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[Lunatic_Gamer]

According a local news story about how The Last of Us was probably the biggest film project in Canada right now and boosting the local economy, we got a quote from IATSE 212 President Damian Petti, with the IATSE being an association of film artists and technicians in the region. According to him:

“This project well exceeds the eight figure per episode mark," Petti said, "so there is a multiplier effect on our economy in terms of its impact. There are hundreds of related businesses benefitting from the plethora of work."

Eight figures per episode means that at minimum, the budget is $10 million an episode or $100 million for the ten episode season. But he says “well exceeds,” so that could be what, $12 million, $15 million? So potentially $150 million for the season? If that was true (and assuming this is US, not Canadian dollars, where it’s 0.79 exchange rate at the moment), that would exceed the budget of even the final seasons of Game of Thrones.

Games of Thrones season 6 ran for 10 episodes and had a budget of $10 million an episode, increasing from earlier seasons which were more like $6-7 million. By season 8, the final season, that increased to $15 million an episode for the longer, more battle-focused productions. But with only 6 episodes, that was $90 million. Regardless, it seems that if this budget estimate is close to correct, even the first season of The Last of Us might be costing HBO more than the total of the final season of Game of Thrones.

‘The Last Of Us’ Series May Cost HBO More Than ‘Game Of Thrones’

We now have some picture of the budget for HBO's The Last of Us series, and it is massive.

www.forbes.com

I truly hope this show succeeds. Although, I’m still scratching my head over some of the casting decisions...

 

[kretos]

Sony blockbuster deserve blockbuster budget, dis gun b gud

 

[SirTerry-T]

I know TLOU has a huge following but I doubt it's going to make the same sort of impact that GOT did.
Seems a very costly venture!

 

[Deputy Moonman]

I feel like making The Last of Us series is an impossible task. It will never meet expectations. It would be an incredible feat for it to be more successful than Game of Thrones, but I'm in doubt.

 

[OrionNebula]

I have a feeling this’ll be very different from the game. Like, a lot

 

[TheMay30thMan]

I have a feeling this’ll be very different from the game. Like, a lot

I really hope so. The game is already incredibly cinematic. Not making drastic changes would be boring. If it was close to a 1:1 comparison, why even bother watching? Just play the game at that point.

 

[[Sigma]]

Cost to be the boss.

 

[Wandering Leopard]

I have a feeling this’ll be very different from the game. Like, a lot

It's being put together by different people who have experience with making TV shows; ND would be stupid to try and take the lead on this (when they don't have the exp).

It makes zero sense to make an adaptation that's exactly the same as the game - it's a very different medium.

 

[sainraja]

I do hope the show turns out to be good and I think they need to stop or shouldn't advertise it as a the show based on a game. Just advertise the show for what it is, let people discover it and if they learn there is a game on it, let that happen.

I have a feeling this’ll be very different from the game. Like, a lot

Well, as it should be.

 

[OrionNebula]

I really hope so. The game is already incredibly cinematic. Not making drastic changes would be boring. If it was close to a 1:1 comparison, why even bother watching? Just play the game at that point.

I get that, honestly. But what explains that crazy budget, though?
I’m trying to understand how they’d use such a budget in a TLOU setting, even if they move away from all we’ve seen so far from that world (both games + left behind).
Is it going to be filled with cgi?
Armies and wars? Dragons?
Why does it have a bigger budget than GoT, who had reasons to have such a budget

 

[The Alien]

$100M tv/movie about zombies?
You're doing it wrong.

 

[Cravis]

Please let them at least get into post production on the Twisted Metal series before this releases. If this does terrible numbers it’s not gonna be pretty for the others in development.

 

[Ellery]

Big boys wear big pants. When we eat we feast.

 

[kingpotato]

I'm not sure if the figures quoted are in USD, but the value of the dollar is plummeting right now. Everything is rising in price weekly, almost daily.

 

[plushyp]

$100M tv/movie about zombies?
You're doing it wrong.

Yeah even with inflation it sounds really expensive

 

[bitbydeath]

I really hope so. The game is already incredibly cinematic. Not making drastic changes would be boring. If it was close to a 1:1 comparison, why even bother watching? Just play the game at that point.

