Sam Raimi took to the stage in Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con to update fans on the status of The Last of Us feature-film adaptation, which we revealed he would produce back in March. We were hoping news would break that Raimi finally agreed to direct the film – because he would be perfect. He has not. But he did say that they are having conversations with another perfect fit: Maisie Williams from HBO’s Game of Thrones.
Raimi and game writer Neil Druckmann made it clear during this surprise The Last of Us presentation that nothing has been signed, and that they are having conversations. But Williams, 17, would likely play Ellie, a young survivor of a fungal outbreak that turns people into flesh-craving zombies. Williams would likely need a co-star in Joel. The game centers on these two characters as they work their way across a devastated landscape, seeking fellow survivors and fighting off undead creatures. In the games, the characters looked like this:
The Last of Us is an incredibly detailed and engrossing long-play game that earned raves (and rightfully so) for the graphics conjured by the people at Naughty Dog. Instead of placing you on the outside of a virtual adventure, the game successfully immersed players in Ellie and Joel’s difficult physical and emotional journey. It was a great blend of horror and human elements, which the movie will have to replicate if it wants to please fans. I mean, look at these graphics!
Neil Druckmann is writing the script for this planned The Last of Us film adaptation, with Sam Raimi producing. No director has been confirmed, leaving us just enough hope that no one will sign on the dotted line, forcing Raimi to take the reigns himself and return to the horror genre where he belongs. Hell, cast Bruce Campbell as Joel. We’d sell the theaters out for weeks.
