Written by Michael Nilon and directed by Benjamin Brewer, this terrifying post-apocalyptic horror thriller premiered at South by Southwest this past March. It stars Nicolas Cage, Jaeden Martell, Maxwell Jenkins and Sadie Soverall.
In a near future where earth has been decimated by an undisclosed catastrophe, Paul (Cage) barely escapes alive from the city alongside his infant twin boys. Years later, Paul and his teenage sons Joseph (Martell) and Thomas (Jenkins) are living in a remote farmhouse miles away from their nearest neighbours at Rose Farm. During the day, the boys and their father work the land and gather provisions, but at night the threesome are under siege from killer creatures that roam the land.
The trio’s quotidian life of humdrum chores and trying to survive each night at a time, is thrown into chaos when Thomas, the more rebellious of the two brothers, fails to return before nightfall one evening.
In a near future where earth has been decimated by an undisclosed catastrophe, Paul (Cage) barely escapes alive from the city alongside his infant twin boys. Years later, Paul and his teenage sons Joseph (Martell) and Thomas (Jenkins) are living in a remote farmhouse miles away from their nearest neighbours at Rose Farm. During the day, the boys and their father work the land and gather provisions, but at night the threesome are under siege from killer creatures that roam the land.
The trio’s quotidian life of humdrum chores and trying to survive each night at a time, is thrown into chaos when Thomas, the more rebellious of the two brothers, fails to return before nightfall one evening.
- 6/3/2024
- by Linda Marric
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
“It was, by every objective measure, one of the most devastating days of my life,” Dallas Jenkins recalls.
The Midwest-born director and son of a best-selling author of Christian novels had for years struggled to build a Hollywood career and had finally landed his big break: directing a movie for Get Out producer Jason Blum, who shared Jenkins’ belief that there was an untapped market for elevated religious fare. Their film — 2017’s rom-com The Resurrection of Gavin Stone — scored “insanely” well at a test screening and their hopes were high.
Then came opening weekend.
“I was at home with my wife and shell-shocked,” Jenkins recalls. Gavin Stone ranked 18th at the box office and opened to just $1.2 million. “I mean, we were crying. I thought this was my chance. I had finally got in the door. I was working with one of the most prolific and influential producers in Hollywood,...
The Midwest-born director and son of a best-selling author of Christian novels had for years struggled to build a Hollywood career and had finally landed his big break: directing a movie for Get Out producer Jason Blum, who shared Jenkins’ belief that there was an untapped market for elevated religious fare. Their film — 2017’s rom-com The Resurrection of Gavin Stone — scored “insanely” well at a test screening and their hopes were high.
Then came opening weekend.
“I was at home with my wife and shell-shocked,” Jenkins recalls. Gavin Stone ranked 18th at the box office and opened to just $1.2 million. “I mean, we were crying. I thought this was my chance. I had finally got in the door. I was working with one of the most prolific and influential producers in Hollywood,...
- 5/29/2024
- by James Hibberd
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
As absurd as it is to say about a film that ends with an onscreen Qr code imploring viewers to “Pay It Forward,” “Sight” probably would be better if it was preachier. At the very least, it would be more memorable.
The latest project from Angel Studios, “Sight” certainly looks and feels like the type of cheap contemporary Christian cinema that both its production company and its director specialize in. But whenever the movie looks like it might go full Christian medical drama a la the inexplicably Oscar-nominated “Breakthrough,” it always pulls back from launching into a sermon. Sure, there’s a kindly nun and an unbearable syrupy sweet church scene, but by the end of “Sight,” it’s not particularly clear how devout main character Ming Wang is to Christianity, or if he’s even a believer in the first place.
The lack of aggressive shilling for the world...
The latest project from Angel Studios, “Sight” certainly looks and feels like the type of cheap contemporary Christian cinema that both its production company and its director specialize in. But whenever the movie looks like it might go full Christian medical drama a la the inexplicably Oscar-nominated “Breakthrough,” it always pulls back from launching into a sermon. Sure, there’s a kindly nun and an unbearable syrupy sweet church scene, but by the end of “Sight,” it’s not particularly clear how devout main character Ming Wang is to Christianity, or if he’s even a believer in the first place.
The lack of aggressive shilling for the world...
- 5/24/2024
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
To understand "Left Behind," one must understand a version of Christianity not widely practiced by many people outside certain pockets of the United States. In some American Evangelical churches, they preach of the coming Rapture, when all of the Christians on Earth -- including the dead ones -- will be bodily scooped up by God and transported into Heaven. The idea of a Rapture is taken from an interpretation from the Book of Thessalonians which didn't enter into the Christian lexicon until about the 1830s, making it a very recent development. When Evangelical churches began to become popular in the United States in the 1950s, a stripe of fundamentalist theology began embracing the Rapture as a prophecy that was almost immediately nigh.
On December 31, 1995, Baptist minister Jim Lahaye and author Jerry B. Jenkins published the Rapture-themed book "Left Behind: A Novel of the Earth's Last Days" to much ballyhoo. "Left Behind...
On December 31, 1995, Baptist minister Jim Lahaye and author Jerry B. Jenkins published the Rapture-themed book "Left Behind: A Novel of the Earth's Last Days" to much ballyhoo. "Left Behind...
- 4/14/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
24 March 2024 may become a revolution in mobile gaming when Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile will hit the App Store and Play Store globally. Yesterday, the world got to know the date of arrival for the much-awaited battle royale game on their handheld devices. As of now, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds remains the preferred game for Br lovers on mobile followed by Call of Duty Mobile.
Upon its announcement, the CoD team laid down a path with rewards that players will get following the launch. The redeemable rewards include Ghost Condemned operator skin, X12’s Prince of Hell blueprint, M4 Archfiend, and more. Moreover, players will get to see the return of classic maps like Verdansk and Rebirt Island.
Call of Duty Fans Must Rejoice They Won’t Be Left Behind
The game will feature cross-progression across console and PC.
It doesn’t just end here, the game will feature cross-progression between Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone.
Upon its announcement, the CoD team laid down a path with rewards that players will get following the launch. The redeemable rewards include Ghost Condemned operator skin, X12’s Prince of Hell blueprint, M4 Archfiend, and more. Moreover, players will get to see the return of classic maps like Verdansk and Rebirt Island.
Call of Duty Fans Must Rejoice They Won’t Be Left Behind
The game will feature cross-progression across console and PC.
It doesn’t just end here, the game will feature cross-progression between Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone.
- 2/29/2024
- by Anurag Batham
- FandomWire
HBO's The Last of Us is the latest in a recent and encouraging trend that suggests video game TV doesn't have to be lousy to be faithful.
As an astonishing number of viewers discovered throughout its nine episodes, The Last of Us was far from a lousy show. The post-apocalyptic series found a navigable middle-ground between gaming and television. The majority of its dramatic beats — not to mention quite a bit of the dialogue — was lifted more or less verbatim from the celebrated 2013 game from Naughty Dog and its Dlc, Left Behind. (That's "Downloadable Content" for non-gamers.) Episodes with varying lengths — the longest being its premiere, at 81 minutes — explored the franchise's cordyceps-stricken world with unexpected grace notes and lore expansions that had yet to be revealed in the games.
As an astonishing number of viewers discovered throughout its nine episodes, The Last of Us was far from a lousy show. The post-apocalyptic series found a navigable middle-ground between gaming and television. The majority of its dramatic beats — not to mention quite a bit of the dialogue — was lifted more or less verbatim from the celebrated 2013 game from Naughty Dog and its Dlc, Left Behind. (That's "Downloadable Content" for non-gamers.) Episodes with varying lengths — the longest being its premiere, at 81 minutes — explored the franchise's cordyceps-stricken world with unexpected grace notes and lore expansions that had yet to be revealed in the games.
- 1/24/2024
- by Jarrod Jones
- Primetimer
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.
There’s a special kind of alchemy to making a good sequel, especially when it comes to following up a classic. The best ones often pivot, like James Cameron’s Aliens or Terminator 2: Judgment Day, which make the jump to new genres in ways that deter comparison to the originals. Others, say Frank Herbert’s Dune Messiah, opt to hold a lens to their predecessor asking audiences...
