The premiere of one of the most anticipated performances of recent months is approaching: The last of us. It is an adaptation of the video game of the same name, one of the most important in recent years. The reputation of the franchise adds to the support of HBO as a production company. As for the launch in January, production details are known, such as the changes they made to Joelthe character being played Peter Pascal.
Any adaptation is permitted with some license for technical or creative purposes. As for the differences that will be between the Joel from the video game and the character from the series, Neil Druckmann, creator Show With Craig Mazin– offered some details that suggest some changes were made to the protagonist to make him more believable in relation to the story being told.
The last of us tells how Joel must protect an orphan girl, Ellieplayed by the HBO Max adaptation Bella Ramsey. They must cross the United States, avoiding various dangers, until they reach the revolutionary faction. A girl in a context full of clickers (people infected with a virus) is presented as the solution to the problem. So it’s intuitive that the series will carry a lot of dramatic weight because of the bond they’ll both have to create.
The last of us: Differences between Joel from the video game and the one played by Pedro Pascal.
In the narrative suggested by the video game, Joel is a character hurt by circumstance, with a tough personality as well as a duty to protect Ellie. Much of this will be kept in the HBO series. Although there will be some news regarding the main character.
In accordance with Neil Druckmansome differences between the “versions” of the character are as follows:
“(Joel) lost his hearing on one side due to the gunshot. His knees hurt every time he gets up. I think there is a tone in which Tom Cruise can do anything. But I like my middle-aged people to be middle-aged people.”
Neil Druckman
Neil Druckmann said this in an interview given by New Yorkerin which he added the following as part of the creative process: “We had a conversation about the physical cost of Joel’s life.“. A kind of rationale associated with the decisions made.
Why are these important changes?
The decisions made in the production seem to be creatively driven to create a believable character that works from a television perspective. Is this a betrayal of the video game? It would be better not to understand. Especially since the creators have put a lot of emphasis on the fact that this is a fairly accurate representation; to the point where there are scenes that look like they’re taken from a video game.
These changes are then interpreted as decisions to build the character and the story to be told through him. The relationship between video game and adaptation will be one of the points of discussion in connection with The last of us. This type fandom he is usually very critical and devoted to his stories. This is the dimension of the problem that HBO is facing.
In this context, the joke about Tom Cruise (“He can do anything”) is an acknowledgment of the actor and at the same time a defense of the producers’ idea of Joel: yes, he will be a strong character, but also vulnerable. The last of us It will premiere on January 15th on HBO Max.
Source: Hiper Textual
