HBO
HBO has yet another hit on its hands, as the series premiere of The Last of Us has racked up historic numbers for the titan of the TV industry.
According to a press release from the network, the first episode of The Last of Us — based on the acclaimed video game series of the same name — “drew 4.7 million viewers across linear and HBO Max platforms on Sunday night, which marks HBO’s second-largest debut, behind only House of the Dragon, since Boardwalk Empire premiered in 2010.”
“We are thrilled to see fans of the series and game alike experience this iconic story in a new way, and we extend our gratitude to them for helping to make it a success,” said Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO, HBO & HBO Max Content.
“Congratulations to Craig, Neil and the brilliant cast and crew who worked tirelessly to bring this show to life. We look forward to fans around the world enjoying the rest of the season.”
The Last of Us stars Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie as a surrogate father/daughter duo who make their way across a post-apocalyptic United States following a zombie outbreak.
In addition to the lead duo, the series also stars Gabriel Luna, Anna Torv, Nico Parker, John Hanah, Merle Dandridge, Josh Brener, Christopher Heyerdahl, Brendan Fletcher, Murray Bartlett, Nick Offerman, Melanie Lynskey, Lamar Johnson, Troy Baker (who voiced Joel in the video games), and more.
The first season — which was co-written by Neil Druckmann, the co-creator of the games — consists of nine episodes. New episodes will hit HBO and HBO Max on Sunday nights at 9 p.m. until March 12.