HBO's The Last of Us is going to theaters, with limited screenings taking place in New York three days before its release on HBO and HBO Max. The Last of Us brings the award-winning video game franchise of the same name to life. The series follows survivors Joel and Ellie through an apocalyptic United States that has been going through a deadly fungal virus outbreak. The Last of Us is often referred by audiences and critics as one of the most cinematic games ever made.Building of that sentiment, HBO is sending the new series to theaters. The Last of Us shared on Twitter a new poster and information on how audiences can watch the show on the big screen. The Last of Us premiere, which has a runtime of 85 minutes, will be shown to lucky fans on January 12, three days before the series' television debut. Interested fans must be at least 18 years old to sign up for a chance to participate in the screenings, which will take place in New York City's Angelika Theater. Check out the full details below:
The Last Of Us Becomes One Of Few TV Shows To Get A Theater Experience
In its original state, the first live-action Last of Us adaptation was destined for theaters. Attempts at bringing the franchise to the big screen failed before the HBO series, led by Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, took off. In 2014, the idea for The Last of Us movie was developed by Spider-Man's Sam Raimi, who was attached as a producer, alongside game director and TV series co-creator Neil Druckmann. Sadly, the project got stuck in the development phase and never materialized.
HBO's The Last of Us becomes one of the few TV shows to get a theater release. A series making the jump to the big screen is not a common feature, with few examples existing likely due to channels and streaming services opting to get bigger viewership numbers than to take the gamble in possible theater revenue. HBO previously put certain episodes of Game of Thrones in theaters, and AMC recently premiered Tulsa King and Yellowstone in theaters two weeks before their TV releases. Another case that compares to The Last of Us' limited theater screenings is that of Marvel show Inhumans, which released its first two episodes in an IMAX theaters event.
What To Expect From HBO’s The Last Of Us Series
The Last of Us brings a different approach to the game, while simultaneously respecting the source material. The show adapts the entirety of the first game, as confirmed by co-creators Druckmann and Craig Mazin, and its downloadable content, The Last of Us: Left Behind, which told the story of Ellie's relationship with best friend Riley three weeks before the events of the game. This creative choice will help The Last of Us fix the game's timeline by taking on Ellie's backstory right from the start, rather than delving deeper into her past later. By doing this, HBO's The Last of Us will have audiences well-versed in both Joel's and Ellie's pasts right from the start when The Last of Us premieres on January 15.
Source: The Last of Us/Twitter