Video game adaptations historically haven’t been a big deal, failing to find similar success to the source material, but the creators of the new HBO series The Last of Us they claim to understand the flaws of other adaptations and promise to avoid them in their new production.
Craig Mazin, best known for his series Chernobylalso from HBO, and Neil Druckmann, the creator of the game The Last of Us original, star of the new adaptation of the hit exclusive game for PlayStation. Pedro Pascal will play Joel, while Bella Ramsey will play young Ellie, a role for which more than 100 actresses were tested.
However, what seems to separate The Last of Us of other video game adaptations is about attention to plot and characters. Rather than trying to recreate an extremely faithful representation of the beloved video game, The Last of Us of HBO seeks to stay true to its source material while breaking new ground.
The world and characters feel lifted from the game, but the connective tissue around them feels rooted in an averagely enjoyable story. And that philosophy directly represents what the creators of the series believe has gone wrong with previous video game adaptations. According to Mazin and Druckmann, relying on specific elements to the gameplay experience will only result in a lackluster and unsatisfying experience elsewhere.
Mazin and Druckmann made these comments in an interview with the magazine The New Yorker. The pair said they are well aware of the dire state of the video game adaptation genre. While some films are more aimed at children, such as Detective Pikachu and Sonic: the moviehas found some success, others like Assassin’s Creed it failed to capture the audience.
For Mazin, Assassin’s Creed it was an uphill battle, as “the joy is the gameplay. The story is impenetrable.” Druckmann added to Mazin’s sentiment, “The other thing people get wrong is that they think people want to see the gameplay on screen.”
More recently, the series halo, produced by Steven Spielberg, also tried to appeal to the unique action of video games. choose to fit The Last of Us without relying on game mechanics to recapture the essence of the video game is an endeavor worth learning from its predecessors. Also, the game works in a television format.
This is because despite The Last of Us being a violent and action-packed game, it puts character development at the heart of its narrative. It’s an experience that makes players fall in love with Joel, Ellie and everyone they meet along the way.
The gameplay is addictive and unrelenting, but the story is at its core The Last of Us. It would be impossible to replicate the intimate experience of playing Joel or Ellie, but adapting character-driven storytelling for a nine-episode season should feel natural.
The Last of Us arrives on HBO and HBO Max on January 15, 2023.
The post The Last of Us: The Creators Think They Know What Other Game Adaptations Went Wrong first appeared on Olhar Digital.
Source: Olhar Digital
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
