The writer-director talks about the creative process of adapting the second chapter of the successful Naughty Dog video game series, confirming that he is not afraid of the wrath of a part of the public. The first season of The Last of Us is available on demand exclusively on Sky and streaming NOW only.
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Although the work of writing and producing the second season Last of us halted due to a Hollywood writers’ strike (who have also been joined by cast members since Thursday, July 13), Craig Mazin appears ready to take on a new adventure and continue the story of a series that has received 24 nominations for the upcoming Emmy Awards (it’s the second most nominations for the series after the fourth season of the Emmy series). Continuitycollected 27 applications).
Interview with Entertainment Weekly
Mazin, who co-wrote the successful first season and established himself at the helm of the second, always alongside Neil Druckmann, creator of the Naughty Dog video game that inspired the series, is also ready to face any public reaction, he explained. in an interview given Entertaining weekly. The second season actually adapts the video game. The last of us. Part 2.which, at the time of its release in 2020, drew the ire of many fans due to a certain plot twist.
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MAXIMUM PRIVACY
“I will never say that the same things will happen in the series that happened in the game in the same way,” Mazin said. “You will never know what we are doing, but I will say that the main thing is the adventure, the journey. There are things that shock people, things that were in the game and things that weren’t, and that’s okay. As long as they have a purpose, they are not here just to shock. We are not interested in creating panic on social media. We just want to tell the story the way we think it should be told.”
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“WILL THERE BE ANGRY? PROBABLY, YEAH”
However, negative reactions are also taken into account: “Will there be anger? Yes, it’s possible. I mean, they are always there, starting with the casting,” Mazin continued, recalling the fierce criticism that initially fell on Bella Ramsey when her choice for the role of Ellie was announced. “We don’t work to make people happy on social media or make them angry. We just do what we think is right and hope that people will join and enjoy this journey.”
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RECORD FIRST SEASON
So far, viewers’ results (the first season broke all HBO product records) and critics agree with Mazin and Druckmann. The already mentioned 24 Emmy Award nominations, as well as for the series, received most of the cast, starting with the two main characters Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, and ending with guest stars Anna Torv, Melanie Lynx, Murray Burtlett, Nick Offerman. , Lamar Johnson, Keyvonne Montreal Woodard and Storm Reed. Mazin explained to EW that the goal of the second season “is not necessarily to achieve the same results, but to follow the same process” as in the first season, “the only process that I know and understand as a person who writes, directs and producing.” . So I don’t really have a choice, but it’s nice to know that, at least in the first part, everything worked out, because I did everything in my own way.
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“GREAT TEAM”
Mazin also recognized the merits of the rest of the team: “I have excellent partners. We are all very modest in our approach to each other. Objections are always carefully considered. No one in our group works self-centered or defensive. We just try to get better every time and take care of each other. And I think as long as we keep doing that and we have some incredible original stuff to work with, we’ll keep adapting it in our own way, surprising the people who played the game. But at the same time, I don’t think any player will be able to watch Season 2 and be like, ‘Hey, what’s this thing?'”
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EVERYTHING STOPPED DUE TO STRIKE
Work on the second season of The Last of Us is frozen due to the strike of writers, which has been going on for more than two months, and the actors, which began on July 13. So Mazin has to slow down: “I can’t wait to get back to work,” he said, “but, unfortunately, I’ll have to wait.” Meanwhile, The Last of Us season 1, which received 24 Emmy nominations, can be seen on demand exclusively on Sky and streamed exclusively on NOW.