There’s a special kind of alchemy to making a good sequel, especially when it comes to following up a classic. The best ones often pivot, like James Cameron’s Aliens or Terminator 2: Judgment Day, which make the jump to new genres in ways that deter comparison to the originals. Others, say Frank Herbert’s Dune Messiah, opt to hold a lens to their predecessor asking audiences...
- 1/19/2024
- by Christopher Cruz
- Rollingstone.com
HBO’s adaptation of the popular PlayStation game, “The Last of Us,” is making waves in the award season. Recently, the series bagged eight awards at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards. This is a big deal, especially considering the show is also lined up for more honors at the upcoming Primetime Emmys.
Let’s talk about some of the awards the show won. For starters, Storm Reid and Nick Offerman won the awards for Guest Actress and Actor in a Drama Series for their performances in episodes “Left Behind” and “Long, Long Time” respectively. It’s clear their roles left a lasting impression!
The show also stood out in technical categories. The episode “Infected” won the award for Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup, with a team led by Barrie Gower. The skills of Alex Wang and his team in visual effects were recognized too, winning the Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a season or movie.
Let’s talk about some of the awards the show won. For starters, Storm Reid and Nick Offerman won the awards for Guest Actress and Actor in a Drama Series for their performances in episodes “Left Behind” and “Long, Long Time” respectively. It’s clear their roles left a lasting impression!
The show also stood out in technical categories. The episode “Infected” won the award for Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup, with a team led by Barrie Gower. The skills of Alex Wang and his team in visual effects were recognized too, winning the Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a season or movie.
- 1/7/2024
- by Hrvoje Milakovic
- Fiction Horizon
Saturday night at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, Storm Reid (“The Last of Us”) won the trophy for Best Drama Guest Actress. She plays Riley Abel on the HBO drama series, and this marks her first career victory (on her first nomination) with the Television Academy.
After being delayed since September due to the writers’ strike and actors’ strike, the Creative Arts Emmys for scripted fare finally took place on Saturday, January 6, with more awards for unscripted programs being doled out on Sunday, January 7. The official Primetime Emmys ceremony will air on Fox next Monday, January 15 with Anthony Anderson serving as host.
Reid’s episode, titled “Left Behind,” is a flashback entry focusing on lead character Ellie’s (Bella Ramsey) past. It primarily functions as a two-hander in which the tight-knit military school roommates realize just how deeply they care for each other while covertly spending a night alone in a deserted shopping mall.
After being delayed since September due to the writers’ strike and actors’ strike, the Creative Arts Emmys for scripted fare finally took place on Saturday, January 6, with more awards for unscripted programs being doled out on Sunday, January 7. The official Primetime Emmys ceremony will air on Fox next Monday, January 15 with Anthony Anderson serving as host.
Reid’s episode, titled “Left Behind,” is a flashback entry focusing on lead character Ellie’s (Bella Ramsey) past. It primarily functions as a two-hander in which the tight-knit military school roommates realize just how deeply they care for each other while covertly spending a night alone in a deserted shopping mall.
- 1/7/2024
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
After a 28-year-old Lee You-mi (“Squid Game”) set a new record in 2022 as the all-time youngest Emmy winner for guest acting, she could be supplanted by Storm Reid (“The Last of Us”), who became a first-time Emmy nominee mere days after turning 20. Like Lee (who isn’t eligible for a repeat win), Reid is seeking the Best Drama Guest Actress prize for her portrayal of a likable, ill-fated character on a new series with a contemporary, dystopian setting. Given her show’s even greater level of TV academy recognition compared to “Squid Game” last year, Reid could very well be on her way toward a historic victory.
SEEStorm Reid (‘The Last of Us’) on being ‘as intentional as possible’ with the Riley and Ellie relationship [Exclusive Video Interview]
Reid appears in one episode of this post-apocalyptic series as Riley Abel, an important figure from lead character Ellie’s (Bella Ramsey) past. The flashback-heavy installment,...
SEEStorm Reid (‘The Last of Us’) on being ‘as intentional as possible’ with the Riley and Ellie relationship [Exclusive Video Interview]
Reid appears in one episode of this post-apocalyptic series as Riley Abel, an important figure from lead character Ellie’s (Bella Ramsey) past. The flashback-heavy installment,...
- 12/24/2023
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
From the majestic-but-aged environs inhabited by the British royals Netflix’s in “The Crown” and the decadent sun-drenched luxury of the San Domenico Palace resort in Taormina, Sicily, in HBO’s “The White Lotus” to the foreboding Ontario wilderness where a girls’ soccer team is stranded in Showtime’s “Yellowjackets,” the locations used in this year’s Emmy-nominated dramas loom so large they can be viewed as characters unto themselves that interact with the performers and help shape the narrative.
It’s especially true of the role Albuquerque, N.M., plays in AMC’s “Better Call Saul.” There’s no telling if the series would even exist if creator Vince Gilligan had gotten his way back in the mid-2000s and the studio suits at Sony agreed to let him use Riverside, Calif., as the setting for its predecessor “Breaking Bad” (2008-2013), which established the “Saul” characters and their dramatic universe.
It’s especially true of the role Albuquerque, N.M., plays in AMC’s “Better Call Saul.” There’s no telling if the series would even exist if creator Vince Gilligan had gotten his way back in the mid-2000s and the studio suits at Sony agreed to let him use Riverside, Calif., as the setting for its predecessor “Breaking Bad” (2008-2013), which established the “Saul” characters and their dramatic universe.
- 8/19/2023
- by Todd Longwell
- Variety Film + TV
Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2023 Emmy Predictions:
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series The Last of Us
Weekly Commentary: HBO is guaranteed a win in this category having all six slots split between “The Last of Us” and “Succession.”
While “Succession” is the undisputed frontrunner for the top prize, many believe “Last of...
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2023 Emmy Predictions:
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series The Last of Us
Weekly Commentary: HBO is guaranteed a win in this category having all six slots split between “The Last of Us” and “Succession.”
While “Succession” is the undisputed frontrunner for the top prize, many believe “Last of...
- 8/17/2023
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Nicky Whelan has signed with Stewart Talent for representation.
Australian-born Whelan began her career in the role of Pepper Steiger in the international soap opera Neighbours. She followed that with a move to the U.S. and roles in several successful comedies including Hall Pass alongside Owen Wilson and directed by the Farrelly brothers, and The Wedding Ringer with Josh Gad and Kevin Hart.
Whelan’s extensive television credits include the series regular role of Maya on the hit sitcom Scrubs, series regular alongside Milo Ventimiglia on The Chosen, and the lead role of Annie Mason in the Robert Rodriguez-directed drama series Matador.
Most recently, Whelan starred in the action thriller The Best Man, opposite Vince Vaughn in The Binge, and opposite Bruce Willis in Trauma Center. Whelan is also starring in the action film 72 Hours slated for 2023. Whelan’s other film credits include: shark attack thriller Maneater,...
Australian-born Whelan began her career in the role of Pepper Steiger in the international soap opera Neighbours. She followed that with a move to the U.S. and roles in several successful comedies including Hall Pass alongside Owen Wilson and directed by the Farrelly brothers, and The Wedding Ringer with Josh Gad and Kevin Hart.
Whelan’s extensive television credits include the series regular role of Maya on the hit sitcom Scrubs, series regular alongside Milo Ventimiglia on The Chosen, and the lead role of Annie Mason in the Robert Rodriguez-directed drama series Matador.
Most recently, Whelan starred in the action thriller The Best Man, opposite Vince Vaughn in The Binge, and opposite Bruce Willis in Trauma Center. Whelan is also starring in the action film 72 Hours slated for 2023. Whelan’s other film credits include: shark attack thriller Maneater,...
- 8/14/2023
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
New Delhi, July 19 (Ians) The new Apple ad in the popular “The Underdogs” series on its YouTube channel, that depicts security features available with Apple products like Mac at work, has once again highlighted the strength of the company’s security ecosystem.
