Pedro Pascal Had to Ask Disney For Permission to Star in ‘The Last of Us’
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Pedro Pascal | Explain This
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Ask anyone who has played The Last of Us what they think of The Last of Us. They’ll get weird. Not like Elden Ring-obsessive weird, but film buff weird. Playing the game—which is a sort of post-apocalyptic road trip featuring two reluctant heroes—feels damn near like you’re living it. The Last of Us is dark and brutal, yet heartfelt and, strangely, uplifting.
So when we got word that HBO would adapt The Last of Us into a TV series, undoubtedly bringing on all of the problems that always come with video game adaptations, we were a little worried. Thankfully, the show’s official trailer has eased our anxiety. Set to an orchestral interpolation of A-ha’s “Take On Me,”The Last of Us promises to match the set-pieces of Chernobyl with the tension of The Walking Dead. Audiences are treated to a glimpse of the gruff Joel (Pedro Pascal) and the younger, but nonetheless pessimistic Ellie (Bella Ramsey). Pascal also nails the hell out of Joel’s wisened disaffection, proving that reportedly being paid $600,000 per episode was worth the price.
Funnily enough, The Mandalorian actor reportedly had to get permission from producers at Disney to even play the smuggler Joel. Both stories feature a brave individual who has to transport and protect a young ward as they travel across a fantasy landscape, after all. So producers were worried about what Pascal told The Hollywood Reporter was “the best double-dipping I could possibly imagine.” Co-creator Craig Mazin also brought up the Lone Wolf and Cub similarities between the two series, but mentioned that “the fact [Disney has] him covered in a helmet is a huge factor.” Many actors actually play Pascal’s Star Wars hero on The Mandalorian, allowing him to simply dub his voice in during post-production. “You can do the math like: Mandalorian = Joel; Baby Yoda = … but then you realize, actually, no. It’s not the same,” Mazin added.”The Mandalorian is interacting with a mute, adorable creature—and I love that show. But interacting with a teenager is complicated.”
You can view the trailer for The Last of Us below, which also features a quick look at Nick Offerman’s grizzled survivalist. Now, if you’re a newcomer to The Last of Us, here’s HBO’s official description:
The story takes place 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed. Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal, heartbreaking journey, as they both must traverse across the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.
It’s a solid recap of what The Last of Us is all about, except that it leaves out the flower-headed, zombie-esque monsters you’re forced to battle throughout the game?! Yeah. They’re called the Infected. The previous teaser showed one slightly obscured glimpse of the dangerous creatures, then one very clear shot, fungus and all. In another preview, the bumpy monsters are shown crawling out of a flaming hole in the ground. It’s way more than I wanted to see early in morning. Though originally teased for a release sometime in 2023, HBO officially revealed that the premiere date is coming early than expected on Sunday, January 15, 2023. The original series will air at 9:00 PM ET on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max.
Changing topics. If you haven’t played The Last of Us yet, pick yourself up a copy of the game, because we don’t want to spoil much more for you before its release. It’s one of the best stories ever told in the medium.