One of the greatest games of all time, The Last of Us, has been adapted for the small screen. And the best news is that you can watch it now.
The TV journey of Joel and Ellie premiered on Sunday 15 January 2023 with the first couple of episodes available to watch in the US and UK.
Here’s everything we know about it and how to watch it.
The Last of Us TV series season 1 release date
The show premiered on HBO in the US at 9pm EST on 15 January 2023. It was also simulcast by Sky and Now in the UK at 2am GMT on Sky Atlantic in the early hours of Monday 16 January 2023.
The remaining nine weekly episodes are also being shown simultaneously on HBO and Sky Atlantic.
As with the first two episodes, Sky will host a 2am Club Twitter community during each subsequent showing, so superfans can chat with each other as they watch.
The Last of Us TV series: How to watch
The show is produced by PlayStation Productions and Naughty Dog for HBO. That means season one and beyond is exclusive to HBO and HBO Max in the States.
Thanks to a deal between HBO and Sky, it is also being shown on Sky Atlantic on Sky Q, Sky Glass, and Sky Stream in the UK, and through the Now streaming service. All episodes are also available on third-party platforms with Sky Atlantic, such as Virgin Media and BT TV.
Other regions have other local deals.
The Last of Us TV series: How many episodes?
There are 10 episodes in season 1 of The Last of Us. They are released weekly, each Sunday in the States, Monday in the UK.
The Last of Us TV series: Trailers
The full trailer can be viewed below.
The Last of Us TV series: Cast
Joel Miller is played by The Mandalorian, Game of Thrones and Narcos star, Pedro Pascal. Ellie is played by Bella Ramsey, also of Game of Thrones fame.
Other cast members include Gabriel Luna as Joel’s brother Tommy, Murray Bartlett as Frank, and Merle Dandridge as Marlene. Anna Torv (Mindhunter) plays Tess, while Euphoria’s Storm Reid takes on the role of Ellie’s friend Riley.
The daughter of Thandie Newton, Nico Parker, plays Joel’s daughter Sarah.
The Last of Us TV series: Background
First announced in June 2020, The Last of Us TV series is an adaptation of the videogame from Naughty Dog. Season one might also feature some story points from The Last of Us Part 2, although that is yet to be seen on screen.
It follows the unlikely duo of Joel and Ellie as they trek across a post-apocalyptic United States, plagued with zombie-like mutants (the infected) and deadly human bandits. She is immune to the plant-based disease that has affected a vast number of the population, so could be mankind’s last hope. Joel’s task is to deliver her to the Fireflies - a militaristic group looking to save the world at any cost.
The show is written by Chernobyl creator Craig Mazin, with numerous directors handling the episodes. The pilot/episode 1 was helmed by Kantemir Balagov (Closeness, Beanpole), while the game’s director, Neil Druckmann, directs at least one episode of the TV series.
Will there be a season 2 of The Last of Us?
There’s great news, The Last of Us has been renewed for a second season. Executive producer and co-creator of the game, Neil Druckmann, revealed that season two is coming thanks to the huge success of the first, even after just two episodes: “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,” he said.
““Now we have the absolute pleasure of being able to do it again with season two! On behalf of everyone at Naughty Dog and PlayStation, thank you!”