Titled “Swiped,” the new episode builds on the previous three award-winning Apple films, which depict how four colleagues use Apple products to do their best work.
This time, they’re on a mission to save Bridget’s missing Mac from thieves. Thankfully, they’ve got Apple’s powerful security features on their side.
The eight-minute video follows the team’s attempt to retrieve the stolen Mac in time for the crucial presentation before the thieves can pawn it off.
The action-packed film highlights the strength of the Apple ecosystem, showcasing true-to-life depictions of features like Notify When Left Behind and Find My, Family Sharing, and more.
To keep your information safe,...
Titled “Swiped,” the new episode builds on the previous three award-winning Apple films, which depict how four colleagues use Apple products to do their best work.
This time, they’re on a mission to save Bridget’s missing Mac from thieves. Thankfully, they’ve got Apple’s powerful security features on their side.
The eight-minute video follows the team’s attempt to retrieve the stolen Mac in time for the crucial presentation before the thieves can pawn it off.
The action-packed film highlights the strength of the Apple ecosystem, showcasing true-to-life depictions of features like Notify When Left Behind and Find My, Family Sharing, and more.
To keep your information safe,...
- 7/19/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Who will win the 2023 Emmy Award for Best Drama Guest Actress? This year’s six nominees are Hiam Abbass (“Succession”), Cherry Jones (“Succession”), Melanie Lynskey (“The Last of Us”), Storm Reid (“The Last of Us”), Anna Torv (“The Last of Us”) and Harriet Walter (“Succession”). Below, see their all-important episode submissions and descriptions from the TV academy’s nominating ballot that the voters will be watching as examples of their best work from the season.
Nominations for the 2023 Emmys were unveiled on Wednesday, July 12 and the winners will be announced on September 9-10 (Creative Arts ceremonies) and September 18 (Primetime ceremony). As a reminder, last year’s winner in this category was Lee Yoo-mi (“Squid Game”) for the episode “Gganbu.”
2023 Emmys: Best Drama Guest Actress episode submissions
Hiam Abbass (“Succession”) — “Honeymoon States” as Marcia (HBO)
Marcia Roy returns to New York to be the widow of the wake. While there,...
Nominations for the 2023 Emmys were unveiled on Wednesday, July 12 and the winners will be announced on September 9-10 (Creative Arts ceremonies) and September 18 (Primetime ceremony). As a reminder, last year’s winner in this category was Lee Yoo-mi (“Squid Game”) for the episode “Gganbu.”
2023 Emmys: Best Drama Guest Actress episode submissions
Hiam Abbass (“Succession”) — “Honeymoon States” as Marcia (HBO)
Marcia Roy returns to New York to be the widow of the wake. While there,...
- 7/16/2023
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
A version of this story about the production design of “The Last of Us” first ran in the Drama Series issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine.
If HBO’s “The Last of Us” accomplishes anything as well as conveying the tension and dread of post apocalyptic society and zombies, it is distilling the messy, heartsick pangs of first love. While the devastating third episode of the series depicts a same-sex romance for the ages, the show’s seventh episode, “Left Behind,” also explores this territory, swapping an older couple with a much younger one in the friends-with-potential stage. Through flashbacks, the episode tells the story of Ellie (Bella Ramsey) sneaking out of her boarding school dorm to go on an outside adventure with mega-crush and military rebel Riley (Storm Reid).
Also Read:
‘The Last of Us,’ ‘Somebody Somewhere’ Lead Nominees at 2023 Galeca: Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics Dorian TV Awards
The adventure?...
If HBO’s “The Last of Us” accomplishes anything as well as conveying the tension and dread of post apocalyptic society and zombies, it is distilling the messy, heartsick pangs of first love. While the devastating third episode of the series depicts a same-sex romance for the ages, the show’s seventh episode, “Left Behind,” also explores this territory, swapping an older couple with a much younger one in the friends-with-potential stage. Through flashbacks, the episode tells the story of Ellie (Bella Ramsey) sneaking out of her boarding school dorm to go on an outside adventure with mega-crush and military rebel Riley (Storm Reid).
Also Read:
‘The Last of Us,’ ‘Somebody Somewhere’ Lead Nominees at 2023 Galeca: Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics Dorian TV Awards
The adventure?...
- 6/20/2023
- by Jason Clark
- The Wrap
When editor Timothy Good shared with then-assistant Emily Mendez the possibility of tackling Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann’s HBO/Max series The Last of Us, based on the PlayStation game of the same name, Mendez — who was promoted to editor during the season — immediately responded, “That is my favorite video game I’ve ever played, and we have to do it!”
In the story, a pandemic has destroyed the world as we know it, and one survivor, Joel (played by Pedro Pascal), is asked to protect an immune teenager, Ellie (Bella Ramsey), who might hold the key to a cure.
“The first thing they gave us was episode three [‘Long, Long Time’],” says Good of the flashback-filled story centering on the lifelong romance of two survivors played by Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett. “I swear to you that I’ve never read anything like that in my life. It was so rich...
In the story, a pandemic has destroyed the world as we know it, and one survivor, Joel (played by Pedro Pascal), is asked to protect an immune teenager, Ellie (Bella Ramsey), who might hold the key to a cure.
“The first thing they gave us was episode three [‘Long, Long Time’],” says Good of the flashback-filled story centering on the lifelong romance of two survivors played by Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett. “I swear to you that I’ve never read anything like that in my life. It was so rich...
- 6/17/2023
- by Carolyn Giardina
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“We were trying to be as intentional as possible with their relationship,” says Storm Reid of her work with co-star Bella Ramsey in “The Last of Us.” The actress joined the hit HBO series for the flashback episode “Left Behind,” which delves into the touching and tragic backstory of Riley and Ellie. The emotional work in the episode is heavy, but Reid had such an easy connection with Ramsey that they were able to effortlessly dive head into the tough material. “Spending time with people that you really enjoy spending time with, I think it makes it a lot easier,” notes the actress. Watch the exclusive video interview above.
In the episode, before Riley must leave town, she surprises Ellie with a late night trip to an old mall. The pair are enthralled with the novelties of this time capsule to the past, and the night leads to an unexpected kiss.
In the episode, before Riley must leave town, she surprises Ellie with a late night trip to an old mall. The pair are enthralled with the novelties of this time capsule to the past, and the night leads to an unexpected kiss.
- 5/12/2023
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
“The Last of Us” Season 2 is feeling the effects of the writers’ strike.
Casting for the second season of the smash hit HBO series had been underway until earlier this week when it was put on hold, according to an individual with knowledge of the production.
Prior to that, however, multiple sources say that the casting team was asking actors to read sides taken directly from “The Last of Us Part II,” the video game on which the second season will be based, due to the fact that there are no scripts for Season 2 at this time. The hope is for the season to begin shooting in early 2024 in Vancouver.
The lack of Season 2 scripts is by no means surprising, as series co-creator and showrunner Craig Mazin has been spotted on the picket line with his fellow Writers Guild of America (WGA) members in recent days. He is not currently...
Casting for the second season of the smash hit HBO series had been underway until earlier this week when it was put on hold, according to an individual with knowledge of the production.
Prior to that, however, multiple sources say that the casting team was asking actors to read sides taken directly from “The Last of Us Part II,” the video game on which the second season will be based, due to the fact that there are no scripts for Season 2 at this time. The hope is for the season to begin shooting in early 2024 in Vancouver.
The lack of Season 2 scripts is by no means surprising, as series co-creator and showrunner Craig Mazin has been spotted on the picket line with his fellow Writers Guild of America (WGA) members in recent days. He is not currently...
- 5/11/2023
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
There’s George Foreman the boxer and George Foreman the grill. The Sony biopic out this Friday offers a different George. “I want to spread the word of God,” says Foreman (Khris Davis) in the trailer for “Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World.”
It’s a production from faith-based Sony Pictures’ label Affirm Films. Its first film in 2008, “Fireproof” starring Kirk Cameron, grossed $33 million on a $500,000 budget. To date, the (mostly domestic) global theatrical gross for Affirm titles stands at $520 million — $400 million more than the films’ total production costs.
