Neil Druckman and Craig Mazin, the showrunners, talk about the importance of focusing on Joel’s psychological and emotional development in the HBO adaptation of The Last of Us.
During an episode of The Last of Us Podcast, showrunners Neil Druckman and Craig Mazin discussed their reasons for delving into Joel’s mental health in HBO’s The Last of Us. The two revealed that they wanted to closely explore Joel’s psychological journey and the aftermath of Henry and Sam’s deaths, even though significant time had passed.
They explained that Joel’s panic attack, which is depicted when he exits the cabin and clutches his chest, was used to convey the impact of what had happened to him. In this episode, Joel confronts his fear that his actions may lead to Ellie’s death and his struggle with accepting the possibility.
Changes in The Last of Us for TV
In addition to emphasizing Joel’s mental struggles and how they affect his relationship with Ellie, the showrunners of HBO’s The Last of Us, Neil Druckman and Craig Mazin, explained how the TV adaptation offers new opportunities to showcase these struggles. In the original video game format, camera movements were limited, forcing the writers to rely heavily on dialogue rather than visuals.
However, the TV adaptation can have more intimate close-up moments with the camera, allowing for more subtle ways to showcase Joel’s psychological journey. They added that Ellie’s reaction to Joel’s struggles is similar to how one may feel about their parents having any sort of weakness – difficult to accept, especially when they have always been the protector.
The TV series The Last of Us, adapted from the eponymous video game by Naughty Dog, chronicles the perilous journey of Joel, a smuggler, and Ellie, a young girl who holds the key to finding a cure for the ongoing zombie apocalypse, as they traverse a desolate and hazardous America. In the show, Pedro Pascal plays the role of Joel, while Bella Ramsey brings Ellie to life.
Viewers can catch new episodes of The Last of Us on HBO every Sunday.
