It’s clear that Ubisoft has Hollywood dreams for its properties. Over the past two years Ubisoft Motion Pictures has attached big names such as Michael Fassbender and Tom Hardy to its Assassin’s Creed and Splinter Cell movie adaptations. Even EA has cashed in on its Need For Speed IP with a big-screen version. Now it appears that even more game publishers are looking toward cinema to expand the reach of their brand.
According to a Deadline report Sony’s The Last of Us will be making its way to theaters with a movie adaptation. The game, developed by Sony’s Naughty Dog studio, is a story-driven post apocalyptic tale of betrayal, loss, and survival.
According to the report, Naughty Dog Creative Director Neil Druckmann will be writing the screenplay for the movie. Other Naughty Dog creatives, including co-presidents Evan Wells and Christophe Balestra will also be contributing to the project. Sam Raimi’s Ghost House Pictures will produce the picture and Screen Gems has signed on as distributor.
According to Deadline, Naughty Dog had turned down “many” companies seeking to adapt The Last of Us for film before settling on Screen Gems and Ghost House. The movie, as of now, will also stay close to the story portrayed in the game, following Joel and Ellie on their journey across the fugus-infected wasteland.
If nothing else, a Last of Us movie will bring yet another video game to the big screen. Though video game adaptations currently have a dismal history, the sheer number of them coming in the next few years almost guarantees that one will be better than Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Mortal Kombat, or the Resident Evil movies. In fact, with the cinematic influences seen in Naughty Dog’s games, the studio might be the perfect source material for passive media such as movies.