CHERNOBYL Director Johan Renck Set To Director HBO's Adaptation of THE LAST OF US
Director Johan Renck received a lot of praise for the work he did on HBO’s incredible series Chernobyl. He even ended up winning an Emmy Award for directing the series. He’s also directed episodes of Breaking Bad, Bates Motel, and Vikings.
Renck is now set to direct at least the pilot episode of the upcoming HBO adaptation of the hit video game The Last of Us. This really shouldn’t come as a surprise as Craig Mazin, the creator of Chernobyl, is developing and producing the series. During an interview with Discussing Film, Renck said:
“I’m an executive producer on it and attached to it. It’s an ongoing TV series. So that’s not something that I will be able to take on to that extent, but I’m part of that series and I will be directing at least the pilot. Then we’ll see how it goes on further. I mean, both Craig and I, we are working with each other again and we will work with each other on other things because we like each other.”
The game is set in a post-apocalyptic world, the story of which centers on the relationship between Joel, a smuggler in this new world, and Ellie, a teenager who may be key to a cure for the deadly pandemic.
Joel is “a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle the 14-year-old girl out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal, heartbreaking journey, as they both must traverse across the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.”
It was also reported that the HBO series “will cover the events of the original game, which was written by Druckmann, with the possibility of additional content based on the forthcoming game sequel.”
The writer and creative director of the game, Neil Druckmann, is also involved and will work with Mazin to write the series and executive produce it. Mazin, who is said to be an avid player of the game, said in a statement:
"Neil Druckmann is without question the finest storyteller working in the video game medium, and The Last of Us is his magnum opus. 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."
Druckmann added his own statement, saying:
"From the first time I sat down to talk with Craig I was equally blown away by his approach to narrative and his love and deep understanding of The Last of Us. With Chernobyl, Craig and HBO created a tense, harrowing, emotional masterpiece. I couldn't think of better partners to bring the story of The Last of Us to life as a television show."
There’s some great talent attached to this project and as a fan of the game, I can’t wait to see how it turns out!