Directed by George Tillman Jr. and with Oscar-winner Forest Whitaker in a supporting role, “Foreman” may represent the biggest Affirm budget to date. (One source lists it at $34 million.) Prior Affirm budgets topped out at $20 million. It’s also got one of Affirm’s biggest releases, with 2,575 theaters.
Opening prospects are unclear.
It’s a production from faith-based Sony Pictures’ label Affirm Films. Its first film in 2008, “Fireproof” starring Kirk Cameron, grossed $33 million on a $500,000 budget. To date, the (mostly domestic) global theatrical gross for Affirm titles stands at $520 million — $400 million more than the films’ total production costs.
Directed by George Tillman Jr. and with Oscar-winner Forest Whitaker in a supporting role, “Foreman” may represent the biggest Affirm budget to date. (One source lists it at $34 million.) Prior Affirm budgets topped out at $20 million. It’s also got one of Affirm’s biggest releases, with 2,575 theaters.
Opening prospects are unclear.
- 4/27/2023
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
Unfortunately, HBO is as good at making fans wait as they are at video game adaptations. As is prestige TV tradition, it’ll be quite some time before we see the second season of The Last of Us. While fans can always replay the first game or wade into major spoiler territory with The Last of Us Part II, you could also opt for some lo-fi post-apocalyptic stories.
Get ready to gasp, cry, and stay up all night reading six brilliant page-turners that are perfect follow-ups to The Last of Us. The end of the world features in a huge amount of novels, but we’ve sifted through bloater-sized mountains of books to find some of the most similar in theme, tone, and sometimes plot.
The Strange by Nathan Ballingrud
True Grit meets Ray Bradbury’s The Martian Chronicles in this page-turning space Western from the Shirley Jackson Award-winning author...
Get ready to gasp, cry, and stay up all night reading six brilliant page-turners that are perfect follow-ups to The Last of Us. The end of the world features in a huge amount of novels, but we’ve sifted through bloater-sized mountains of books to find some of the most similar in theme, tone, and sometimes plot.
The Strange by Nathan Ballingrud
True Grit meets Ray Bradbury’s The Martian Chronicles in this page-turning space Western from the Shirley Jackson Award-winning author...
- 4/4/2023
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
HBO’s TV adaptation of The Last of Us has been “review-bombed” by trolls, seemingly due to its LGBT+ content.
“Review-bombing” is a term used to describe when people post negative reviews of a film, TV series or video game en masse, in a coordinated effort to lower its rating on aggregator websites.
On IMDb, the episodes of The Last of Us that centred around queer storylines show signs of review-bombing.
Episode three of the hit post-apocalyptic series, titled “Long, Long Time”, focused on the same-sex love affair between Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlett). The episode received widespread acclaim, and was praised by critics and viewers alike for its touching narrative.
Episode seven, meanwhile, titled “Left Behind”, focused on the romance between young lovers Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and Riley (Storm Reid).
Both episodes are the lowest-rated instalments of the series on IMDb, with scores of 8 and 7.4 respectively.
“Long,...
“Review-bombing” is a term used to describe when people post negative reviews of a film, TV series or video game en masse, in a coordinated effort to lower its rating on aggregator websites.
On IMDb, the episodes of The Last of Us that centred around queer storylines show signs of review-bombing.
Episode three of the hit post-apocalyptic series, titled “Long, Long Time”, focused on the same-sex love affair between Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlett). The episode received widespread acclaim, and was praised by critics and viewers alike for its touching narrative.
Episode seven, meanwhile, titled “Left Behind”, focused on the romance between young lovers Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and Riley (Storm Reid).
Both episodes are the lowest-rated instalments of the series on IMDb, with scores of 8 and 7.4 respectively.
“Long,...
- 3/15/2023
- by Louis Chilton
- The Independent - TV
This post contains spoilers for "The Last of Us" Season 1
"The Last of Us" has concluded its nine-week victory lap, and while we're all still picking up the pieces from the intense finale, it won't be long before plenty of folks jump into full-season rewatches to see what they missed. One of the many things that make "The Last of Us" one of the greatest video game adaptations ever made is that the source material isn't abandoned in the transition to televised storytelling. Since the series was co-created by creative director Neil Druckmann and includes direct input from game developer Naughty Dog, a serious effort has been made to bring as much of the game and its surrounding universe to the show as possible in good faith, including some amazing details.
If you know what you're looking for, there are tons of fun Easter eggs to be found, referencing both...
"The Last of Us" has concluded its nine-week victory lap, and while we're all still picking up the pieces from the intense finale, it won't be long before plenty of folks jump into full-season rewatches to see what they missed. One of the many things that make "The Last of Us" one of the greatest video game adaptations ever made is that the source material isn't abandoned in the transition to televised storytelling. Since the series was co-created by creative director Neil Druckmann and includes direct input from game developer Naughty Dog, a serious effort has been made to bring as much of the game and its surrounding universe to the show as possible in good faith, including some amazing details.
If you know what you're looking for, there are tons of fun Easter eggs to be found, referencing both...
- 3/14/2023
- by Max Marriner
- Slash Film
This post contains major spoilers for the season finale of "The Last of Us."
Right before the dramatic climax, "The Last of Us" season finale gives us one final cold open, which is something we haven't seen from the show since its opening few episodes. Before, the cold opens were effectively used to take the audience briefly out of Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie's (Bella Ramsey) perspective to show us the origins of the Cordyceps infection and the failure to contain it.
Here, this cold open holds a different purpose, and it's one that will either delight fans of the source material or divide them. We open on a flashback to a pregnant woman named Anna, excitingly played by Ellie's original performer from the game, Ashley Johnson. If you're a devoted fan, you might recognize that name from collectibles and optional material — as the introductory sequence unfolds, Anna turns out to be Ellie's mother.
Right before the dramatic climax, "The Last of Us" season finale gives us one final cold open, which is something we haven't seen from the show since its opening few episodes. Before, the cold opens were effectively used to take the audience briefly out of Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie's (Bella Ramsey) perspective to show us the origins of the Cordyceps infection and the failure to contain it.
Here, this cold open holds a different purpose, and it's one that will either delight fans of the source material or divide them. We open on a flashback to a pregnant woman named Anna, excitingly played by Ellie's original performer from the game, Ashley Johnson. If you're a devoted fan, you might recognize that name from collectibles and optional material — as the introductory sequence unfolds, Anna turns out to be Ellie's mother.
- 3/13/2023
- by Tyler Llewyn Taing
- Slash Film
This post contains spoilers for "The Last of Us" season finale.
"The Last Of Us" capped off an excellent first season this week with a finale that hewed closely to its source material in major ways -- with one obvious exception. Before Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and Joel's (Pedro Pascal) story could end (for now), viewers were given a look at how Ellie's story began, with a harrowing childbirth sequence starring none other than the games' original Ellie voice and performance capture actor, Ashley Johnson.
Johnson plays Ellie's mother, Anna, who dies just after giving birth to her daughter and getting bit by a feral infected person in the process. While Johnson's guest appearance is very welcome, fans may balk at the scene's potential explanation for Ellie's immunity, which comes at the last minute and is never scientifically explained. It turns out, though, that the Anna sequence has been a part...
"The Last Of Us" capped off an excellent first season this week with a finale that hewed closely to its source material in major ways -- with one obvious exception. Before Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and Joel's (Pedro Pascal) story could end (for now), viewers were given a look at how Ellie's story began, with a harrowing childbirth sequence starring none other than the games' original Ellie voice and performance capture actor, Ashley Johnson.
Johnson plays Ellie's mother, Anna, who dies just after giving birth to her daughter and getting bit by a feral infected person in the process. While Johnson's guest appearance is very welcome, fans may balk at the scene's potential explanation for Ellie's immunity, which comes at the last minute and is never scientifically explained. It turns out, though, that the Anna sequence has been a part...
- 3/13/2023
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
[Editor’s note: The following contains spoilers for The Last of Us, Season 1 Episode 8, “When We Are In Need.”]
