The Last of Us HBO Series Finds Its Ellie In His Dark Materials Star Bella Ramsey

With PlayStation clearly succeeding in the gaming sphere, the brand is looking to move into the television and film space. As of now, the company has two announced projects on the horizon an Uncharted film and a Last of Us series over at HBO, both originating from Naughty Dog properties.

The Uncharted film, having already wrapped production, is scheduled for release in early 2022. The Last of Us series, however, is still in development, with some key pieces missing from the project. Chernobyl series creator Craig Mazin has signed on, alongside Neil Druckmann, Co-President of Naughty Dog and director of both Last of Us games.

While the show is moving ahead it still needs to lock down some essential elements, namely lead characters Joel and Ellie.

WE HAVE OUR ELLIE

According to a report from The Hollywood Reporter, the HBO adaption of The Last of Us has officially found its Ellie in actress Bella Ramsey. Ramsey has been featured on HBO before as Game of Thrones' Lyanna Mormont and in His Dark Materials as Angelica.

The article also reveals that Mahershala Ali, who rumors seemed to indicate would be playing Joel in the series, is "not involved with the show," even if he was at one point in talks for it.

STILL A WAYS OUT

With casting underway on HBO's The Last of Us, it seems that the project is finally inching towards production. Rumors have been flying as to the casting of Joel, so it is possible that confirmation on another is coming sometime soon. Also, the news cycle may continue with the announcement of other minor roles or bits of information.

Even though this news is quite exciting, it is important to note that delays may still keep the show from entering the next stage of development anytime soon. Tom Holland was announced as Nathan Drake way back in 2017, and the Uncharted film's release date is still just over a year away. If the trajectory of these two projects is in any way similar, and considering the toll the pandemic is taking on productions across the globe, fans likely won't be diving back into the world of The Last of Us anytime soon.