanding beyond the medium of games, adapting its well-established multi-million franchises like Uncharted to movies and now The Last of Us into an HBO TV series. 

The Last of Us is the first of the many PlayStation franchises, which is being adapted into a TV series, and expectations are sky-high. To make things more exciting, Craig Mazin, the writer of HBO's breakout hit, Chernobyl, is helming the project alongside Naughty Dog's co-president Neil Druckmann (who also wrote and directed the first game.)

With critically acclaimed writers behind its back, a reported budget of $10 million per episode, and an extensive fan base eager to experience their beloved franchise through a different medium, The Last of Us HBO series is shaping up to be one of the ambitious and anticipated TV series. Here's everything you need to know about it, including its release date, cast, story, first look, and more. 

What is the release date of The Last of Us TV series?

The Last of Us TV series premieres on 15th January 2023. The first season of the TV adaptation of this critically acclaimed video game is set to have nine episodes, and will run until March 2023.

Filming for The last of Us TV series began in July 2021 and concluded on 10th June 2022, almost a year since it kicked off. Earlier rumors seemed to point towards a holiday 2022 premiere date though various factors like the ongoing pandemic could have affected the schedule.

The Last of Us TV series cast

As expected, The Last of Us TV series features a star-studded cast. Bella Ramsey, who fans may recall as the ferocious Lyanna Mormont in HBO's Game of Thrones, plays the role of 14 years old Ellie Williams. Pedro Pascal, who played the charismatic Oberyn Martell in Games of Thrones, and the vigilante The Mandalorian in Disney Plus' The Mandalorian, helms the shoes of the gritty old Joel Miller.

As for others, below is the list of the confirmed cast of characters for The Last of Us TV series.

• Gabriel Luna as Tommy
• Nick Offerman as Bill
• Merie Dandrige as Marlene
• Anna Torv as Tess
• Murray Bartlett as Frank
• Jeffrey Pierce as Perry
• Nico Parker as Sarah
• Storm Ried as Riley Abel
• Brendan Fletcher as Robert 

Are Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson in The Last of Us TV series?

 Since its announcement, fans have been immensely curious about Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson's involvement in The Last of Us TV series. Baker, who plays Joel in the original and The Last of Us 2, and Johnson, who plays Ellie in both games and the Left Behind DLC, will thankfully be part of the TV adaptation. 

Neil Druckmann confirmed this info at Summer Games Fest 2022, where he also officially revealed The Last of Us Part 1, a faithful remake of the original which is built from the ground up for PS5 and PC.

While Baker and Johnson's role in The Last of Us TV series remains a mystery, Druckmann confirmed that they are full-fledged roles, not just cameos, which should excite veteran fans. 

What is the story of The Last of Us TV series?

The Last of Us follows Joel - a merciless smuggler, and Ellie, a young girl, who comes together by fate and must survive a journey across the post-apocalyptic United States torn apart by an infection, where everyone and everything is a threat. 

In an interview with IGN, Druckmann confirmed that some of the dialogues from the game carry over to the TV adaptation, but there are also sections where it will "deviate greatly," given that it's a different medium. 

The Last of Us TV series first official look

It's nearly been two years since the initial announcement, and HBO seems to be keeping more concrete details about The Last of Us TV series under wrap. While there have been a plethora of leaked images, giving us a behind-the-scenes look at various characters, we didn't get a proper official look at the upcoming show until Summer Game Fest 2022.

During The Last of Us section of the showcase, Neil Druckmann revealed, what we believe, is the first proper official shot of Joel and Ellie in The Last of Us TV series. 

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Veterans fans should be able to recognize this scene from the early section of the game where Joel and Ellie survive a museum full of Clickers, one of the most dangerous infected types in The Last of Us universe. 

Where to watch The Last of Us TV series?

The Last of Us TV series will be available to stream on HBO Max. Unlike Netflix, HBO likes to drop an episode every week, so fans could expect something similar with The Last of Us TV series when it eventually arrives. 

There are two versions of HBO Max currently available to subscribe to - The ad-free and the non-ad-free. The ad-free one costs $14.99/per month, whereas the non-ad free costs $9.99/per month.

That pretty much concludes everything we know about The Last of Us TV series. We will make sure to update this article as soon as more info is available. 

In the meantime, why not check our dedicated Entertainment section for more The Last of Us TV series news, guides, and features. 

Featured image courtesy of HBO.