Behind this powerful story and its success, there are countless interesting facts that make the experience even more fascinating. From the secrets of its production to the inspirations that shaped this universe, from reality to science fiction.
Here I invite you to discover some of these curiosities that you may not have known.
Inspiring books and movies
The game and series' post-apocalyptic landscapes are influenced by Alan Weisman's book The World Without Us , which imagines how nature would reclaim the Earth if humans disappeared.
Other inspirations were films like 28 Days Later , True Grit , The Road and The Walking Dead series.
Real inspirations behind the apocalypse
The Cordyceps fungus, which infects humans, turning them into violent creatures, is inspired by a real one that affects insects by altering their behavior, controlling them, and causing their death.
Druckmann and his team wondered what would happen if it evolved to infect humans and added the impact of global warming as a trigger, to make this mutation more plausible.
They also drew inspiration from historical epidemics like polio to reflect how pandemics provoke fear, militarization, and social collapse.
Movie vs. Series
Naughty Dog considered adapting it as a film, but as Druckmann explained, the cinematic approach wouldn't work. The emotional depth and slow development of the characters, who are the soul of the work, did not fit into a feature film.
The project was scrapped, and the key decision was made to create a series to capture the essence of the video game, allowing for in-depth exploration of the story while respecting its pacing.
Details replicated from the video game to the series
One of the greatest achievements was its faithfulness to the video game. Fans were delighted with the recreation of iconic scenes, dialogue, and objects from the original material, so if you're a fan of the games you've probably noticed this. But if not, here are some of the highlights:
· The exact recreation of the initial chaos in Texas.
· The first conversation between Joel and Ellie, with the same script as in the video game.
· The presence of Ellie's iconic knife.
· The costumes, faithful to the designs of the video game.
These details not only honored the original work, but also showed a deep commitment to the fans.
Ephemeral scenarios
With a record budget, they managed to recreate the devastated landscapes and oppressive atmosphere of the video game. To make it more realistic, they created enormous apocalyptic sets that were only used once, such as the quarantine zone, which only took place in one episode, or the interior of the Capitol. The most notable was used in episode two, where a character appears in a flooded hotel lobby with water up to their waist, a scene that lasts only about a minute.
Training camp for the infected
A group of specialists was hired to teach the extras how to behave like infected people. Lessons ranged from making guttural sounds to walking with strange movements.
From spores to bites
In the video game, the fungus spread through airborne spores, requiring the use of gas masks for protection. This idea was discarded in the series, as it would have limited the actors' performances and diminished the emotional impact of the scenes. In the series, it is transmitted through bites, making interactions with the infected more intimate and terrifying.
An accident that was left in the assembly
During a scene in which Joel was supposed to carry Ellie, the actor unexpectedly tripped over an object on the set. Although the crew stopped filming to make sure they were both safe, they felt the stumble added vulnerability and realism to the scene, so they decided to leave it in the final cut.
The extreme cold of filming
The majority of the series was filmed in Canada, making it the largest television production in that country's history. There, the crew faced sub-zero temperatures for several scenes. Pascal admitted that there were times when the cold was so intense it was difficult for him to speak, but these conditions helped capture the bleak and desolate atmosphere of The Last of Us .
The Mystery of the Giraffe
Despite being completely real, for some reason the giraffe that appears in the last episode looked computer generated, as did the post-apocalyptic background.
The most dangerous
The most feared and dangerous infected person in the video game series could barely move because of the suit; he did so in a very peculiar, jerky manner, as if he were a parasite puppet. It was also so hot that they had to constantly bring the actor water to keep him from fainting.
Did the actors play the video game?
Pascal and Ramsey faced the challenge of portraying characters beloved by fans and each took a different approach to their preparation:
either Pedro Pascal (Joel) tried playing the video game to familiarize himself with his character, but admitted that he "wasn't particularly good at it." So, he chose to closely watch his nephew play, studying Joel's gestures, voice, and personality to capture his essence. He explained that he didn't want to imitate him, but rather to convey the same emotional charge and toughness that defined him.
either Bella Ramsey (Ellie), confessed to not having played it, but she researched the game's material and relied on the narrative guides provided by the series creators to build a fresh and natural version of Ellie.
Joel and Ellie's bond
The relationship between the protagonists is at the heart of the story , and part of its authenticity comes from Druckmann's personal experiences. He confessed that his relationship with his daughter was a major inspiration for their dynamic, especially in Joel's feelings.
Recognizing success
The series' first season already stood out among critics, garnering 24 Emmy Award nominations. Among them was Keivonn Woodard (Sam), who, at 10 years old, became the youngest deaf actor ever nominated in the category of Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series .
