The Last Of Us Games Were Inspired By This Sci-Fi Box Office Flop, Creator Says
The hit series The Last of Us owes a debt to this dystopian masterpiece that actually failed at the box office. But that didn't stop it from becoming a cult classic 19 years later.
We all can't wait for Season 2 of The Last of Us to come around on April 13. But before you start rewatching the first season again, we have something that deserves your attention as much as our beloved Joel and Ellie's story. And that “something” is heavily related to the games and consequently the show.
When Neil Druckmann and his team at Naughty Dog set out to create The Last of Us, they were crafting an emotional work of art that would eventually captivate millions of people around the globe.
The Last of Us Was Inspired by the Sci-Fi That Flopped at the Box Office
The game's impact on pop culture has been revolutionary. It proved that video game storytelling can rival (and sometimes surpass) traditional media. But all good things can't come without inspiration, and this one is no exception.
“You could tell we drew a lot of inspiration for The Last of Us from Children of Men,” Druckmann revealed in an interview with Dan Trachtenberg during the DICE summit back in 2018 (via VentureBeat).
Children of Men (2006) might have been a box office disappointment, but as you can see, it's become a major influence on post-apocalyptic storytelling. The movie only made around $70 million worldwide against a $76 million budget.
The film takes place in a world where humanity faces extinction due to global infertility. No child has been born for 18 years. The story follows Theo (Clive Owen), a former activist who becomes an unexpected hero when he's tasked with protecting the first pregnant woman in nearly two decades.
The Similarities Between The Last of Us and Children of Men Are Uncanny
There are some substantial similarities between these two, if you really think about it.
Just like The Last of Us, Children of Men is set in a world that's pretty much gone to pieces. Both focus less on the spectacle of their apocalyptic settings and more on the intimate human relationships that develop under extreme circumstances.
Just like Joel and Ellie's journey, Theo's mission becomes less about saving humanity and more about protecting someone he grows to care about.
Looking back, it's pretty wild how a “failed” movie ended up shaping one of the most successful video game franchises of all time, which then turned into one of HBO's biggest shows ever.
So before Season 2 of The Last of Us rolls around, you need to watch the movie that heavily influenced the games. Watch Children of Men now on Fandango at Home, Amazon Video, or Apple TV+.
