Neil Druckmann Reveals Zombie Horror Icon “Hated” The Last Of Us When He First Pitched It In School

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Summary

  • The Last Of Us has become one of the most successful media franchises.
  • George Romero actually “hated” Neil Druckmann‘s original pitch for the concept.
  • The concept was also pitched as a comic book to Image Comics.

As we draw near to the debut of The Last of Us Part II, it’s captivating to ponder over the extensive impact and heritage of this game franchise. Beyond being a remarkable exclusive title for PlayStation, it has also left an indelible mark as one of the most impactful video games ever created.

Originally launched for the PlayStation 3 back in 2013, “The Last of Us” has since been updated and re-created for both the PS4 and PS5. This game, which has proven to be timeless, was actually a labor of love by creative director Neil Druckmann, who had spent years crafting its story before its initial release.

During a Sony Creator To Creator interview, Neil Druckmann conversed with Alex Garland, the writer known for 28 Days Later. In this conversation, Druckmann shared insights into his creative journey behind The Last Of Us, from its inception through the pitch to George Romero, up until its triumph at Naughty Dog.

During the discussion, Garland expresses his opinion by saying, “Allow me to share this thought: I find The Last Of Us superior to 28 Days Later.” It’s intriguing to note that not only gamers but also numerous creators in the same industry have been greatly inspired by The Last Of Us.

Druckmann recounts that The Last of Us started as a proposal to George Romero, the influential horror director known for films like Night of the Living Dead. Even though this tale has been shared previously, it’s particularly intriguing now given how the film adaptation of The Last of Us managed to thrive on its own merits.

In one of our college assignments, we presented game concepts to George Romero, known for Night of the Living Dead. Since our teacher was acquainted with him, he visited our workshop, and I shared a narrative about a man who had tragically lost his daughter.

Interestingly enough, Duckmann stated that George Romero disliked it because he felt it was short on character development and plot. Despite this, Duckmann himself viewed it as a significant achievement, expressing his condolences upon Romero’s death in 2017 with the post, “RIP George Romero.

On another occasion, Druckmann didn’t just propose a project that eventually turned into The Last of Us for the last time. Instead, he continued to work on it in the form of a comic book and even pitched it to Image Comics. However, they were not receptive; they already had The Walking Dead on their roster at that time.

Subsequently, what appeared to be a struggling venture found its fortuitous moment when Druckmann became involved in the production of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, under the esteemed gaming studio Naughty Dog.

The Last Of Us Starts Development At Naughty Dog

Prior to taking the helm of The Last of Us, Druckmann had a lengthy tenure at Naughty Dog, gradually ascending through the ranks to assume design roles on games like Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier, as well as the initial two installments of Uncharted.

Later, Naughty Dog shared with their team that as they had recently achieved a great deal of success with _Uncharted 2_, it was decided, for the first time, to undertake two separate projects. In response, Druckmann revealed his long-held concept for The Last of Us, which soon gained traction within the company.

Instead of asking about the potential Jack and Daxter reboot, you proposed a different project idea, which led us to collaborate on writing and take on the role as creative director.

Following a string of setbacks with the project, Druckmann eventually found himself supported by an entire team at Naughty Dog. Subsequently, the game’s triumph sparked remakes, follow-ups, and the highly anticipated second season of the HBO original series bearing the same title.

Remarkably, what began as a rejected concept in discussions with a renowned zombie director transformed into one of the esteemed zombie media series, earning accolades and recognition in both gaming and television industries.

In essence, the story of how The Last Of Us was developed is incredibly captivating, and it’s well worth your time to watch the entire conversation between the two creators. This dialogue offers a wealth of information about the creative process that led to the creation of these vast franchises.

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2025-03-11 01:40