HBO’s new series The Last of Us premiered to the approval of fans of the video game and viewers who are new to the franchise. Though the thrilling story has just begun, the first episode established the importance of the soundtrack in setting the mood for the post-apocalyptic world.
Created by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann (the latter also wrote and directed the video game), The Last of Us stars Pedro Pascal as grizzled survivor Joel and Bella Ramsey as a teenage girl named Ellie. Taking place after a fungal plague has ravaged the globe, it centers around Joel fulfilling his task of smuggling Ellie beyond a quarantine zone in Boston.
Depeche Mode’s 1987 hit “Never Let Me Down Again” played a significant role during the series premiere. After Joel and his partner Tess (Anna Torv) set out for their journey with Ellie,...
HBO’s new series The Last of Us premiered to the approval of fans of the video game and viewers who are new to the franchise. Though the thrilling story has just begun, the first episode established the importance of the soundtrack in setting the mood for the post-apocalyptic world.
Created by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann (the latter also wrote and directed the video game), The Last of Us stars Pedro Pascal as grizzled survivor Joel and Bella Ramsey as a teenage girl named Ellie. Taking place after a fungal plague has ravaged the globe, it centers around Joel fulfilling his task of smuggling Ellie beyond a quarantine zone in Boston.
Depeche Mode’s 1987 hit “Never Let Me Down Again” played a significant role during the series premiere. After Joel and his partner Tess (Anna Torv) set out for their journey with Ellie,...
- 3/13/2023
- by Eddie Fu and Liz Shannon Miller
- Consequence - Music
“The Last of Us” takes place 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed by a fungal outbreak. Joel (Pedro Pascal) is a hardened survivor who is hired to smuggle Ellie (Bella Ramsey), a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal and heartbreaking journey as they both must traverse the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.
Episode 1 sees Joel and Ellie leave the Boston quarantine zone.
Their journey is just starting, so if you’re eager to know exactly when you can see new episodes, we’ve assembled a handy guide to the Season 1 release schedule and what time new episodes air.
When Did “The Last of Us” Season 1 Premiere?
HBO premiered the first episode of “The Last of Us” on Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023 on HBO and HBO Max.
What Time Does “The Last of Us” Come on HBO?...
Episode 1 sees Joel and Ellie leave the Boston quarantine zone.
Their journey is just starting, so if you’re eager to know exactly when you can see new episodes, we’ve assembled a handy guide to the Season 1 release schedule and what time new episodes air.
When Did “The Last of Us” Season 1 Premiere?
HBO premiered the first episode of “The Last of Us” on Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023 on HBO and HBO Max.
What Time Does “The Last of Us” Come on HBO?...
- 3/12/2023
- by Lawrence Yee
- The Wrap
This post contains spoilers for "The Last of Us" episode 8.
On the surface, "The Last of Us" doesn't sound so different from any other zombie story from the last 20 years. Shows and movies set in the zombie apocalypse and focus on character development and relationships rather than strictly on zombie horror are a dime a dozen. And yet, the game's strong character writing, its rather small scale and intimate story, and its unique portrayal of scientifically sound (relatively speaking) zombies based on a real-life fungal infection far outweigh the possible redundancies of the concept, resulting in one of the best video games of the past decade.
Even before the HBO show was announced, it was often said that "The Last of Us" was the ideal game for a live-action remake because the game itself was already rather cinematic and relatively light on gameplay. Still, the fact that the game takes...
On the surface, "The Last of Us" doesn't sound so different from any other zombie story from the last 20 years. Shows and movies set in the zombie apocalypse and focus on character development and relationships rather than strictly on zombie horror are a dime a dozen. And yet, the game's strong character writing, its rather small scale and intimate story, and its unique portrayal of scientifically sound (relatively speaking) zombies based on a real-life fungal infection far outweigh the possible redundancies of the concept, resulting in one of the best video games of the past decade.
Even before the HBO show was announced, it was often said that "The Last of Us" was the ideal game for a live-action remake because the game itself was already rather cinematic and relatively light on gameplay. Still, the fact that the game takes...
- 3/6/2023
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
At this point, it became clear (if it wasn't before) that "The Last of Us" has a bit of a pacing issue. So far, the first season has attempted to not only fit every major plot point but also character moments and side stories like the "Left Behind" Dlc and the Bill and Frank episodes, moving away from Joel and Ellie's story for a bit to expand the world. The problem is that this leaves the show feeling like the CliffsNotes version of "The Last of Us" rather than a proper and complete story. This is particularly noticeable in episode eight, which introduces some rather big new characters, like David.
The episode begins with David, a preacher in charge of a settlement of survivors living in a remote mountain resort. He may be rather strict but seems like a nice guy, concerned about his people running out of food as winter fast approaches.
The episode begins with David, a preacher in charge of a settlement of survivors living in a remote mountain resort. He may be rather strict but seems like a nice guy, concerned about his people running out of food as winter fast approaches.
- 3/6/2023
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
[Editor’s Note: The following review contains spoilers for “The Last of Us” Season 1, Episode 8, “When We Are in Need.”]
If everyone on “The Last of Us” is trying to salvage what they can, the one thing that links everyone is a name. One of the gradual throughlines of the series has been the recognition of when people try to bring out their own. Often it’s in self-preservation, like the ambush kid from “Please Hold to My Hand.” It’s the same tactic used by a man here in the season’s second-to-last episode “When We Are in Need.” Staring down the barrel of a rifle and an ultra-determined Ellie (Bella Ramsey) pointing it, someone who’s become an expert at staying alive offers up a way to continue his streak. He identifies himself as David (Scott Shepherd). And in that moment, he’s already gained the upper hand.
David is the latest in a line of Joel...
If everyone on “The Last of Us” is trying to salvage what they can, the one thing that links everyone is a name. One of the gradual throughlines of the series has been the recognition of when people try to bring out their own. Often it’s in self-preservation, like the ambush kid from “Please Hold to My Hand.” It’s the same tactic used by a man here in the season’s second-to-last episode “When We Are in Need.” Staring down the barrel of a rifle and an ultra-determined Ellie (Bella Ramsey) pointing it, someone who’s become an expert at staying alive offers up a way to continue his streak. He identifies himself as David (Scott Shepherd). And in that moment, he’s already gained the upper hand.
David is the latest in a line of Joel...
- 3/6/2023
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
This article contains spoilers for "The Last of Us" episode 7.
Echoing the original video game, episode 7 of "The Last of Us" sets the tone of the Winter chapter by shifting the main perspective from our rugged protector Joel (Pedro Pascal) to his plucky, young companion, Ellie (Bella Ramsey). In the aftermath of Joel's injury at the university, Ellie frantically searches for medical supplies as Joel bleeds out. He's still alive, but unless they can take care of his stab wound, his time is limited. For the first time, the roles between these characters are fully reversed. While Joel is incapacitated, he advises Ellie to turn back to Jackson without him and get help, but ultimately, it's up to Ellie to decide what's best for the two.
Based on the Dlc chapter of the same name, "Left Behind," this episode serves as an interlude to show us Ellie's current state of...
Echoing the original video game, episode 7 of "The Last of Us" sets the tone of the Winter chapter by shifting the main perspective from our rugged protector Joel (Pedro Pascal) to his plucky, young companion, Ellie (Bella Ramsey). In the aftermath of Joel's injury at the university, Ellie frantically searches for medical supplies as Joel bleeds out. He's still alive, but unless they can take care of his stab wound, his time is limited. For the first time, the roles between these characters are fully reversed. While Joel is incapacitated, he advises Ellie to turn back to Jackson without him and get help, but ultimately, it's up to Ellie to decide what's best for the two.
Based on the Dlc chapter of the same name, "Left Behind," this episode serves as an interlude to show us Ellie's current state of...
- 3/1/2023
- by Tyler Llewyn Taing
- Slash Film
This piece contains spoilers for "The Last of Us" episode 7, "Left Behind."
