Even Steven Spielberg Admits This HBO Series is Chef's Kiss (Especially Episode 3)
One of the creators of The Last of Us has revealed that the iconic director was among those who enjoyed the show.
Steven Spielberg is an absolute cult figure in Hollywood, one of the most recognizable filmmakers of all time who has created countless iconic films from Indiana Jones to Saving Private Ryan, so getting praise from him is no big deal, and many creators can only dream of receiving it one day.
But the team behind HBO's TV series The Last of Us were among the lucky few, as it was recently revealed to The Hollywood Reporter, when Peter Hoar, who directed episode 3, confessed that they received a letter from the maestro himself.
It went to Craig Mazin, one of the showrunners, who then shared it with the rest of the crew behind the episode, as it seemed to be particularly to Steven's liking. According to Peter, the whole group "started squealing" with joy because they hadn't expected such an honor.
Fans say the creators have earned it, as they believe the series is already one of the best shows of 2023 so far, delivering a heartfelt story that has impressed viewers and critics alike. They also understand why episode 3 stands out, as they believe it delivered one of the best portrayals of gay relationships ever seen on screen.
The story of Bill and Frank was unusually true to life, which is rarely seen in the media, as it showed regular middle-aged men in a regular relationship, which is quite ironic since the show is set in a post-"zombie apocalypse" world.
That letter of praise seems especially impressive given that series is based on the 2013 video game of the same name, and such adaptations have long been underwhelming at best, until recently.
However, there is still a long way to go for videogame movies, as the truly successful projects can be counted on the fingers of one hand, even if significant progress has been made.
The series has been renewed for a second season, which will be released sometime in 2025, but fans are still unsure if it will be enough to fully cover the story of the second game, so maybe we will see at least one more season of the series.
Casting for the new characters that will appear in the next season has yet to be announced, and it may be an even bigger challenge for the creators, as the game's sequel caused quite a bit of controversy upon its release due to the path the story took, which was far from everyone's liking.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter, Reddit