Chatting with The Hollywood Reporter, The Final of Us creator Neil Druckmann spoke about why Episode 3 of the HBO sequence differed a lot from the sport.
The most recent episode within the HBO adaptation, titled “Lengthy, Lengthy Time,” tells the story of Invoice and Frank. In contrast to the sport, nevertheless, which simply sees gamers assembly Invoice, this episode is totally devoted to the pair’s tragic love story. In accordance with Druckmann — who serves as showrunner on the sequence alongside Craig Mazin — deciding when to deviate so closely from the sport typically relies on how good they assume the deviation will likely be.
“How a lot we deviate [from the game] must be proportional to how good it’s,” mentioned Druckmann. “Frank was talked about [in the game] however offhandedly. Right here we get to type of discover this relationship and clearly make some modifications. And [the idea] was so good, I didn’t thoughts that it was completely different.”
Druckmann went on to elucidate that within the online game, gamers work together extra with Invoice by combating alongside him. As an alternative of specializing in that, Mazin prompt specializing in Invoice and the life he might need had together with his associate, who isn’t seen in any respect within the sport.
“Within the sport, the best way you construct the connection with Invoice is combating alongside him. There’s a set piece the place Joel is hoisted up on this snare entice and Ellie has to chop him down. It’s thrilling and one of the vital memorable components from the sport. I believe a lesser adaptation could be like, ‘This motion sequence has to go within the present,’” defined Druckmann. “Whereas [Mazin was] like, ‘No, don’t give attention to that, there’s this fascinating factor occurring over with this survivor and this associate that he had. What’s that story? Let’s discover that. Let’s flesh that out.’ So it was simple to not be valuable about that whenever you obtained these actually fantastic concepts that I felt broadened the world and broadened these characters.”
Druckmann additionally famous that the romantic emotions that Invoice had for Frank “went over lots of people’s heads” within the authentic sport.
