HBO’s The Last Of Us Show Proves 1 Long-Overdue Video Game Adaptation Can Succeed

The success of HBO’s The Last of Us not only speaks volumes to the rising trend of live-action remakes of popular video games, but it also provides a unique opportunity for Hollywood to reassess its stance on other deserving video game adaptations that have spent far too long in development hell. Based on the 2013 Naughty Dog video game of the same name, The Last of Us sees two survivors persevering through various American cities after a viral infection turns most of the country into zombie-like beings. The Last of Us’s critical acclaim may have set up a new generation of live-action video game adaptations.

Although Hollywood is responsible for producing some of the worst video game movies the industry has ever seen, The Last of Us‘ success makes a strong case regarding the positive direction the genre could head toward. For example, the positive reception of the recent Fallout TV series trailer inspires hope that the recent trend will continue to gain momentum. With The Last of Us season 2 still in development, viewers of the post-apocalyptic drama will have to patiently wait to see what HBO brings to the table next. However, there’s another video game franchise that deserves an equally good adaptation.

The Last Of Us Proves Amazon’s God Of War TV Show Can Be Successful

God of War and The Last of Us are both Playstation hits

Audiences and players deserve a faithful God of War live-action adaptation after it has spent so many years in development hell, and with the rising trend of such adaptations, it looks like it can finally happen. The Last of Us season 1 has perfectly demonstrated the massive shift in quality from the live-action video game adaptation schlock of years past to the more consistent positive feedback of such adaptations in recent memory. As such, other beloved video game franchises such as Twisted Metal and Fallout are positioned to be the next in line to maintain the industry’s recent momentum.

With Twisted Metal performing well and the anticipation behind the Fallout TV series, a God of War TV show makes perfect sense as its themes are not only similar to those of its fellow video game franchises but also because the series has just, if not more, widespread appeal than any other video game live-action adaptation on TV right now. Regarding The Last of Us, much of its success is attributable to the show’s faithful commitment to the violence, drama, and complex characters prominently featured in the source material. If handled properly, a God of War TV series could replicate the same success because of its rich characters and lore.

God Of War’s Franchise Success 10-Plus Years After Its Debut Speaks To Its Adaptation Franchise Potential

Live-action God of War ideas have been stuck in development hell for many years

A God of War live-action adaptation has yet to happen, even though it has been one of the most popular video game IPs for years now. However, Amazon Studios is developing the live-action God of War TV series and has been since 2022, thus laying to rest any concerns regarding the legitimacy of the adaptation. Although the details surrounding the casting, release date, and setting of the live-action God of War TV series are scarce, the confirmation of it finally happening is exciting enough to garner enthusiastic responses from audiences familiar with the acclaimed video game franchise.

Despite an oft-repeated rumor, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will not be Kratos according to the most recent updates. Amazon Studios might be more interested in developing a faithful retelling of the source material over pulling big-name celebrities to make headlines. With God of War‘s debut in 2005 and the most recent installments in the franchise, 2022’s God of War: Ragnarök and 2023’s God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla, Amazon has a wealth of material they could cover for the adaptation. Moreover, the sliding shifts in each game’s tone provide God of War with many opportunities for it to differentiate itself from The Last of Us.

How God Of War Would Be Different From The Last Of Us

Both games differ drastically in narrative storytelling despite their similar themes

Although God of War and The Last of Us are renowned for their depictions of violence, morally complex protagonists, bleak tones, and moody atmospheres, the two video games differ substantially in their approach to narrative storytelling, thus making each series compelling and engaging for vastly different reasons. Whereas The Last of Us tells a heart-wrenching story about the power of perseverance through the innate will and determination of its protagonists, Joel and Ellie, God of War emphasizes the self-destructive nature of a man ruled by his ego and inability to accept responsibility for his transgressions, and the resulting destruction that follows.

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The Last Of Us Season 2 Cast & Character Guide

The Last of Us season 2 cast hasn’t yet been confirmed, but several key characters are sure to return along with some intriguing new additions.

While God of War and The Last of Us‘s themes and even aesthetics intersect in some respects, they’re ultimately about different things. Among the many aspects that contributed to The Last of Us‘s critical acclaim, is its faithfulness to the source material while provoking viewers’ thoughts that made it into more than just a live-action rehash. While it is uncertain whether God of War will be based on the games, a new story, or a combination of both ideas, the live-action adaptation stands to gain much as its sheer amount of content from the games already set the stage for how it can further distinguish itself.

How A God Of War Live-Action Show Can Work

A God of War TV series could adapt each game throughout various seasons

The first three entries in the God of War franchise are considerably different in tone and style than the more recent addition seen in 2018’s God of War and its subsequent installments. As such, Amazon Studios could go down the expected route by dividing each mainline game into multiple seasons while making references to future events of the mainline titles while also using elements from the God of War PSP games and even God of War: Ascension. While this would lend itself further credence to faithfully adapting the franchise audiences have come to love, it wouldn’t push the envelope any further past simply adapting things for TV.

Perhaps a more interesting take for Amazon Studios to consider while developing God of War is to create an original storyline for audiences while including elements from the games, thus giving audiences the best of both worlds. Viewers familiar with the God of War video games will feel like Amazon consciously had their expectations in mind while developing the story, but they would also get a dose of something new. Meanwhile, newer audiences would have a strong reason to familiarize themselves with the source material if the show proves successful. With many possible scenarios for God of War‘s live-action to work, the video game adaptation renaissance owes a lot to The Last of Us.

Watch The Last of Us on Max.