HBO has announced The Last of Us episode 5 will be aired this Friday to avoid clashing with the Super Bowl on Sunday.
UK-based fans (myself included) won't have to wait. It will be available on demand from Saturday morning ahead of Monday's premiere on Sky Atlantic.
The live-action adaptation of the award-winning PlayStation video game is taking the world by storm. The show, which co-stars Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian) and Bella Ramsay (Game of Thrones) in the lead roles, has been renewed for a second season.
"I’m humbled, honoured, and frankly overwhelmed that so many people have tuned in and connected with our retelling of Joel and Ellie’s journey," executive producer Neil Druckmann said in an official statement.
"Now we have the absolute pleasure of being able to do it again with season two!"
Executive producer Craig Mazin added: "I’m so grateful to Neil Druckmann and HBO for our partnership, and I’m even more grateful to the millions of people who have joined us on this journey.
"The audience has given us the chance to continue, and as a fan of the characters and world Neil and Naughty Dog created, I couldn’t be more ready to dive back in."
Are you watching The Last of Us? Let me know in the comments below.
The Last of Us, written by Neil Druckmann, was released by Naughty Dog a decade ago on the PlayStation 3 (PS3). It's that rare breed of video game I've owned across console generations, most recently on PlayStation 5 (PS5).
So, it's not entirely surprising I'm looking forward to HBO's live-action adaptation, co-written by Druckmann and Craig Mazin (Chernobyl) and filmed during a real-life global pandemic, starring Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian) and Bella Ramsey (Game of Thrones).
Read the official synopsis:
"THE LAST OF US takes place 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed. Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal and heartbreaking journey as they both must traverse the U.S. and depend on each other for survival."
The Last of Us premieres on 15th January on HBO and HBO Max in the US and 16th January on Sky Atlantic and NOW in the UK.
Are you excited about The Last of Us on HBO? Let me know in the comments below.
HBO has released a first look at its upcoming live-action adaptation of The Last of Us from writer-director Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin (Chernobyl).
Bella Ramsey (Game of Thrones) and Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian) are perfectly cast as Ellie and Joel respectively. Seeing the former Game of Thrones co-stars standing in a field, I thought it was a screenshot from a PlayStation 5 (PS5) enhanced version of Naughty Dog's award-winning video game franchise.
The Last of Us is currently in production in Canada, which fills me with familial pride (my late maternal grandmother was Canadian). Presumably, it'll be available to stream exclusively on HBO Max and Sky Atlantic in the UK.
Are you looking forward to the upcoming HBO series? What are your thoughts on the image? Let me know in the comments below.
The Last of Us Part II has eclipsed Marvel's Spider-Man to become the fastest-selling PlayStation exclusive in Sony's history with more than 4 million copies sold worldwide.
"The Last of Us Part 2 represents large scale innovation in gaming with a great blend of excellent gameplay mechanics and masterful storytelling," Eric Lempel, senior vice president of worldwide marketing for Sony PlayStation, said in a statement. "We strive to bring you unique, engaging experiences."
Neil Druckmann, vice president of Naughty Dog and director of The Last of Us Part II said:
“We are so immensely grateful to the millions of fans around the world that have played The Last of Us Part II and shared their experiences with us over the last week. We set out to tell a new kind of story, one that deals with difficult themes and would challenge you in unexpected ways. Hearing how the experience has resonated with so many of you and witnessing the type of thoughtful discussions it has sparked has been so incredible. We’ve also been so inspired by your creativity – whether it’s your gorgeous Photo Mode shots, jaw-dropping gameplay GIFs, or the songs you’ve recorded using Ellie’s guitar.
The Last of Us Part II was made possible thanks to the efforts of the hundreds of talented and passionate developers here at Naughty Dog. We can imagine no greater honour than seeing that same passion mirrored by the people playing it. Thank you for helping us reach this amazing milestone.”
Not only is The Last of Us Part II one of the greatest video game sequels ever made, Ellie is an openly gay female protagonist and I, for one, can't wait for HBO's live-action adaptation.
PlayStation 5 (PS5) is, literally, emerging from the shadows on 4th June. Sony has announced a 'future of gaming' livestream showcasing PS5-only titles and seemingly teased the new console's startup chime.
Ordinarily, flaming June would be a month of major events. From the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) to the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, it isn't safe and practicable for people to gather in large groups.
