The Last of Us writer vows to ‘keep the gay gay’, dropping big character hint for HBO series adaptation

Chernobyl's Craig Mazin has confirmed that the planned adaptation will stay true to the original video game's progressive spirit

Craig Mazin, the writer of the forthcoming HBO series based on the hit video game The Last of Us, has vowed to “keep the gay gay” in his new adaptation.

The Last of Us was praised by many for its fleshed-out characters, especially key protagonist Ellie, who is seen in the game as being a part of a same-sex romantic relationship.

A fan contacted Mazin on Twitter, urging: “Y’all better keep the gay gay. Pls and thank you. Do not erase that representation pls. Anyways, I’m so excited for this!” In response, the writer said: “You have my word.”

Representation in high-budget (”AAA”) video games is notoriously uncommon, and Ellie is one of the highest-profile queer characters in video game history.

The Last of Us, first released on PS3 in 2013, told the story of jaded, middle-aged Joel and his teenage ward Ellie, as they travel across a post-apocalyptic US.

Fans of the game will also be pleased that Mazin’s comments seem to suggest the series will follow the adventures of the original characters.

There has been plenty of speculation as to whether HBO’s yet-to-be-filmed adaptation would re-tell the same story with live-action stars, or be a completely new narrative set in the game’s distinctive world.

While Mazin’s comments don’t explicitly confirm anything other than a commitment to representation, it now seems likely that the character of Ellie will feature in the series.