"The Last of Us" has a special way of both healing and breaking our hearts every week. Some of this has to do with the heartwrenching source material, but the majority of it comes through in its unique performances. No matter who graces our screens each week, Pedro Pascal's Joel and Bella Ramsey's Ellie effectively stand out by making their characters their own, even in its direct riffs from the Naughty Dog video game. The same goes for its rotating cast of recurring characters, including Storm Reid's take on Ellie's best friend Riley in its latest episode, "Left Behind."
Fans of the franchise have been both anticipating and dreading the release of "Left Behind" for a while, and for good reason. While it is foundational in expanding Ellie's characterization, it is also a deeply devastating...
"The Last of Us" has a special way of both healing and breaking our hearts every week. Some of this has to do with the heartwrenching source material, but the majority of it comes through in its unique performances. No matter who graces our screens each week, Pedro Pascal's Joel and Bella Ramsey's Ellie effectively stand out by making their characters their own, even in its direct riffs from the Naughty Dog video game. The same goes for its rotating cast of recurring characters, including Storm Reid's take on Ellie's best friend Riley in its latest episode, "Left Behind."
Fans of the franchise have been both anticipating and dreading the release of "Left Behind" for a while, and for good reason. While it is foundational in expanding Ellie's characterization, it is also a deeply devastating...
- 2/28/2023
- by Erin Brady
- Slash Film
We took a trip back in time in episode 7 of "The Last of Us," revisiting the fateful night of Ellie's infection just three weeks before the start of the season. The episode was the adaptation of "Left Behind," the Dlc (downloadable content) for the first game. For the non-initiated, DLCs are playable add-ons to an existing title released sometime after its initial launch. They are usually reserved for popular games, released as both a treat for fans salivating for more gameplay and extended profit for game studios. New fans are lucky, though — the recent re-release of the series for PlayStation 5 has "Left Behind" included.
Since it is supplemental content, playing a Dlc is not necessary to enjoy or understand the main plot of a game; indeed, they are often separate stories unto themselves. But, including "Left Behind" in the HBO version of "The Last of Us" is in line with...
Since it is supplemental content, playing a Dlc is not necessary to enjoy or understand the main plot of a game; indeed, they are often separate stories unto themselves. But, including "Left Behind" in the HBO version of "The Last of Us" is in line with...
- 2/28/2023
- by Allyssa Capri
- Slash Film
There’s a reason The Last of Us has been a favourite of LGBT+ gamers for a decade. When it comes to queer representation in mainstream video games – a sexually conservative branch of the arts, admittedly – The Last of Us stood head and shoulders above all its major rivals. In adapting the acclaimed post-apocaylptic story for HBO, showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann have, thankfully, left its queer storylines intact.
Well, “intact” may be the wrong word. Four weeks ago, the series stunned viewers with a tearjerking episode called “Long, Long Time”, in which the story pivoted away from wandering protagonists Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) to focus on a 20-year love story between two middle aged men, Bill and Frank. The episode was deeply moving, and well put-together, but ended in the characters’ deaths. (This is the apocalypse after all.) Those fearing that this would be the...
Well, “intact” may be the wrong word. Four weeks ago, the series stunned viewers with a tearjerking episode called “Long, Long Time”, in which the story pivoted away from wandering protagonists Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) to focus on a 20-year love story between two middle aged men, Bill and Frank. The episode was deeply moving, and well put-together, but ended in the characters’ deaths. (This is the apocalypse after all.) Those fearing that this would be the...
- 2/28/2023
- by Louis Chilton
- The Independent - TV
This post contains spoilers for HBO's "The Last of Us" and the video game series of the same name.
While we weren't looking, pop music has become one of the main recurring motifs of "The Last of Us" over the last few years. Though the retro needle drop has become a large staple of modern pop culture, showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann are not just following trends. In the Fall chapter of the story, Joel (Pedro Pascal) admits to Ellie (Bella Ramsey) that he used to want to be a singer when he was a little boy. This would lead to the opening scene of the game's sequel, "The Last of Us Part II," in which Joel serenades Ellie with "Future Days" by Pearl Jam, a song that soon becomes the entire emotional throughline of the narrative, bookending Ellie's entire character journey.
"The Last of Us" series has only...
While we weren't looking, pop music has become one of the main recurring motifs of "The Last of Us" over the last few years. Though the retro needle drop has become a large staple of modern pop culture, showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann are not just following trends. In the Fall chapter of the story, Joel (Pedro Pascal) admits to Ellie (Bella Ramsey) that he used to want to be a singer when he was a little boy. This would lead to the opening scene of the game's sequel, "The Last of Us Part II," in which Joel serenades Ellie with "Future Days" by Pearl Jam, a song that soon becomes the entire emotional throughline of the narrative, bookending Ellie's entire character journey.
"The Last of Us" series has only...
- 2/27/2023
- by Tyler Llewyn Taing
- Slash Film
One of the most striking artistic choices in the original "The Last of Us" game is the big perspective shift from our burly protagonist to our youthful companion character, Ellie (Bella Ramsey), right after Joel (Pedro Pascal) gets severely injured back in a scene that bookends the Fall chapter. There's a level of ambiguity over Joel's fate that lingers as we play as Ellie for the first time. In this week's episode of the HBO series, "Left Behind," based on the Dlc chapter of the same name, we're immediately reassured that Joel is indeed still alive and kicking. While we've lost the jarring shift to the cruelty of the Winter section of the game, this episode still presents Ellie with a choice to make by the end of this episode: Will Ellie follow Joel's wishes to return to the Jackson commune without him?
Naturally, it's time for an interlude. Most...
Naturally, it's time for an interlude. Most...
- 2/27/2023
- by Tyler Llewyn Taing
- Slash Film
This article contains spoilers for "The Last of Us" on HBO as well as the video game source material.
It becomes more clear with each passing week that "The Last Of Us" is, on many levels, about queer survival. Not surviving forever -- this show's unflinchingly tragic world buries its gays along with pretty much everyone else -- but surviving long enough to find acceptance, connection, and some form of love. This week, in an episode that took place almost entirely in flashback, we saw Ellie (Bella Ramsey) find that love with her best friend Riley (Storm Reid) for the briefest of moments. The pair shared a sweet first kiss in a scene that echoes one from the game's downloadable content add-on, "The Last Of Us: Left Behind."
"The Last Of Us" clues audiences into Ellie's sexuality organically, in the context of a story of tentative and fun yet deeply...
It becomes more clear with each passing week that "The Last Of Us" is, on many levels, about queer survival. Not surviving forever -- this show's unflinchingly tragic world buries its gays along with pretty much everyone else -- but surviving long enough to find acceptance, connection, and some form of love. This week, in an episode that took place almost entirely in flashback, we saw Ellie (Bella Ramsey) find that love with her best friend Riley (Storm Reid) for the briefest of moments. The pair shared a sweet first kiss in a scene that echoes one from the game's downloadable content add-on, "The Last Of Us: Left Behind."
"The Last Of Us" clues audiences into Ellie's sexuality organically, in the context of a story of tentative and fun yet deeply...
- 2/27/2023
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
So far, HBO's "The Last of Us" has been a fairly faithful adaptation. It keeps everything that worked about the original game, while changing whatever's necessary to better fit the medium of TV. The latest episode, "Left Behind," makes another major yet intuitive change: it takes the downloadable expansion pack game (also titled "Left Behind"), released nearly a year after the original videogame, and it adapts it here instead of later.
The result was an episode that captured both the joy and heartbreak of the original "Left Behind," while also neatly contributing to the season's themes of refusing to let go of the people you love, no matter how much of a lost cause it may seem. It wasn't a one-to-one adaptation, of course: they cut a lot of Ellie's (Bella Ramsey) and Riley's (Storm Reid) time messing around in the mall. They also cut a lot of Ellie's present-day storyline,...
The result was an episode that captured both the joy and heartbreak of the original "Left Behind," while also neatly contributing to the season's themes of refusing to let go of the people you love, no matter how much of a lost cause it may seem. It wasn't a one-to-one adaptation, of course: they cut a lot of Ellie's (Bella Ramsey) and Riley's (Storm Reid) time messing around in the mall. They also cut a lot of Ellie's present-day storyline,...
