During a Sony Screen Gems panel at San Diego Comic Con, the film version for The Last of Us was discussed in public for the first time. Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckman is set to write the script.
According to Druckman, Naughty Dog was pitched two versions of the film: one from Clint Culpepper at Screen Gems and one from Raimi, the latter of which “really got it”.
Druckman said Sony’s Screen Gems greenlit the idea of letting him write the film, and the team plans on keeping it true to the game, despite having to shorten things a bit.
Raimi said he talked Druckman and his team out of some of the larger changes, because he felt they needed to stick with the original story of the game. He also said he encouraged Druckman to keep the opening of the film similar to the opening of the game.
They have yet to cast the film, but they have been in talks with Maisie Williams – or Arya Stark for those familiar with Game of Thrones – to play Ellie.