The Last of Us series being made for HBO

The Last of Us was first released in 2013.
The Last of Us was first released in 2013. Photo credit: Naughty Dog / PlayStation

Acclaimed PlayStation game The Last of Us is being made into series for HBO, which will be co-written and produced by the game's creative director Neil Druckmann.

He'll be creating the TV show with Craig Mazin, the writer and producer of 2019 hit limited series Chernobyl.

Post-apocalyptic survival epic The Last of Us was originally released in 2013 and is one of the most celebrated games of all time. Numerous outlets, including Newshub (then 3 News), rated it as the best game of that year and one of the greatest games ever released.

The HBO show will retell the events of the original game, which follows a teen girl and a grizzled middle-aged man's journey across the US after the outbreak of a deadly disease has turned most of the population into mutated, savage beasts.

"With Chernobyl, Craig and HBO created a tense, harrowing, emotional masterpiece," Druckmann said in a statement.

"From the first time I sat down to talk with Craig I was equally blown away by his approach to narrative and his love and deep understanding of The Last of Us.

"I couldn't think of better partners to bring the story of The Last of Us to life as a television show."

Mazin won multiple Emmy and Golden Globe awards with Chernobyl, which was praised for its bleak and realistic portrayal of a complex historical event that was also seen as highly relevant in today's world.

"Neil Druckmann is without question the finest storyteller working in the video game medium, and The Last of Us is his magnum opus," Mazin said.

"Getting a chance to adapt this breathtaking work of art has been a dream of mine for years, and I'm so honoured to do it in partnership with Neil."

The Last of Us will be a co-production with Sony Pictures Television in association with PlayStation Productions.

The release date has not yet been announced. Meanwhile, The Last of Us Part II is being released on PlayStation 4 in May.