The Last of Us: Josh Brolin would be ‘knockout’ choice to play Joel in HBO series, says Troy Baker

Speculation has been rife over who will be cast in HBO’s forthcoming game adaptation

Voice actor Troy Baker has said that Josh Brolin would be a “knockout choice” to play Joel in HBO’s forthcoming The Last of Us adaptation.

Baker voiced the character in Naughty Dog’s acclaimed 2013 action-horror game, as well as its recent sequel, The Last of Us Part II.

It was announced earlier this year that the hit PlayStation game was being adapted into a TV series, to be written by Chernobyl’s Craig Mazin. After the news broke, speculation was rife among fans as to who would play the game's beloved characters.

Speaking to Collider, Baker suggested that Avengers: Endgame star Brolin would be a good shout for the role: “I think on its face, literally, Josh Brolin would be a knockout choice, but I don’t know if I would walk away learning something different about Joel.”

He also joked: “I’m in a great position. Because either A) Somebody steps into that role. And [I’ll be] like, ‘Damn, dude, I never thought about that, wow, what an interesting choice.’ Or B) They suck, and people go, ‘Only Troy can play Joel.’ So either way I win.”

Baker is one of the most acclaimed voice actors in gaming and has voiced characters in games such as Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, Death Stranding, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain and Bioshock Infinite.

In the same interview, he confirmed that he was ready to move on from the Last of Us games.

“All I want out of Joel, I have done,” he said. “I have taken Joel as far as I can take it.”

“I did the same in part one. Same in part two. That was my job, was to move that character as far forward as I could. What I’m excited about is finding someone that can give me a completely different side of Joel, and show me how far that character can stretch.”