Sam Raimi's The Last of Us Could Have Been Perfect If It Wasn't For the Studio
It seems that the executives and Raimi did not manage to agree on the aesthetics of the movie.
Before HBO took over The Last Of Us, Sam Raimi, the director behind the OG Spider-Man trilogy and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, was set to produce and co-write a movie based on the iconic videogame. However, things have changed, and the adaptation was reshaped into TV series spearheaded by Craig Mazin, the creator of Chernobyl.
Now, game creator Neil Druckmann has revealed to New Yorker just why exactly executives decided to part ways with Raimi.
According to Druckmann, the executives would insist on things being bigger and "sexier" (whatever that means). While Raimi's aesthetic touchstone was No Country for Old Men, the studio demanded something like World War Z.
Fans were left scratching their heads — not least due to the dubious meaning of executives' push for something "sexier."
"They wanted the adaptation of a game that's about two people crossing the country and developing a father/daughter relationship to be sexier?" Twitter user eligvstheworld wondered.
However, other people suggested that maybe the studio wanted the movie to simply be flashier and more action-packed... at least we hope so.
Many fans are mourning the Raimi version of The Last of Us that never happened, arguing that the film could have been the most perfect videogame adaptation they could have ever dreamed of.
"I speak for everyone when I say we want Sam Raimi's Last Of Us not the baby HBO version," Twitter user nintjan said.
However, it is what it is, and The Last of Us will hit HBO on January 15, 2023, starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey.