The Last Of Us TV Series Writer-Producer Extends Deal With HBO

The Last of Us TV show adaptation is having some of its creative team set down stronger roots with HBO--according to The Hollywood Reporter, writer and executive producer Craig Mazin has extended his overall deal with WarnerMedia outlets for an additional three years. In addition to currently working on The Last Of Us alongside video game company Naughty Dog co-president Neil Druckmann, Mazin was also the creator and showrunner of HBO's Chernobyl.

Recently, there was a personnel change on The Last of Us with Russian director Kantemir Balagov (Beanpole) stepping in to replace Chernobyl director Johan Renck, who dropped out due to a scheduling conflict. Details are still sparse on the adaptation, with no release date or cast announcement made so far after news of the series first came out last year. However, Mazin has previously said that the series will introduce characters and events not featured in the games--while also not retconning anything that's already been established there.

Fans have speculated the stretch of time between The Last of Us and The Last of Us Part II could be fertile ground for the series to get into. The gap between these two games is addressed in the second game in certain flashback scenes--but there's still plenty we don't see during this period.

Mazin, a screenwriter and director who has often been outspoken about his appreciation for video games and recognition for their narrative potential, has also been involved in writing an upcoming Borderlands movie.

In related Naughty Dog-video game adaptation news, the Uncharted movie was recently delayed to February 11, 2022. It was pushed back from a previously and highly anticipated release date of July 16, 2021.