Craig Mazin, writer and executive producer for HBO's The Last of Us show, confirmed that there will be ten episodes in the first season. Details are continuing to emerge about the highly anticipated video game adaptation based on two of the most acclaimed Playstation games of all time. The Last of Us follows Ellie and Joel, who will be played by Game of Thrones' Bella Ramsey and The Mandalorian's Pedro Pascal, respectively, as they journey across a decimated, post-apocalyptic United States. The Cordyceps virus has taken a hold of the majority of the population, turning people into clickers, zombie-like monsters that are vicious in their bloodthirst.
Despite this, the story of Ellie and Joel is The Last of Us' emotional core and what has helped propel the games to critical acclaim. The Last of Us show has already begun filming, with Nico Parker cast as Joel's daughter, but it is still unclear when the series will premiere. While HBO has remained tight-lipped about what's in store for the series, Neil Druckmann, the creator of the games and co-creator of the show, has said that The Last of Us series will adapt some elements of the game directly while eschewing others in favor of a more streamline story suited for television.
That streamlined story will be contained in ten episodes in the first season, Mazin revealed to the Scriptnotes podcast. The producer also revealed that three to four of the scripts have been completed for the first season of the series, but Mazin did not reveal how much of the game the first season will cover. Additionally, Mazin told the podcast that there will be five directors over the ten episodes.
With so much material to cover, it's difficult to tell when The Last of Us season 1 could end. The series will want to flesh out Ellie and Joel's relationship on the road for at least a few episodes, underscoring the fact that Joel sees Ellie as a surrogate daughter of sorts after the tragic death of his own in the opening moments of the game. This establishing of the relationship would make any cliffhanger at the end of season 1 much more impactful, so expect Ellie and Joel to have made it out of Boston and into the desolate wasteland of the United States for at least a few episodes.
With such a vast plot in both The Last of Us and its sequel, HBO has enough material for at least four seasons, if not more. The Last of Us Part II is a much more expansive game than the first, bringing in several more characters and covering much more ground in terms of story. It also brings the story that was begun in the first game to a heartbreaking conclusion while leaving room for a potential sequel. Wherever The Last of Us season 1 leaves off, it's sure to thrill both longtime fans of the game and newcomers to the series.
Source: Scriptnotes podcast