'The Last of Us': Expensive 'Walking Dead' successor starts on Sky

The US broadcaster took a lot of money in hand. The first season is said to have cost $100 million. In terms of budget, 'The Last of Us' is in the same league as 'Game of Thrones' – and costs about twice as much as a season of 'The Walking Dead'

Parallel to the US premiere, 'The Last of Us' will be shown on Sky Q on the night of January 16th. The first episode is also available for broadcast in the USA at the same time as the in-house streaming service Wow. At 83 minutes, the opening sequence is almost full-length. The other eight regular episodes last around 60 minutes each.

There's a new episode every week, which fans can watch either in the original English or in a German dubbing. There is also the option of subtitles in German or English. The series is expected to run in UHD quality on Sky Atlantic from March 2023.

Twenty years after the fall of modern civilization. Man-eating creatures infected by a fungus roam the streets. Smuggler Joel, who lost his daughter during the outbreak of the apocalypse, is given what appears to be a routine assignment. He's supposed to escort teenie Ellie to a safe place near Salt Lake City. The girl is immune to the zombie spores.

Joel and Ellie, who doesn't think much of playing the heroine, embark on a journey across the devastated United States. At the destination, a resistance group wants to use Ellie's help to create a cure for the infection. Little did Joel and Ellie know: the girl would have to die for it.

'The Last of Us' is based on the video game of the same name, which was first released for the PlayStation3 in 2013. Part two of the survival horror game followed in 2020. The first part is considered one of the best video games of all time, and the sequel won seven game awards. No other computer game has won so many prizes.

There were already plans to film the game in 2014. Horror cult director Sam Raimi (63, 'Tanz der Teufel', 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnesss') was to produce the cinema adaptation. Neil Druckmann (44), the developer of the game, had already written a screenplay. But the film plans petered out.

Neil Druckmann is also involved as an author in the series adaptation. He's already reassured fans of the game that he doesn't want the series to overtake the template. Unlike 'Game of Thrones', the adaptation will not advance with the story, but will stick to the original.

Game connoisseurs already praised the trailer's faithfulness to the original in terms of optics and tonality. The characteristic clicking of the undead was also well hit.

The first press reviews of the series that have appeared in the USA also praise the faithfulness to the original. In general, 'The Last of Us' gets off very well. On 'Metacritic' she gets a rating of 82 out of 100 possible points. 'Empire' speaks of the 'best video game adaptation of all time'.

Pedro Pascal (47) embodies the traumatized smuggler Joel. For the native Chilean, the part after 'The Mandalorian' is the second main role in a big series. Ellie is played by Bella Ramsey. The 19-year-old was already on 'Game of Thrones', making her debut in the fantasy series in 2016 as Lyanna Mormont. Other roles are played by Gabriel Luna (40, 'Ghost Rider in 'Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'), comedian Nick Offerman (52, 'Parks and Recreation') and Graham Greene (70, Oscar nomination for 'Dances With Wolves') The screenplay was penned by game developer Neil Druckman and Craig Mazin (51), the mastermind of the acclaimed HBO series 'Chernobyl').

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