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The Last of Us HBO series planned for 8 seasons, budget "upward of $200-million per year", according to Alberta premier Jason Kenney

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reksveks

Member
Hari Seldon said:
Actually that one did look good. But I can't justify $15/month on this service considering there is only so many times you can re-watch the HBO golden age stuff.
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I did enjoy Hacks as well. At some point, need to watch Mare of East Town. Its been an okay year ignoring the fall of Westworld.
 
A

Atrus

Gold Member
“could last as many as eight seasons.”

Could. It was likely some number tossed to a politician who doesn’t know of the material to advertise that the show has long term investment prospects.

I wouldn’t take the number too seriously when we all know shows can be canceled before they’re out.

At best they could stretch the first game across 2 seasons but pacing issues will impact the plot, which is mostly about the relationship between the two in their cross-country travel:

Prologue-Ellie Intro
Escape from Boston and Tess’ end
Bills Town
Pittsburgh part 1-Trap and Hunters
Pittsburgh part 2-Hotel up to Bridge
Pittsburgh part 3- Tunnels to brother’s end
Hydro Dam
University
Left Behind part 1-Past
Left Behind part 2-Present
Winter part 1-Ellie
Winter part 2-Joel
Salt Lake City- Part 1 -Up to drowning
Salt Lake City-Part 2- Hospital
Epilogue

So that’s 15 possible episodes from the first game and room for another 3 if you break the epilogue, dam or university into 2 parts each since there’s some room for stories in-between locations or an episode dedicated solely to the epilogue up to Sarah’s death.

Any more and you’re probably delving into things like the backstory of Tess, Bill, or Marlene that doesn’t focus on the main plot.
 
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ripjoel

ripjoel

Member
Season 1 - mostly filler + Joel, Tommy & Sarah character development, season finale Sarah's death
Season 2 - Joel + Tess meet Ellie, Tess dies mid-season, Ellie meets lesbian gf (LGBT stuff), Joel+Ellie meet Bill (LGBT stuff) then Bill dies, season finale Ellie gets bitten
Season 3 - Joel+Ellie go to Tommy, lots of action and human/zombie gore in this season, ends like the game
Season 4 - Switching to Abby pov after dad murdered, some filler + character development. boring season
Season 5 - Starts like TLOU2, ends with Joel Golf simulator 2020
Season 6 - Ellie vs Abby
Season 7 - TLOU3
Season 8 - TLOU3
 
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S

SpokkX

Member
Ffs what a waste of money

i hope at least they stop making tlou games - orherwise this will be soooo redundant. Tlou is basically a movie with some shooting/stealthing/forced walking between the main dish - cutscenes
 
W

whyman

Member
They are aware people no longer like this franchise? After covid people are also sick (hehe) of virus stories. Will bomb hard imo.
 
Golgo 13

Golgo 13

The Man With The Golden Dong
I think my take on this is pretty normal -

HBO is involved, that's a good sign (usually). +1

Pedro Pascal is involved, he's a good actor. +1

It's a show based on a videogame and I can't think of a single TV Show or movie based on a game that's been remotely watchable. -1

It's leaning "woke", which is a bad sign for priorities in terms of "quality above all else", which is the only thing that matters. -1

HBO is known to pull-the-plug on stuff that isn't going well in production, or isn't "testing" well... so we'll see if this thing see's the light of day in any real tangible sense. I can recall HBO shows that lasted 4 episodes and then were never heard from again.
 
Negotiator101

Negotiator101

Member
Md Ray said:
8 seasons? Cool.

This will probably begin right as the Walking Dead show ends.
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That's common practice with a new show, it doesn't mean it won't get cancelled if it's not popular. Massive budget mind, it must have some major talent working on it.
 
Spukc

Spukc

always chasing the next thrill
Atrus said:
“could last as many as eight seasons.”

Could. It was likely some number tossed to a politician who doesn’t know of the material to advertise that the show has long term investment prospects.

I wouldn’t take the number too seriously when we all know shows can be canceled before their out.

At best they could stretch the first game across 2 seasons but pacing issues will impact the plot, which is mostly about the relationship between the two in their cross-country travel:

Prologue-Ellie Intro
Escape from Boston and Tess’ end
Bills Town
Pittsburgh part 1-Trap and Hunters
Pittsburgh part 2-Hotel up to Bridge
Pittsburgh part 3- Tunnels to brother’s end
Hydro Dam
University
Left Behind part 1-Past
Left Behind part 2-Present
Winter part 1-Ellie
Winter part 2-Joel
Salt Lake City- Part 1 -Up to drowning
Salt Lake City-Part 2- Hospital
Epilogue

So that’s 15 possible episodes from the first game and room for another 3 if you break the epilogue-dam or university into 2 parts each since there’s some room for stories in-between locations or an episode dedicated solely to the epilogue up to Sarah’s death.