So, events like E3 have been cancelled and others, like WWDC, will be livestreamed. Incidentally, I mostly use the official Remote Play app for iPhone and iPad, since native DualShock 4 support was added with iOS 13, to stream games from my PS4.
"I’m excited to share that we will soon give you a first look at the games you’ll be playing after PlayStation 5 launches this holiday," writes Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO and president Jim Ryan on the official PlayStation Blog.
"This digital showcase will run for a bit more than an hour and, for the first time, we will all be together virtually experiencing the excitement together. A lack of physical events has given us an amazing opportunity to think differently and bring you on this journey with us, and hopefully, closer than ever before. This is part of our series of PS5 updates and, rest assured, after next week’s showcase, we will still have much to share with you."
Scans of the July issue of the Official PlayStation Magazine (OPM) have appeared online, revealing some of the games bound for PS5 with more expected to be announced exclusively during the livestream.
A Rat's Quest: The Way Back Home (ETA 2021)
Assassin's Creed Valhalla (ETA 2020)
Battlefield 6 (ETA 2021)
Chorus (ETA 2021)
Cygni: All Guns Blazing (ETA TBA)
Dauntless (ETA TBA)
Dirt 5 (2020)
Dragon Age 4 (ETA TBA)
Dying Light 2 (ETA TBA)
FIFA 21 (ETA 2020)
Godfall (ETA TBA)
Gods & Monsters (ETA TBA)
Gothic Remake (ETA TBA)
Madden 21 (ETA 2020)
Moonray (ETA Summer 2021)
MicroMan (ETA TBA)
NHL 21 (ETA 2020)
Nth'O Infinity Reborn (ETA February 2021)
Observer: System Redux (ETA 2020)
Outriders (ETA 2020)
Path of Exile 2 (ETA 2020)
PsyHotel (ETA TBA)
Quantum Error (ETA 2020)
Rainbow Six Quarantine (ETA TBA)
Rainbow Six Siege (ETA TBA)
Redo! Enhanced Edition (ETA 2020)
Scarlet Nexus (ETA TBA)
Sniper Elite 5 (ETA TBA)
Soulborn (ETA Late 2021)
Starfield (ETA TBA)
The Elder Scrolls 6 (ETA TBA)
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum (ETA 2021)
The Sims 5 (ETA TBA)
Ultimate Fishing Simulator 2 (ETA 2020)
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 (ETA TBA)
Warframe (ETA TBA)
Watch Dogs Legion (ETA TBA)
WRC 9 (ETA 2020)
Aside from software. Will PlayStation fans (myself included) get to see the 'box' itself? Well, the Tokyo-based company could borrow from late Apple CEO Steve Jobs' playbook with one more thing... Given manufacturing of the upcoming console is rumoured to have begun, Sony won't want someone to leak a photo of the PS5 and lose control of the messaging.
Sony's PS5 strategy will eclipse Microsoft's Xbox Series X as The Last of Us Part II is tracking to become the fastest selling first-party exclusive in the company's history, and the PS4 has dominated this console generation. Of course, I've championed Game Pass and PlayStation Now still lags behind.
The PS5 is on track for a holiday 2020 launch. The pre-order countdown starts now.
What are you hoping to see? Let me know in the comments below.
The past few weeks haven't been too great for Sony's first-party studio Naughty Dog and upcoming title The Last of Us Part II (affiliate link). There was a significant leak that, inevitably in this digitally connected era, spiralled out of control amidst allegations of disgruntled employees and a server hack.
Fans who were either spoiled or actively sought out the leaked footage were seemingly incensed by the story, for the most part. It's always worth remembering that these clips are viewed out of context.
Today Sony revealed a new story trailer for The Last of Us Part II, which will be released on 19th June following a delay due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Are you excited about The Last of Us Part II or have you cancelled your pre-order in the wake of controversy? Let me know in the comments below.
HBO is developing an adaptation of The Last of Us with Craig Mazin (Chernobyl) and Naughty Dog's Neil Druckmann. HBO's series will cover the events of the original video game, which was written by Druckmann, with the possibility of additional content based on the upcoming sequel, The Last of Us Part II (affiliate link), which is released 29th May.
"Getting a chance to adapt this breathtaking work of art has been a dream of mine for years, and I'm so honored to do it in partnership with Neil," said Mazin in a statement about the upcoming series.
