The newest episode of HBO’s The Last of Us TV series has an Easter egg for the Uncharted franchise. The newest version of the iconic horror video game has received rave reviews from reviewers and fans alike. The Last of Us is now HBO’s second-biggest series debut and is being lauded as one of the greatest live-action video game adaptations.
Neil Druckmann, co-president of Naughty Dog, is named as one of the show’s executive producers, which surely contributes to the show’s popularity. With the most recent episode, Druckmann made his directorial debut on the TV series and opted to attach an Easter egg to Naughty Dog’s other series, Uncharted. The episode airs immediately after complaints from former The Last of Us director Bruce Straley, who believes he should have been acknowledged as well in the TV series.
Aside from the controversy, The Last of Us is very faithful to the original material while adding world-building and mythology elements not seen in the computer game. Neil Druckmann chose to highlight that episode 2 of The Last of Us, which aired yesterday, contained a design on Tess’ lighter that was patterned off Sam Drake’s lighter in Uncharted 4. Druckmann also said that the props department was nice enough to make a copy for Troy Baker, the voice actor for Sam and Joel in the video game The Last of Us.
When the props department asked me if there’s any particular design I’d like on Tess’s lighter… I couldn’t help myself. They were kind enough to make an extra one for Sam Drake himself, @TroyBakerVA. https://t.co/HiJrACMja7
— Neil Druckmann (@Neil_Druckmann) January 23, 2023
In their replies to the first tweet, fans expressed their admiration for the adaptation and the way it had been handled. Given how ubiquitous Easter eggs are in Naughty Dog games, some fans expressed their delight that all of these various departments are joining in on the Easter egg fun. Another user expressed excitement about seeing a Victor Sullivan impersonator as a clicker in future episodes.
The Last of Us is now living up to and surpassing fan expectations, which will ideally set the bar for future video game adaptations. The TV series adaption arrives just as The Last of Us approaches its 10-year anniversary, and it seems like Naughty Dog and HBO have much more in store for fans in the coming weeks.
