Earlier this year, HBO announced it was developing a television series based on The Last of Us video game with Chernobyl producer Craig Mazin. The Last of Us writer and creative director Neil Druckmann will join Mazin on the project to write and executive produce the series. Of course, as with any adaptation of a popular property, The Last of Us fans are curious and possibly even concerned about how the HBO adaptation will approach the source material.

During an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live’s Chernobyl special, Mazin assured fans that the team behind the HBO adaptation is aiming to expand on the material rather than undo it. “I think fans of something worry that, when the property gets licensed to someone else, those people don’t really understand it, or are going to change it. In this case, I’m doing it with the guy who did it, and so the changes that we’re making are designed to fill things out and expand, not to undo, but rather to enhance,” Mazin explained before acknowledging that they probably won’t be able to please everyone. “We’re creating anew and we’re also reimagining what is already there to present a different format. It’s kind of a dream come true for me. I’m a little bit scared because a lot of emotions connected to this game are rather intense. I think I’m probably going to go hide in a bunker for a while because you can’t make everyone happy!” he added.

The Last of Us video game tells the story of a 14-year-old girl named Ellie, who may be the key to finding a cure for a disease that transforms the infected into cannibalistic creatures. When a smuggler named Joel is hired to escort Ellie out of a quarantine zone, the two find themselves forming a unique bond as they try to survive their journey across the post-apocalyptic United States. A sequel was released in June 2020 and while it earned praise comparable to the reception received by its predecessor, others vocally disapproved of some of the narrative decisions made by the creators.

Mazin’s comments will likely come as a relief to The Last of Us fans, although supporters of the producer’s previous work may not have needed convincing, to begin with. Chernobyl, which centered on the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster, received praise from critics and earned HBO multiple award nominations and wins, including the Emmy and Golden Globe for Best Miniseries.

Of course, much of the show’s success will hinge on exactly how it “expands” and “enhances” the story that’s already in the games. Perhaps it will explore the first days of the outbreak, or the formation of the Fireflies, or how that giraffe came to be wandering around. Also of concern is how it manages to differentiate itself from other post-apocalyptic shows, such as The Walking Dead. Clickers are more terrifying than zombies, but is that enough to keep audiences watching?

The Last of Us II is now available on PS4.

Source: BBC Radio 5 Live’s Chernobyl Special