It seems like a movie based on post-apocalyptic survival game The Last Of Us has been in the works ever since it was first released, and every week we’re inching closer to actually seeing it on the big screen. The latest update on the project comes from the film’s screenwriter, Neil Druckmann, who also directed the game.
In an interview with Game Informer, Druckmann confirmed that he’s finished a second draft of the script, and also revealed that there’s been a “table read” of the screenplay with actors.
Druckmann didn’t offer up any more details about the read-through of the script, but fans are likely wondering whether one particular actor was involved: Maisie Williams. The Game of Thrones actress has been rumored for the lead role in the project. Along with publicly confirming that talks are underway, she also had her name mentioned as a potential lead by Druckmann and producer Sam Raimi during a panel at 2014’s Comic-Con International in San Diego.
Released in 2013, The Last Of Us follows a pair of human survivors on a journey through the U.S. after it was ravaged by a deadly virus 20 years earlier. The duo includes a young, intelligent girl named Ellie (the role Williams is likely to play) and a battle-hardened survivor named Joel. Praised for its narrative structure and gameplay elements, The Last Of Us went on to win more awards than any game in the industry’s history.
According to Druckmann, the big-screen adaptation of The Last Of Us will stray from the game’s narrative at points, but will retain the same tonal elements and themes that made the source material so successful.
“[It’s] pretty faithful to the game,” he said. “There are some big changes, but the tone and what the story’s trying to say is pretty faithful to the game.”
There’s currently no director attached to the film and no release date set at this point.