Any more and you’re probably delving into things like the backstory of Tess, Bill, or Marlene that doesn’t focus on the main plot.
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Netflix can make 12 seasons. Based on the intro of the game
 
kyliethicc

kyliethicc

Member
This is literally just a random suit, not one of the writers, saying it could last up to 8 seasons because HBO loves money.

I highly doubt they go more than 5-6 seasons, even if they go beyond the existing narrative of the 3 games.

They can probably get 2 seasons max out of The Last of Us and Left Behind (and maybe that prequel comic.)

Then they can get 2 seasons out of The Last of Us Part 2. Then maybe 1-2 more to finish it up (part 3?).
 
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Stooky

Stooky

Member
Golgo 13 said:
I think my take on this is pretty normal -

HBO is involved, that's a good sign (usually). +1

Pedro Pascal is involved, he's a good actor. +1

It's a show based on a videogame and I can't think of a single TV Show or movie based on a game that's been remotely watchable. -1

It's leaning "woke", which is a bad sign for priorities in terms of "quality above all else", which is the only thing that matters. -1

HBO is known to pull-the-plug on stuff that isn't going well in production, or isn't "testing" well... so we'll see if this thing see's the light of day in any real tangible sense. I can recall HBO shows that lasted 4 episodes and then were never heard from again.
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Leaning woke because they cast a really good actor that can bring the emotion needed for the part.......Then you knock it a point because other "video game" shows/movies weren't quality according to you. haha you got the TLOUhateitis go seek medical attention. its spreading! get that TLOUhateitis vaccine.

​

 
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bitbydeath

bitbydeath

Member
kyliethicc said:
This is literally just a random suit, not one of the writers, saying it could last up to 8 seasons because HBO loves money.

I highly doubt they go more than 5-6 seasons, even if they go beyond the existing narrative of the 3 games.

They can probably get 2 seasons max out of The Last of Us and Left Behind (and maybe that prequel comic.)

Then they can get 2 seasons out of The Last of Us Part 2. Then maybe 1-2 more to finish it up (part 3?).
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TLOU2 is set 5 years after the first. They’ll probably include those missing years on the show.
 
TheInfamousKira

TheInfamousKira

Reseterror Resettler
I'm not all that sure this is going to happen. I'd hope they'd stretch the first game beyond one season, but I have no idea how they'd stretch it out THAT long.
 
P

pratyush

Member
Wow HBO must be really impressed if this was even in discussion.

I hope they take some liberty in story to make it more adaptable to TV but keep things that kept internet virgins mad since its release. Would love to see another meltdown when Show is released.

Although GAF never fails to disappoint either in Last of us threads
 
MaKTaiL

MaKTaiL

Member
I love that everyone in this thread is a professional script writer and they could all do a better job adapting the huge story of the first game to the screen better than Neal himself. Congrats to you all, lol.

8 seasons is fine if they plan to fill the gaps between the seasons in the first game and the gap between Last of Us 1 and 2. Not counting some potential flashbacks which will sure add more depth to the characters (Left Behind anyone?).
 
The Alien

The Alien

Banned
Almost a quarter of a billion on zombies?
Def doing it wrong. Don't care how good it is/isnt. Lol.

HBO really must need that "next GoT" series.
This could be good, but it won't be that GoT-level popular/sensation.
 
Bo_Hazem

Bo_Hazem

Banned
jeff goldblum GIF
 
Kev Kev

Kev Kev

Member
thats 2 or 3 seasons too many. breaking bad ended at 5 seasons, right as it peaked, and i think it should be a model for tv shows. an episode or two to tie up loose ends is fine, and welcomed. but if the go any more than 6 seasons is just overkill for me.

thats all assuming we are talkng about 1 hour long episodes. i suppose if the seasons were short they could get away with it. but man, i hate when tv shows drag on too long. the walking dead is a perfect example of a show that has gone on about twice as long as it should have. and its sooooo bad now.

it really tarnishes the whole experience. i may want to go back and watch a series again, but if its 11 god damn seasons and they just keep getting worse and worse, im just gonna say fuck it, i dont want to invest that much time into something that turns into shit at the end. the office also should have ended around season 6 or 7, but no! and look how that turned out!

i dont know why im ranting i have no intention to watch this lol. i guess just a general comment about tv shows now days. i hope its good for anyone excited for it tho! theres a lot of material to work with in that world
 
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Justin9mm

Justin9mm

Member
I'm so glad they are not cramming everything in to 1-2 seasons and rush the story and character development. Not sure about 8 seasons, depends on the episode lengths. If they are 1 hour episodes then it probably shouldn't be more then 5-6 seasons at the most. Usually 4-6 seasons is where shows peak and then kinda drag after that.

I'd love them to extend the story between Joel and Sarah a little before the outbreak and not just have the outbreak and her dying in the first episode.

