The premier of The Last of Us got fans in a chokehold, and although only 2 episodes have aired as of yet, Bella Ramsey, who plays Ellie, is pretty hopeful the show will get a series 2.
On its series premiere, it achieved a remarkable feat by drawing in 4.7 million viewers across the U.S., making it the second most successful debut for HBO since Boardwalk Empire, which achieved 4.8 million viewers when it premiered over a decade ago.
As fans will already know, the HBO Max series is the first live-action adaptation since the video game wowed audiences way back in 2013.
Just like the games, the series is set in a post-apocalyptic world ruled by an unstoppable, brain-eating, fungal outbreak that transforms humans into cannibals.
The writers have been commended for honouring the original source material, which rapidly gathered a devoted fan base when it first came out. The engaging storylines, impressive visuals, and music propelled it to its massive success.
Joel, portrayed by Pedro Pascal, is a ruthless smuggler who is responsible for transporting the young teen Ellie Williams (Bella Ramsey) to a medical facility situated on the opposite side of the country after it turns out she’s immune to the infection, leading him to believe she could hold the cure to the deadly parasite.
Speaking about the show, Bella Ramsey said: “The Last of Us is essentially about a man called Joel who meets this little, brassy, foul-mouthed kid called Ellie. The 2 of them form an unlikely bond that ends up being stronger than anything else.”
And it’s that bond that has hooked millions of viewers over the last few weeks.
The Last of Us premiered on January 15, and was instantly met with rave reviews from both critics and fans, resulting in an unbelievable score of 99 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
Chairman and CEO of HBO & HBO Max, Casey Bloys said of it’s success, “We are thrilled to see fans of the series and game alike experience this iconic story in a new way, and we extend our gratitude to them for helping to make it a success.”
“Congratulations to Craig, Neil, and the brilliant cast and crew who worked tirelessly to bring this show to life. We look forward to fans around the world enjoying the rest of the season.”
The creators of the show, Mazin and Druckmann, added: “Our focus was simply to make the best possible adaptation of this beloved story for as big an audience as we could. We are overjoyed to see how many fans, both old and new, have welcomed The Last of Us into their homes and their hearts.”
And now, in a recent interview with the BBC, Bella Ramsey has hinted at a possible second series, saying that “if people keep watching, I think [a second series] is pretty likely. It’s down to the guys at HBO”.
However, she added, “There’s nothing confirmed yet so we’ll have to wait and see.”
We can’t wait to see what’s in store.