- 2/27/2023
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
This article contains spoilers for "The Last of Us" on HBO.
Over its first six episodes,"The Last of Us" has cleverly allowed Ellie (Bella Ramsey) to mete out details about her past. In doing so, it set up an emotional haymaker of a reveal that brought Ellie's journey into clearer, heartbreaking focus.
The series' seventh episode, titled "Left Behind," finds Ellie flashing back on her time in the Boston Quarantine Zone, where she came of age in the most wrenching of ways. These sequences are framed by Ellie's treatment of a severely wounded Joel (Pedro Pascal), who wants her to leave him to die. She has her reasons for refusing, and that is the heart of this installment and, perhaps, the series as a whole.
We learn that the shopping mall incident where Ellie contracted her non-fatal infection was an elaborate date staged by her best friend Riley (Storm Reid...
Over its first six episodes,"The Last of Us" has cleverly allowed Ellie (Bella Ramsey) to mete out details about her past. In doing so, it set up an emotional haymaker of a reveal that brought Ellie's journey into clearer, heartbreaking focus.
The series' seventh episode, titled "Left Behind," finds Ellie flashing back on her time in the Boston Quarantine Zone, where she came of age in the most wrenching of ways. These sequences are framed by Ellie's treatment of a severely wounded Joel (Pedro Pascal), who wants her to leave him to die. She has her reasons for refusing, and that is the heart of this installment and, perhaps, the series as a whole.
We learn that the shopping mall incident where Ellie contracted her non-fatal infection was an elaborate date staged by her best friend Riley (Storm Reid...
- 2/27/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Spoiler Alert: This interview contains spoilers from Episode 7 of “The Last of Us,” now streaming on HBO Max.
“The Last of Us” production designer John Paino’s biggest challenges is bringing the much-beloved world of the video game to life and populating the HBO show with easter eggs. This week, Paino delivers one of his most significant nods yet in a “blink-and-you-miss-it moment.”
Named after the game’s downloadable expansion pack, Episode 7, titled “Left Behind,” explores Ellie’s (Bella Ramsey) backstory before she meets Joel (Pedro Pascal) and reveals what happened the night she discovered she was immune to cordyceps infection. In the present, Ellie is desperately trying to save Joel’s life after he was stabbed last episode. In doing so, she remembers one of the happiest, and saddest, days of her life. The episode flashes back to when Ellie’s friend and crush Riley (Storm Reid) snuck her through an abandoned mall.
“The Last of Us” production designer John Paino’s biggest challenges is bringing the much-beloved world of the video game to life and populating the HBO show with easter eggs. This week, Paino delivers one of his most significant nods yet in a “blink-and-you-miss-it moment.”
Named after the game’s downloadable expansion pack, Episode 7, titled “Left Behind,” explores Ellie’s (Bella Ramsey) backstory before she meets Joel (Pedro Pascal) and reveals what happened the night she discovered she was immune to cordyceps infection. In the present, Ellie is desperately trying to save Joel’s life after he was stabbed last episode. In doing so, she remembers one of the happiest, and saddest, days of her life. The episode flashes back to when Ellie’s friend and crush Riley (Storm Reid) snuck her through an abandoned mall.
- 2/27/2023
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
This post contains spoilers for HBO's "The Last of Us" and the video game series of the same name.
In true "The Last of Us" tradition, the latest episode of the HBO series delivers yet another emotional gut-punch by centering the story around Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and her best friend/crush Riley (Storm Reid). The previous episode ended on a cliffhanger, where Joel (Pedro Pascal) seemed to be on the verge of death after getting stabbed and losing a ton of blood. "I can't do this without you, Joel," Ellie pleads desperately, as she is stranded in the middle of nowhere and does not have the resources or know-how to save Joel's life. Pushed into an extreme situation like never before, Ellie relives the incident that marked the beginning of the end: An unforgettable night at the mall with her best friend, Riley, whom she loved, and lost too soon.
In true "The Last of Us" tradition, the latest episode of the HBO series delivers yet another emotional gut-punch by centering the story around Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and her best friend/crush Riley (Storm Reid). The previous episode ended on a cliffhanger, where Joel (Pedro Pascal) seemed to be on the verge of death after getting stabbed and losing a ton of blood. "I can't do this without you, Joel," Ellie pleads desperately, as she is stranded in the middle of nowhere and does not have the resources or know-how to save Joel's life. Pushed into an extreme situation like never before, Ellie relives the incident that marked the beginning of the end: An unforgettable night at the mall with her best friend, Riley, whom she loved, and lost too soon.
- 2/27/2023
- by Debopriyaa Dutta
- Slash Film
This Last of Us article contains spoilers.
When Left Behind, a 2014 story Dlc for The Last of Us, dropped on PlayStation 3, it was immediately hailed as a heartfelt and crucial addition to the critically acclaimed game. Not only did this new chapter give us a previously unseen moment in Joel and Ellie’s quest to reach the Fireflies in Salt Lake City but it also gave players vital insight into Ellie’s past.
Set three weeks before Ellie and Joel meet in the game, Left Behind tells the story of how Ellie was bitten in the first place. When her best friend, 16-year-old Riley, returns to their dorm at the Boston Qz Fedra military school after going missing for a few weeks, Ellie agrees to sneak away with her on an adventure to a mall they’d visited once before (we learn that in the comic book prequel American Dreams...
When Left Behind, a 2014 story Dlc for The Last of Us, dropped on PlayStation 3, it was immediately hailed as a heartfelt and crucial addition to the critically acclaimed game. Not only did this new chapter give us a previously unseen moment in Joel and Ellie’s quest to reach the Fireflies in Salt Lake City but it also gave players vital insight into Ellie’s past.
Set three weeks before Ellie and Joel meet in the game, Left Behind tells the story of how Ellie was bitten in the first place. When her best friend, 16-year-old Riley, returns to their dorm at the Boston Qz Fedra military school after going missing for a few weeks, Ellie agrees to sneak away with her on an adventure to a mall they’d visited once before (we learn that in the comic book prequel American Dreams...
- 2/27/2023
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
HBO’s latest hit series The Last of Us now officially has a soundtrack for its first season, a massive, 66-song compilation of all the music scoring the post-apocalyptic tale. Check it out below.
After working on the original The Last of Us video game, composer Gustavo Santaolalla returns for the HBO series, joined by fellow artist David Fleming. In an upcoming interview with Consequence, Santaolalla describes his approach to the soundtrack, saying, “The process of adapting, it was more in a way like craftwork than actually a new creation, because the themes were there, those things are there, like the characters, it wasn’t about creating a new job, it wasn’t about finding what is interesting. For example, in seeing how Pascal and Bella, they’re different than the actors that played the voices, but at the same time, they keep the soul of the characters intact.”
While...
After working on the original The Last of Us video game, composer Gustavo Santaolalla returns for the HBO series, joined by fellow artist David Fleming. In an upcoming interview with Consequence, Santaolalla describes his approach to the soundtrack, saying, “The process of adapting, it was more in a way like craftwork than actually a new creation, because the themes were there, those things are there, like the characters, it wasn’t about creating a new job, it wasn’t about finding what is interesting. For example, in seeing how Pascal and Bella, they’re different than the actors that played the voices, but at the same time, they keep the soul of the characters intact.”
While...
- 2/27/2023
- by Carys Anderson
- Consequence - Music
The post contains spoilers for "The Last Of Us" episode 7.
The time for headlines about how "The Last Of Us" broke the video game adaptation curse has passed. It was never really accurate anyway, as there have been great video game adaptations before "The Last Of Us," and there will be great ones after. But this week's episode of the series really does break new ground, doing something few if any adaptations have before: proving that not just games, but even downloadable expansion packs, can make for excellent TV, too.
For newcomers to the series, the latest episode of "The Last Of Us" probably feels pretty in step with the rest of the show. Sure, it follows in the TV tradition of a latter-season flashback that singles out and deepens one character's storyline, but it's no more off the beaten path than the Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlett...
