‘The Last of Us’ Writers Want Gamers to Be In Charge Of Adaptations

Fans of HBO's The Last of Us rejoiced on Sunday when the show returned for a triumphant second season. While the show briefly diverged from the game, it promises to stay true to adapting the story from the second game. Series co-creator Neil Druckmann and writer Halley Gross (who also co-wrote the game The Last of Us Part II) recently chatted with IndieWire, where they shed light on the adaptation process and what viewers might expect.Making a video game adaptation is hard in Hollywood. There's a lot of baggage that comes with it, and a lot of people who don't quite understand how it's done, and done well at that. Gross said, “There’s this preconceived notion about what games are like to people who aren’t in it and loving them and playing them. Hopefully, this show makes people go, ‘Hey, wait, what games can be like that?’ Now, I’m intrigued.’”The Last of Us and The Last of Us 2 are huge games; they became part of the cultural lexicon even for non-gamers. but the fact remains that their core audience was people who would play out and interact with these stories. When games get that huge, you know people are going to mine them for IP. But who should be behind the wheel for those adaptations? “The people at the top must be gamers, must have a love for it,” said Druckmann. And it's hard to argue with him. He's seen it from all ends, from show creator to producer and developer of games. Druckmann continued, “I don’t even know how many times we [went] through it on Uncharted with different directors, different writers, before we ended up with a film that was really successful.”He went on to say, “You must find someone that loves it as much as you do.” For The Last of Us, that was Craig Mazin.”Mazin is a famous screenwriter and also a hardcore gamer. He and Druckmann are the minds behind the TV show The Last of Us, and their care for the game is evident on the screen. They're intent on taking viewers through the emotions of the game in a different medium, so many of the changes they employ to the story aim to do just that. How do we create empathy in a story where you usually play as a character? How do we translate those motivations? I think they're doing a great job of it, and I'm not sure how someone who wasn't a gamer would be able to do the same. But still, I do think these worlds are so big that it would be interesting to see someone who's never played take a bite out of the world and play in it without the constraints of a story we're all seen in one medium. Is that really even an adaptation at that point? These are complex questions. At the end of the day, as a creator of the game and the show, Druckmann has a right to shepherd it any way he sees fit. And right now, it's really working for him. What's your point of view?

Apr 15, 2025 - 01:41

‘The Last of Us’ Writers Want Gamers to Be In Charge Of Adaptations

Fans of HBO's The Last of Us rejoiced on Sunday when the show returned for a triumphant second season. While the show briefly diverged from the game, it promises to stay true to adapting the story from the second game.

Series co-creator Neil Druckmann and writer Halley Gross (who also co-wrote the game The Last of Us Part II) recently chatted with IndieWire, where they shed light on the adaptation process and what viewers might expect.

Making a video game adaptation is hard in Hollywood. There's a lot of baggage that comes with it, and a lot of people who don't quite understand how it's done, and done well at that.

Gross said, “There’s this preconceived notion about what games are like to people who aren’t in it and loving them and playing them. Hopefully, this show makes people go, ‘Hey, wait, what games can be like that?’ Now, I’m intrigued.’”

The Last of Us and The Last of Us 2 are huge games; they became part of the cultural lexicon even for non-gamers. but the fact remains that their core audience was people who would play out and interact with these stories.

When games get that huge, you know people are going to mine them for IP.

But who should be behind the wheel for those adaptations?

“The people at the top must be gamers, must have a love for it,” said Druckmann.

And it's hard to argue with him. He's seen it from all ends, from show creator to producer and developer of games.

Druckmann continued, “I don’t even know how many times we [went] through it on Uncharted with different directors, different writers, before we ended up with a film that was really successful.”

He went on to say, “You must find someone that loves it as much as you do.” For The Last of Us, that was Craig Mazin.”

Mazin is a famous screenwriter and also a hardcore gamer. He and Druckmann are the minds behind the TV show The Last of Us, and their care for the game is evident on the screen. They're intent on taking viewers through the emotions of the game in a different medium, so many of the changes they employ to the story aim to do just that.

How do we create empathy in a story where you usually play as a character? How do we translate those motivations?

I think they're doing a great job of it, and I'm not sure how someone who wasn't a gamer would be able to do the same.

But still, I do think these worlds are so big that it would be interesting to see someone who's never played take a bite out of the world and play in it without the constraints of a story we're all seen in one medium.

Is that really even an adaptation at that point?

These are complex questions. At the end of the day, as a creator of the game and the show, Druckmann has a right to shepherd it any way he sees fit. And right now, it's really working for him.

What's your point of view?