Although the history of Naughty Dog dates back to 1984 —when it was still known as Jam Software—, and is marked by great milestones for the video game industry such as the first ‘Crash Bandicoot’, the ‘Jack and Daxter’ saga or that quartet of jewels published under the title of ‘Uncharted’; it would not be until 2013 when the Californian studio reached the Olympus of the industry with its great masterpiece: ‘The Last of Us’.
This adventure in the key of survival-horror narrowed even more, if possible, the increasingly fine line that separates the emotional impact caused by the narrative of cinema and video games; something achieved thanks to an exceptional and devastating script, a superb treatment of characters, and a technical, artistic and interpretive display that, added to the interactivity of the medium, translated into a unique experience only equaled by its enormous and gloomy sequel, ‘The Last of Us: Part II’.
The enormous filmic aspect present in its approximately 15 hours of duration, made the announcement of an adaptation for cinema or television a matter of time. Finally, Joel and Ellie’s playable epic will be reimagined as a series for HBO; and although the responsible team known so far invites us to think about the new great bombshell of the platform, this new version of ‘The Last of Us’ has a gigantic challenge to overcome if it wants to be fully successful: equal —at least— what is already perfect.
Of adaptations, tracings and fearful fandoms
Craig Mazin —screenwriter of the fantastic ‘Chernobyl’—, Kantemir Balagov —director of the raw and award-winning ‘A Great Woman (Beanpole)’— and Neil Druckmann —director and screenwriter of ‘The Last of Us’, and current co-president of Naughty Dog— are the dream team creative with which HBO has given a large dose of hope to those of us who enjoyed the original work eight years ago. A trio of aces that, added to the signings of Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey as the main couple, and a base material of the highest level, finish profiling a production with all the cards to succeed.
It is precisely the publication of the names of Pascal and Ramsey as the Joel and Ellie —two characters adored by the players— of flesh and blood that has begun to arouse the first suspicions towards the series, based mainly on the physical resemblance of the characters. interpreters. This suspicion, in addition to being totally unfounded —I wish casting direction were as simple as comparing faces—, directly connects with one of the main problems faced by projects like the one we are dealing with: the need to differentiate between what is an adaptation and a carbon copy.
Personally, no matter how much I’ve enjoyed a piece of work—whether it’s a comic book, a novel, or a video game— neither do I expect or wish under any circumstances that what I have already experienced so intensely will be narrated once again and scene by scene. At the same time, however, there is a strange feeling that prompts me to fear a radical departure from what I consider practically perfect. A reaction that we could call “the fandom dichotomy” and that, among other things, has prevented me from continuing to watch Josh Boone’s ‘The Stand’ for fear of ending up disappointed in one way or another.
Fortunately, both Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann have promised find a perfect balance between the most absolute fidelity and changes “designed to complete things and expand, not to undo, but rather to improve” and that, in part, they will be based on material discarded from the extensive original script of the video game. According to Mazin, “the new elements are connected in a serious and organic way” and hope that the viewer “experience more, with more characters and in more ways”; and this sensible addition will It is the one that, ultimately, can make the difference.
In 2013, Druckmann, together with his co-director Bruce Straley, designer Jacob Minkoff and, among others, the duo of Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson, created a small miracle in the key of a post-apocalyptic road-movie whose enormous dramatic load and brilliant execution managed to that, for the first time, he cried with a controller in his hands. Starting from this point, The best that Mazin and company could do is keep their promises, fly free, and look beyond the perfection of ‘The Last of Us’.
Because what better way to complement a masterpiece than breaking away from her with another of similar dimensions.