Same reason books get adapted to TV?

 

[SlimySnake]

Doubt. This is a very easy show to produce. Small cast. Wilderness setting. Maybe one big setpiece in the pilot. Little to no extras. No big cg budget like game of thrones.. No period specific sets.

This is probably a $30-40 million show max.

 

[Hypno285]

This game is nowhere near good enough to warrant an expensive HBO series.

 

[TheMay30thMan]

I get that, honestly. But what explains that crazy budget, though?
I’m trying to understand how they’d use such a budget in a TLOU setting, even if they move away from all we’ve seen so far from that world (both games + left behind).
Is it going to be filled with cgi?
Armies and wars? Dragons?
Why does it have a bigger budget than GoT, who had reasons to have such a budget

Don’t know. Could be the massive landscapes, sets, make-up. Could be a lot of things. Practical effects are more costly than CGI, so maybe they’re going for a more grounded route. I don’t think we’ll know until we see it.

Same reason books get adapted to TV?

There’s still major differences between books and their film adaptations. I’m not sure what you’re point is here, maybe I’m missing something.

 

[bitbydeath]

There’s still major differences between books and their film adaptations. I’m not sure what you’re point is here, maybe I’m missing something.

Different audiences, not everyone reads, not everyone plays games.

 

[FunkMiller]

Waste of money then. Post apocalyptic zombie live action stuff doesn’t need an astronomic budget.

 

[TheInfamousKira]

If they keep up with Druckman it will probably cost them more than they bargained for, that's for sure.

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: ANITA SARKEESIAN
HUMAN RESOURCES: ZOE QUINN
SPECIAL THANKS: IGN, KOTAKU, PEOPLE WHO AREN'T WHITE OR MALE
REAL TIME TRAILER DEPARTMENT: HIDEO KOJIMA

 

[Little Chicken]

I hope for their sake it's actually good.

 

[CitizenZ]

Ive seen The Road, WD series and played TLoU, nothing it can do will be original and probably will hang its hat on you know what. And if anyone is keeping score it will be one, done and forgotten as quickly as was TLoU2.

 

[Yoboman]

This game is nowhere near good enough to warrant an expensive HBO series.

Based on what?

 

[LordOfChaos]

Great.

Joel: *looking at fireflies* "I know a killer when I see one"

Ellie for the entire last chapter: "I dun wuhn it"

All their problems get solved by poking one particular zombie with a knife

 

[TheBomb]

Don't they see a pilot before ordering?

 

[AlteredForms]

Can't imagine HBO making bank from this. Most people who watched Game of Thrones didn't even bother paying for it, as piracy and digital distribution was rampant on that series.

 

[Birdo]

Woke Points have no intrinsic value.

 

[anthony2690]

Hopefully this is decent, whilst I don't enjoy the gameplay on naughty dog games, I do tend to like the stories/some of the characters.

 

[Woggleman]

They have people who worked on Chernobyl working on this so maybe it will turn out good. I know video game movies and shows tend to suck but maybe this will be different.

 

[scoobidoo112]

I'm already excited for Season 2, where they'll hire Dwayne The Rock Johnson to portray the character of Abby.

In all seriousness though, the cast so far is really solid, and they're going all in budget wise, so this might turn out pretty good. We'll have to wait and see. The one thing they have to get right though, from the start, is Joel and Ellie and their relationship. That was the core of the first game and, even if this is very different from the game, it should still be the core of the show.

 

[Sleepwalker]

I'm looking forward to a good show.


Or if its really bad, the mental gymnastics and spins some sony fans here will post to make it seem like it was actually good will be worth a few laughs.

 

[reksveks]

Different audiences, not everyone reads, not everyone plays games.

So the TV show should be the same as the game cause people didn't play the game?

I rather them adapt the game to the TV medium and to the show runners vision of the story.

 

[farmerboy]

Sony blockbuster deserve blockbuster budget, dis gun b gud

I sincerely hope so.

 

[onnextflix5]

sounds like bullshit. Im sure its expensive but more the got, yeh right.

 

[TheMay30thMan]

Different audiences, not everyone reads, not everyone plays games.

