Whether you’re a casual gamer or an obsessive completionist, The Last of Us’ campaign takes at least 10 hours to beat. Now, it looks like the upcoming TV show is following suit. In a recent episode of Craig Mazin and John August’s Scriptnotes podcast, Mazin confirmed that the first season of HBO’s highly-anticipated adaptation will have 10 episodes in all.
Mazin also explained how The Last of Us’ writing process is similar to that of his last series, HBO’s Chernobyl. Much like that show, The Last of Us was given a straight-to-series order. In other words, they don’t have to shoot a pilot first and adjust certain details according to the whims of network executives. To some viewers who are unfamiliar with industry practices, this might sound like a good thing. But Mazin was quick to point out that the standard pilot process has its advantages. For example, it would have allowed them to go back and “retool” anything that they felt wasn’t working. Unfortunately, the straight-to-series order takes that opportunity away.
RELATED: Gabriel Luna Confirms the Start of Production on HBO’s The Last of Us
Additionally, Mazin shared some new info about the behind-the-scenes crew. We already knew that Kantemir Balagov, Jasmila Žbanić, and Ali Abbasi are directing different episodes of the series, with Balagov set to helm the pilot. But apparently, the first season will have two more directors that haven’t been announced yet.
Mazin is co-writing The Last of Us with Naughty Dog president Neil Druckmann, who wrote and co-directed the original game.
HBO hasn’t announced a premiere date for The Last of Us. Filming began this month, and will go through July 2022.
Do you think 10 episodes is long enough for the show’s first season? Give us your take in the comment section below!
Recommended Reading: The Art Of The Last Of Us
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. This affiliate advertising program also provides a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