The time for headlines about how "The Last Of Us" broke the video game adaptation curse has passed. It was never really accurate anyway, as there have been great video game adaptations before "The Last Of Us," and there will be great ones after. But this week's episode of the series really does break new ground, doing something few if any adaptations have before: proving that not just games, but even downloadable expansion packs, can make for excellent TV, too.
For newcomers to the series, the latest episode of "The Last Of Us" probably feels pretty in step with the rest of the show. Sure, it follows in the TV tradition of a latter-season flashback that singles out and deepens one character's storyline, but it's no more off the beaten path than the Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlett...
- 2/27/2023
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Spoiler Alert: This interview contains spoilers from Episode 7 of “The Last of Us,” now streaming on HBO Max.
Ellie takes a devastating walk down memory lane in Episode 7 of “The Last of Us,” recalling one of her most painful moments — as she frantically attempts to save an injured Joel’s life in the present day.
The episode, named after the “Left Behind” downloadable expansion pack from the 2013 video game, reveals what happened on the night Ellie discovered she was immune to infection.
The rebellious runaway Riley (Storm Reid) brings Ellie (Bella Ramsey) on an adventure through an abandoned mall, soaking up the wonders of a Mortal Kombat arcade game, a merry-go-round and a photo booth. Just as Ellie finally reveals her romantic feelings for Riley with a kiss, and convinces her to stay, things take a gut-wrenching turn: both teens are bitten by an infected.
Actors Bella Ramsey and Storm...
Ellie takes a devastating walk down memory lane in Episode 7 of “The Last of Us,” recalling one of her most painful moments — as she frantically attempts to save an injured Joel’s life in the present day.
The episode, named after the “Left Behind” downloadable expansion pack from the 2013 video game, reveals what happened on the night Ellie discovered she was immune to infection.
The rebellious runaway Riley (Storm Reid) brings Ellie (Bella Ramsey) on an adventure through an abandoned mall, soaking up the wonders of a Mortal Kombat arcade game, a merry-go-round and a photo booth. Just as Ellie finally reveals her romantic feelings for Riley with a kiss, and convinces her to stay, things take a gut-wrenching turn: both teens are bitten by an infected.
Actors Bella Ramsey and Storm...
- 2/27/2023
- by Katcy Stephan
- Variety Film + TV
[Editor’s Note: The following review contains spoilers for “The Last of Us” Season 1, Episode 7, “Left Behind.”]
A lot of the conversation around “The Last of Us” centers on what gets lost after the world changes. There’s societal collapse, transformation, widespread death, and a fundamental shift in priorities. But for all that’s missing in a post-Outbreak world, the series’ latest episode “Left Behind” does make room for a kind of wonder that wasn’t really present in the Before Times. Some of the lone bright spots in the show have come from Ellie (Bella Ramsey) being in absolute awe of something she’s never experienced before. We’ve seen her try to wrap her head around football, airplanes, and monkeys. There are tragic reasons that all these things are novelties to her, but that sense of discovery the show gets from her circumstances is what’s sometimes able to balance out the harshness.
So as the season gears up for the homestretch,...
A lot of the conversation around “The Last of Us” centers on what gets lost after the world changes. There’s societal collapse, transformation, widespread death, and a fundamental shift in priorities. But for all that’s missing in a post-Outbreak world, the series’ latest episode “Left Behind” does make room for a kind of wonder that wasn’t really present in the Before Times. Some of the lone bright spots in the show have come from Ellie (Bella Ramsey) being in absolute awe of something she’s never experienced before. We’ve seen her try to wrap her head around football, airplanes, and monkeys. There are tragic reasons that all these things are novelties to her, but that sense of discovery the show gets from her circumstances is what’s sometimes able to balance out the harshness.
So as the season gears up for the homestretch,...
- 2/27/2023
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
Flashbacks are tricky to pull off because they either help or hinder the story.
On The Last of Us Season 1 Episode 7, Ellie's plight to save Joel puts her in a reflective mood, delivering the HBO hit's take on the "Left Behind" Dlc from the first video game in the series.
The flashback to Ellie's time in the quarantine zone enhanced the source material in many ways because there's still much we don't know about how Ellie wound up in Marlene's care.
Are we to assume Marlene showed up at the mall before or after Riley died?
That's the most plausible scenario.
Ellie's life in the quarantine zone was far from spectacular. For many children, having a roof over their heads and proceeding with whatever career Fedra offered them was enough.
But for Ellie and Riley, that wasn't enough, and it explains why Riley departed and how Ellie was so frustrated...
On The Last of Us Season 1 Episode 7, Ellie's plight to save Joel puts her in a reflective mood, delivering the HBO hit's take on the "Left Behind" Dlc from the first video game in the series.
The flashback to Ellie's time in the quarantine zone enhanced the source material in many ways because there's still much we don't know about how Ellie wound up in Marlene's care.
Are we to assume Marlene showed up at the mall before or after Riley died?
That's the most plausible scenario.
Ellie's life in the quarantine zone was far from spectacular. For many children, having a roof over their heads and proceeding with whatever career Fedra offered them was enough.
But for Ellie and Riley, that wasn't enough, and it explains why Riley departed and how Ellie was so frustrated...
- 2/27/2023
- by Paul Dailly
- TVfanatic
I've said before that "The Last of Us" is best when using flashbacks and fleshing out the world by straying a bit from the main plot. Episode 3 showed this, and now episode 7 is giving it a run for its money, with a fantastic and heartbreaking episode that focuses not on an original story, and not a chapter of the game, but a Dlc titled "Left Behind." Released a year after the first game, it was essentially an origin story for Ellie, a short chapter to whet people's appetites until "The Last of Us Part 2" was finally released.
Both the show and the game have this story take place at the same time, in order for it to illustrate what Ellie meant when she said she also had lost people like Joel, and also to strengthen the both between the two, showing that Ellie is not going to just abandon Joel,...
Both the show and the game have this story take place at the same time, in order for it to illustrate what Ellie meant when she said she also had lost people like Joel, and also to strengthen the both between the two, showing that Ellie is not going to just abandon Joel,...
- 2/27/2023
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
“Do you trust me with your life?” If someone asks that in The Last Of Us, as Riley (Storm Reid) does of Ellie (Bella Ramsey), it conveys a double message. It means, I will always protect you and also If you get infected, I will kill you. Both senses were acutely present in “Left Behind.” Not many episodes (or series)…...
- 2/27/2023
- by David Cote
- avclub.com
Warning: This article contains spoilers for Episode 7 of “The Last of Us”
Sunday’s episode of “The Last of Us” marked a departure from the main storyline of Naughty Dog’s 2013 action-adventure video game, as the latest chapter of HBO’s post-apocalyptic drama series focused on its “Left Behind” Dlc released back in 2014.
“Left Behind” follows Ellie prior to meeting Joel, offering a glimpse of her time in Fedra school and her relationship with and eventual loss of her best friend Riley.
“When we meet [Ellie], we know she’s a very complicated character in a way that you know there is something deep inside that she’s carrying with her but you never have the opportunity to know what that is,” the episode’s cinematographer Ksenia Sereda told TheWrap. “Watching the show, you’re so connected to Ellie and I think that’s a very impactful moment to go back...
Sunday’s episode of “The Last of Us” marked a departure from the main storyline of Naughty Dog’s 2013 action-adventure video game, as the latest chapter of HBO’s post-apocalyptic drama series focused on its “Left Behind” Dlc released back in 2014.
“Left Behind” follows Ellie prior to meeting Joel, offering a glimpse of her time in Fedra school and her relationship with and eventual loss of her best friend Riley.
“When we meet [Ellie], we know she’s a very complicated character in a way that you know there is something deep inside that she’s carrying with her but you never have the opportunity to know what that is,” the episode’s cinematographer Ksenia Sereda told TheWrap. “Watching the show, you’re so connected to Ellie and I think that’s a very impactful moment to go back...
- 2/27/2023
- by Lucas Manfredi
- The Wrap
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