“This is a true thrill for us at Sony Pictures Television. ‘The Last of Us’ is a brilliant achievement in storytelling and character development, and we are lucky to have the opportunity to work with this team to adapt it,” said Chris Parnell, co-President of Sony Pictures Television Studios. “This is the first of many shows we intend to develop with our friends at PlayStation Productions.”
HBO is synonymous with prestige television including Game of Thrones, Westworld, Chernobyl and most recently His Dark Materials.
“This is an incredibly exciting opportunity for us to partner with Craig, Neil, Carolyn and the teams at Sony, Naughty Dog and PlayStation to bring the virtual world of this acclaimed game to life,” said HBO programming president Casey Bloys.
A movie adaptation has been in development for some time, but a mini-series is the perfect medium for a character-driven story such as Ellie and Joel's journey.
Are you looking forward to The Last of Us on HBO and the upcoming video game sequel? Let me know in the comments below.
In an interview with the Official PlayStation Magazine, Nolan North, video game actor par excellence, shares an interesting quote from Star Trek and Star Wars director JJ Abrams.
"He said the opening of Uncharted 2 was the best opening of a game, television show or movie he's ever seen," North told the publication.
Upon replaying the game, on PlayStation Now, Uncharted 2's opening is a masterclass in gameplay mechanics and storytelling. Of course the opening to Naughty Dog's other franchise, The Last of Us, could be regarded as superior.
Nolan North went on to say JJ Abrams cast him in Star Trek Into Darkness based on the Uncharted franchise.
What do you think? Is BioShock better? Let me know in the comments below.
2014 has, for the most part, been notable for video game re-releases on PS4 and Xbox One!
There were no clear contenders for Game of the Year (GotY) as in previous years, which has included Dishonored, Bioshock Infinite and Tomb Raider. Instead, the media was fixated on the PS4's seemingly insurmountable sales lead on Xbox One and the latter's price drop. Where were the compelling next gen games coming from?
PlayStation exclusive The Last of Us Remastered and GTA V for PS4 and Xbox One could be considered worthy of, permanent, pride of place on a bookshelf in their next gen incarnations. And may garner GotY for a second year running from gaming enthusiasts and critics alike.
Bungie's overblown blockbuster Destiny fell short of the studio's greatest achievements: Halo and Marathon. Offering shallow, but addictive, fun in the form of Fireteams. A week doesn't pass by when I don't play an Heroic Strike mission. Only to see teammates and myself strewn, hapless, across the desolate dunes of Mars.
Delays have lead to an overcrowded November, which includes the annual Call of Duty. However, I may have discovered my GotY: Dragon Age: Inquisition. In short, a compelling blend of Mass Effect meets Skyrim. I invested an hour customising my character, Tauriel (pictured at the start), before embarking on the 100 hour or more quest.
The Last of Us is my favourite PlayStation game. Ever. There, I've said it.
To celebrate the launch of the PS4 version of The Last of Us, Naughty Dog brings last year’s Game of the Year to life in front of hundreds of fans in Santa Monica. This special one night only event will celebrate the artistry behind the game with a performance of the score, plus a “live read” of key scenes featuring the principal actors, as directed by Neil Druckmann. The creative team will also participate in a live audience Q&A.
The Last of Us: One Night Live contains spoilers. Consider yourself warned.
Getting The Last of Us Remastered for PS4? Let me know in the comments below.
Sony accidently posted this banner art for The Last of Us: Remastered! It briefly appeared on the Sony Entertainment Network, but the pre-order link lead to a "Page not found" notice.
Purportedly the PS4 port will include the Left Behind expansion and all Season Pass DLC.
A Sony spokesperson told Polygon that "At no time have we announced that The Last of Us is coming to PS4 and therefore, have nothing to say on the subject." The award-winning title was a PS3 exclusive released last year.
Update
Sony's confirmed the release of the much-anticipated game this summer!
The PS4 edition will feature increased graphical fidelity and in-game cinematic commentary from actors Troy Baker (Joel) and BAFTA-winner Ashley Johnson (Ellie).
Creative director Neil Druckmann took to Twitter to add that Naughty Dog is targeting the holy grail of 60fps for the game.
I rarely double-dip, but this is a day-one purchase. You can pre-order today.
A movie adaptation has been green-lit by Screen Gems, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment. Who would you like to see play Joel and Ellie on the big screen?
