It’s been a serious yr for video video games throughout TV and movie, however the newest improvement out of HBO‘s “The Final of Us” suggests an unsure future for even prime video games creatives in Hollywood. On Wednesday, the co-writers behind the “The Final of Us: Half II” — a best-selling horror online game that broke information and received 2020’s Sport of the Yr lots of of instances — introduced they might each instantly exit the TV present.
Does the rise and fall of Neil Druckmann at HBO recommend Hollywood is successfully shutting out the inventive enter of players, after looting their biggest hits?
HBO’s tackle Druckmann and Halley Gross‘ beloved zombie apocalypse sport “The Final of Us: Half II” already deviated considerably from its supply materials. That would clarify the present’s dramatic decline in viewership final season, an issue some followers say the writers’ exit will solely make worse.
“The Final of Us” was created by Druckmann, head of Naughty Canine Studios, in 2013. He co-wrote its sequel with Gross a decade later, simply as he was beginning up the TV present at HBO. Each Druckmann and Gross labored on adapting “The Final of Us” Season 2 with showrunner Craig Mazin (“Chernobyl”), and neither indicated that they had plans of leaving throughout the present’s most up-to-date press cycle.
Now, Mazin serves as the one inventive voice increasing on “The Final of Us” storytelling universe in Season 3 (which was introduced in April). Druckmann has been a pressure within the video games trade for years, however there’s no denying that his public picture was helped by the present.
“Title one other video inventive who has been elevated to that degree. You possibly can’t,” stated an nameless trade insider. “At the least in video games diversifications, nobody else has had that type of sudden family title recognition.”
Whereas “The Final of Us” crammed a programming void left behind by “Sport of Thrones,” Druckmann stepped into the “genius writer” position beforehand crammed at HBO by George R.R. Martin. In an official assertion, Druckmann expressed gratitude for Mazin and HBO whereas concurrently distancing himself from the way forward for their TV undertaking.
“With work accomplished on Season 2 and earlier than any significant work begins on Season 3, now could be the proper time for me to transition my full focus to Naughty Canine and its future tasks, together with writing and directing our thrilling subsequent sport, ‘Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet,’” he wrote.
By most accounts, the upcoming sci-fi sport will likely be a giant deal for Naughty Canine, however a number of sources aware of “Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet” advised IndieWire it was nowhere close to launch. Even whether it is crunch time for Druckmann on his subsequent sport, that doesn’t clarify Gross leaving “The Final of Us” too. The very concept that Druckmann is strolling away and wasn’t instantly changed by Gross means that HBO brass doesn’t really feel a accountability to please the Naughty Canine viewers prefer it did earlier than.
“With nice care and consideration, I’ve determined to take a step again from my day-to-day work on HBO’s ‘The Final of Us’ to create space for what comes subsequent,” Gross wrote on Instagram. “I’ve some really rad tasks forward that I can’t wait to share, however for now, I wish to categorical my gratitude to everybody who introduced Ellie and Joel’s world to life with such care.”
There are numerous methods to interpret Druckmann and Gross departing HBO — inventive variations amongst them. “The Final of Us” has drawn each reward and criticism for exploring highly effective political themes, and any variety of approaches would possibly make sense following the backlash incited by Season 2. Contemplating its underwhelming efficiency, this could possibly be nearly as good a time as any for Druckmann and Gross to take their success and step away… or for HBO to see them out.
Making an attempt to please too many audiences without delay can finish in disaster, and successfully streamlining “The Final of Us” for TV by Mazin would possibly show a wise transfer for HBO. It would additionally widen the cultural divide between loyal online game shoppers who have been early followers of the present lengthy earlier than it was a present, and viewers who solely know properties like “The Final of Us” due to these TV and movie diversifications.
In 2025, there’s proof for and in opposition to declare that Hollywood is scavenging and discarding a brand new breed of creatives for its personal ends. Sony’s “Till Daybreak” modified the supply materials so dramatically it’s a marvel the studio bothered referencing the unique sport in any respect. In the meantime, Warner Bros.’ “A Minecraft Film” made essentially the most of its sandbox inspiration — however nonetheless pushed the visibility of “Napoleon Dynamite” director Jared Hess above any creatives at Microsoft.
The field workplace is goal, and online game diversifications will definitely proceed. Nonetheless, this sudden retreat from “The Final of Us” suggests players and mainstream studios could possibly be taking part in by some new guidelines: one the place so-called “collaboration” begins and stops within the boardroom.