After months of anticipation, HBO premiered its highly-anticipated series, The Last of Us, on January 16th, and the results have been nothing short of spectacular.
The adaptation of the beloved PlayStation video game has officially become the second-largest premiere in the cable channel’s history, surpassed only by the much-anticipated House of the Dragon, the new Game of Thrones series.
In the United States, viewers had the opportunity to watch The Last of Us on both the private channel HBO and on the streaming platform HBO Max, and the numbers speak for themselves.
An astounding 4.7 million viewers tuned in for the premiere, making it the second-best debut for an HBO program since Boardwalk Empire in 2010.
This is even more impressive when considering that the premiere of Game of Thrones, one of the most popular shows in recent history, only attracted 4.2 million viewers in 2011.
The initial episodes of The Last of Us have also attracted nearly twice as many viewers as the season 2 premiere of Euphoria, one of HBO’s biggest hits in recent years.
Additionally, HBO has stated that “Sunday night viewership for an HBO series typically accounts for between 20% and 40% of the show’s total gross viewership per episode,” indicating that the number of viewers is expected to grow even more in the coming weeks.
With such a strong start, it is clear that The Last of Us is destined to become one of the most talked-about and successful shows on television.
The Last of Us touches the renewal for a season 2
With a planned renewal for Season 2 to begin encompassing what was seen in The Last of Us: Part II , Casey Bloys, President and CEO of HBO and HBO Max Reveals : “ We are delighted to see fans of the series and of the game to experience this iconic story in a new way, and we extend our gratitude to them for helping to make it a success ”, congratulations “ to Craig, Neil and the brilliant cast and crew who worked tirelessly to bring this show to life. We hope everyone enjoys the rest of the season .”
“ Our goal was simply to make the best possible adaptation of this beloved story for the widest possible audience ,” reveal executive producers Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann. “ We are delighted to see how many fans, both old and new, have welcomed ‘The Last of Us’ into their homes and hearts .”
The highly-anticipated adaptation of The Last of Us is set to premier with a total of nine episodes, each airing on a weekly basis. While the duration of each episode may vary, fans can expect each installment to delve deeper into the characters and story of the first video game.
As seen in the episode titled “When you lose yourself in the dark,” the series promises to be an immersive and captivating experience for fans of the game.
While there is currently no confirmation on the future of the series beyond the first season, there is hope for fans of the game as the director has announced that there are more stories to tell in the world of The Last of Us.
This suggests that a third installment on consoles could potentially be in the works in the future. However, for now, fans can look forward to the successful premiere of the series and the chance to experience the beloved story in a new medium.
It’s important to focus on the first season and enjoy the adaptation of the game, which has been done with great care and attention to detail, to ensure that fans will not be disappointed. The series is sure to be a hit with both fans of the game and newcomers alike.
What the future holds for Naughty Dog?
Naughty Dog, a renowned developer known for their critically acclaimed titles, is currently hard at work on two exciting projects for the PlayStation platform. The first, The Last of Us, is a highly anticipated multiplayer game that promises to be the studio’s most ambitious project to date.
Recently, the developer released a new image that has fans buzzing with excitement, hinting at the introduction of new characters and mysterious locations.
While the second project remains a mystery, speculation is rampant among fans and industry experts. Some believe it may be The Last of Us: Part III, the highly anticipated continuation of the beloved franchise, while others speculate that it could be an entirely new IP.
Despite the uncertainty, one thing is certain: Naughty Dog’s reputation for crafting incredible gaming experiences precedes them, and whatever this mystery project may be, it is sure to be worth the wait.
It’s worth mentioning that The Last of Us franchise has been a huge success, selling over 37 million copies until December 2022, which is a testament to the quality of the series. With the arrival of the series and the release of the first part on PC, it’s expected that the number will continue to grow.
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