There's still differences in adaptations between mediums. Sometimes large, sometimes small. Movie audiences not having played the game wouldn't warrant a strict, by-the-book adaptation IMO. Especially since the game already pushes the boundaries between film and videogames. It would be a disservice to the fans of the game to bring nothing new to the table, and it would be a disservice to film audiences because TLOU, in its current state, brings absolutely nothing new to the table narratively.

 

[reksveks]

Can't imagine HBO making bank from this. Most people who watched Game of Thrones didn't even bother paying for it, as piracy and digital distribution was rampant on that series.

How ‘Game of Thrones’ Generated $2.2 Billion Worth of Profit for HBO

While it may be true that a Lannister always pays his debts, HBO has no debt to speak of from its massively successful 8 season run of Game Of Thrones.

decider.com

Some of the predictions of GoT are very positive but yeah, probably could have made more without the pirates.

 

[Kokoloko85]

If it wasnt being made by HBO Id think this was gonna be a dud but HBO do some great work.

And the setting and world of TLOU is pretty cool, maybe as good as TWD but that show was pretty awful in some ways

And wow theres some bitter haters in here lol

 

[Kokoloko85]

I'm looking forward to a good show.


Or if its really bad, the mental gymnastics and spins some sony fans here will post to make it seem like it was actually good will be worth a few laughs.

I doubt anyone will defend it if its bad. Most video game adaptations suck and no1 cares to defend them, the only hope I have is thats its being made by HBO and they do some great series

 

[SpokkX]

I really hate this idea

TLOU1/2 are basically movies with basic cover-shooter gameplay between movie parts

 

[Kuranghi]

The important question is will it be better than the House of the Dead adaptation?:





They just randomly cut to literal, 4th-wall breaking footage of the game in place of interstitual scenes, its absolute madness. The story is nonsense too, just nothing to do with the game at all lol.

I think its the worst mainstream film I've ever seen, there was a bit where a couple were getting attacked by zombies and they shut them out by barring a door and then like 5 seconds later they start having sex and then get killed by some other zombies, pure brilliance.

I always get horny when I nearly get mauled by zombies.

 

[bitbydeath]

So the TV show should be the same as the game cause people didn't play the game?

I rather them adapt the game to the TV medium and to the show runners vision of the story.

The TV Show should be the same as the game because that is the source material, if they wanted to make something different then they should call it something else.

 

[bitbydeath]

There's still differences in adaptations between mediums. Sometimes large, sometimes small. Movie audiences not having played the game wouldn't warrant a strict, by-the-book adaptation IMO. Especially since the game already pushes the boundaries between film and videogames. It would be a disservice to the fans of the game to bring nothing new to the table, and it would be a disservice to film audiences because TLOU, in its current state, brings absolutely nothing new to the table narratively.

Usually the differences are time fillers and the most hated aspect of the adaptation.

 

[Cert.in.Death]

The Cost Of Us

 

[Fbh]

It's kinda hard to imagine what could cost so much given the context and setting of the game.
Only thing that comes to mind is that maybe they really get into the early weeks/months after the outbreak as I can picture some expensive setpieces in that context with large locations, lots of extras and VFX.

 

[sol_bad]

Is this allows for lots of large outdoor settings with large volumes of infected I'm all for it. I'm sick of sci-fi and post apocalyptic movies/shows having 85% small enclosed sets.
It was one of my issues with Army of the Dead, the trailers showed the glory shots which made up 5% of the film, the actual film was primarily small interior sets and it made it feel low budgeted.

 

[Represent.]

2 GOAT games and the first ever zombie show to be awarded an Emmy
its gonna happen

what an incredible franchise.


Hope TLOU 3 picks up right where the show leaves off and we play the continuation

 

[TheMay30thMan]

Usually the differences are time fillers and the most hated aspect of the adaptation.

That is a baseless claim and solely your opinion.

 

[AmuroChan]

How does that make any sense, unless most of it is going to the cast? TLOU doesn't have expensive medieval sets and costumes, huge armies, or dragons. It takes place in a largely empty world where they fight zombies once in a while.

2 GOAT games and the first ever zombie show to be awarded an Emmy
its gonna happen

The Walking Dead has already won an Emmy.