HBO’s been gathering an impressive ensemble to fill out the cast of its upcoming TV adaptation of The Last of Us. Previously confirmed cast members included Game of Thrones’ Bella Ramsey and The Mandalorian’s Pedro Pascal as protagonists Ellie and Joel.
Now, the network’s confirmed which actor will join the cast next. A newly announced actor will portray Joel’s brother Tommy in The Last of Us’ TV debut on the premium network.
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The Austin-born actor and producer Gabriel Luna joining as Tommy is best known for portraying The Ghost Rider in Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on ABC. Before that, Luna had a recurring role in HBO’s True Detective, in addition to other TV dramas. He also played a prominent role as the android assassin Rev-9 in the 2019 Terminator: Dark Fate.
His character, Tommy, first appeared in the opening chapter of The Last of Us and played a role in both games. A compassionate former soldier, Tommy struggles to maintain his ideals in The Last of Us’ post-apocalyptic world. His personality casts him in sharp contrast with his more cynical and pessimistic older brother Joel.
HBO plans to begin filming The Last of Us this summer in Calgary, Canada. Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann will co-write the series alongside Chernobyl producer Craig Mazin. The series adapts the story of the first game from 2009, although fans should expect its story to deviate somewhat from the game’s plot. It’s not clear exactly what changes the show will make, but not every episode will match Naughty Dog’s version of The Last of Us. Still, Druckmann’s participation suggests the adaptation will at least remain faithful in spirit, if nothing else.
Speaking to IGN, Druckman stated that many of the changes are necessary for adapting the game’s plot to TV. He used player training as an example of some events removed from the show’s plot. According to Druckman, there is also a degree of spectacle that is desirable in a video game but doesn’t transition well to TV. HBO also encouraged the writers to focus more on character drama over hardcore action. One might wonder if that reflects lessons learned from the poorly received final seasons of HBO’s Game of Thrones.
HBO has yet to announce when The Last of Us will premiere on the network. However, it’s not the only Naughty Dog property getting a Hollywood adaptation. Sony’s Uncharted film stars Tom Holland as protagonist Nathan Drake and Mark Wahlberg as Victor “Sully” Sullivan. Sony intends the film to hit theatres on February 18, 2022.
The Last of Us is in production for HBO.
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Source: IGN