The Last of Us Showrunner Craig Mazin Played Through the Games More Than You’d Expect

The world of video game adaptations moves ahead strongly this season with the upcoming Minecraft Movie premiering in theaters, to the critically acclaimed HBO series The Last of Us releasing Season 2 on April 13th. As we’ve seen with the Sonic the Hedgehog film franchise, the admiration for the video games can be witnessed through the work itself. We’ve seen some adaptations where many of those in charge haven’t played the games, which can leave a bit of a sour taste for some. TLOU Season 1 proved to be a great representation of Part 1, and with this, Naughty Dog fans should expect to see a similar outcome with Part Two, with showrunner Craig Mazin leading the way. In an interview with ComicBook, Mazin has detailed that his gaming experience is more extensive than we thought.

The Last of Us Season 1 demonstrated a new feat in video game adaptations as the series was able to craft the beloved experience with its attention to detail. Naughty Dog’s CEO, Neil Druckmann, plays a key role in the series’ outcome, which is one of the reasons why the translation from game to TV worked.

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When ComicBook host Chris Killian asked how many times the Chernobyl showrunner played through the games to prepare for the job, his answer proved his dedication to the series.

“I mean, I know for sure the first game probably four or five times. Second game, at least three. It’s a longer game,” he said. “But then there are chunks where instead of just playing through, I will then go back and just watch a playthrough just because I want to put myself back in the space of that moment and see how it functions. So the other thing I do is I look at transcripts of the games that I will refer back to all the time.”

The process that Mazin took to make sure that the vision he had was executed thoroughly within the lens of The Last of Us games is intriguing to see. We’ve seen some, including actors, admit their lack of knowledge within the game prior to shooting the film or TV series, but to know that the current co-showrunner has extensive experience playing the installments is reassuring. The stories told within the two entries are beloved for their incredible storytelling and visuals, which we’ve seen come to life in the last season.

The world of The Last of Us is extensive, so knowing that Mazin has done his research and is respectful to the source material let’s us know that we’ve got the right person behind this project. For those who have played The Last of Us Part 2, we’re aware of the roller coaster that Naughty Dog brought forward with this installment, so to know that Mazin is looking at the structure of this is a sign that this next season will be another huge success for HBO.

The Last of Us Season 2 premieres on HBO and MAX on April 13th.