Edit: I will say though it sounds like there is going to be a lot more side content not in the game like a lot of additional characters and stories relating to fireflies etc. It sounds like it won't be all eyes on Joel and Ellie the whole time when focusing on the first game's story at least.
 
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EDMIX

EDMIX

Member
Salty Popsicle said:
Planning to spend $1.6 billion over the course of a decade before a single episode is released sounds pretty dumb.
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? I mean...why would they NOT plan it? So planning less would be better or? They are strategically planning for the long haul on something that is an adaption for 2 games, I'd say it would be pretty dumb to not plan.

Not sure what benefit that would even do to have a sketch comedy reality thing with zero planning ahead lol

Putonahappyface said:
A shame HBO didn't pump those millions in to season eight of Game of Thrones!
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I agree, but thats is probably why they are doing this right now. They lost the bid for Witcher series, lost the bid for Fallout show and with their deal with WB and now with The Last Of Us, I feel HBO KNOWS they need to play hard ball, you can't low ball this type of shit exact to win those bids.

Do you think Sony who owns the IP wants to hear HBO is trying to be cheap with their IP? Probably not, so I feel that Game Of Thrones issue with the budget needed to be addressed and I think they are doing a great job with how they are going about this streaming war thing.

catvonpee said:
Maybe they should just make a third game instead? I can't get into these shows like this at all.
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? Why would HBO make The Last Of Us 3? huh?

Don't get into the show then, keep gaming.
MaKTaiL said:
This confirms my theory that they wouldn't tell the story of the first game in only one season. The game is too big to fill in just 10 episodes. They will probably fill in the gaps of the time jumps between Seasons.
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Agreed. I felt too much happens in the first game to really fit 1 season of 10 episodes or something, looking back at it, sooooo much happens in the first game, like a ton.

The orignial outbreak scene, fighting fedra, fighting the Fireflys, travel with Tess, Ellie and Joel in that big ass building that was falling (don't even know if that shit would be in the show), Tess dying, meeting the brothers, the shoot out with FEDRA where they split up with the brothers, the bunker place those people hid in that they traveled to, Bill, Tommy's compound, the big empty college with chimps, Ellie on her own while Joel heals up, the pedo that attacks her lol, the hospital and I'm sure I'm missing a bunch.

When you REALLY cut it up this way, its a fuck ton of things that go on that simply can't support 1 season as too much goes on.
 
Thirty7ven

Thirty7ven

Banned
Imagine being triggered by a big budget HBO adaptation of a famous and celebrated videogame franchise, just because it’s PlayStation. New low from from some people.
 
catvonpee

catvonpee

Member
EDMIX EDMIX I suppose the show could be okay. It's hypothetical now. But I imagine it will get pretty stale after 8 seasons.

And I sincerely doubt HBO is the sole financial backer of this show. I meant I hope they are putting as much resources into making another game. Because I think the games are fantastic.
 
thicc_girls_are_teh_best

thicc_girls_are_teh_best

Gold Member
01011001 said:
prediction time:

this will be cancelled before the first season is fully aired
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Well if it were Netflix they'd only get one season spread out as eight seasons so pick your poison.

Anyway, kinda think this would be better served as a film TBH. Something like a cross between 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later, with some splash of Dawn of the Dead (2004).

Honestly don't think there's enough substance to the story lore to drag out eight seasons. Walking Dead faced similar problems, hell the entire second season kind of felt like a stopgap so they could buy time (still liked it enough tho).
 
DForce

DForce

NaughtyDog Defense Force
FunkMiller said:
Fuck me, no.

Nobody wants that much Last Of Us, and nobody liked it because it was a post apocalypse zombie show.

The pull was the relationship between Joel and Ellie. It’s done at the end of the first game, and you can’t stretch it over eight seasons.

This shit will just descend into another Walking Dead knock off. SMH.
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This doesn't make any sense. lol

The problem with The Walking Dead TV series is that there's was no "endgame." Rick, his family, and friends would travel from settlement to settlement fighting off hordes of zombies or organized groups of bad guys. This made the series very repetitive and there was nothing truly different about the series.

The Last of Us is different. Even though it's about Joel and Ellie, it's also about the cure. This will help the series from being repetitive as The Walking Dead.
 
sainraja

sainraja

Member
JumpMan1981 said:
The Last of Us might be a bit too much for a movie but it wouldn't have enough content for anything more than an 8 episode limited series.

I don't see any way you get 8 seasons out of the base story which means a load of new characters that won't connect with fans.

8 seasons is like 80 episodes or more! Madness!
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That is a bit short-sighted....the game didn't exist at all for many of us before 2013; and when they were 'planning' the game, they had absolutely nothing. Should they not have made the game? Because during the planning stage, they had no content at all, even for there to be a game.
 
Ghost of Caelid

Ghost of Caelid

Banned
Good, TLOU has a world that is really well built and primed to be explored through various lenses. It shouldnt be too hard to make it work if they branch out from the game and explore new aspects of the world.
 
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