Exclusive: 'The Last of Us' Alum Unpacks Show's Secret to Success

HBO's "The Last of Us" has achieved significant success, largely attributed to its faithful adaptation of Naughty Dog's beloved games into live-action. The series meticulously recreates iconic elements, from the menacing Clickers to recognizable locations, making many scenes appear as if they were directly pulled from the game. This high level of fidelity comes with immense pressure, particularly given fans' established expectations for the visual portrayal of the franchise's world. The production team had to attend to countless tiny details, leveraging years of existing source material to bring Joel and Ellie's narrative to the screen.

Interestingly, playing the original game was not a universal prerequisite for the production team. Storyboard artist Colin Lorimer, who contributed to all three seasons of "The Last of Us," revealed that he had never played the game before joining the series. His familiarity instead came from observing his son play, an experience that still left him impressed by the game's visuals and compelling story. When preparing for his role, co-creator Neil Druckmann opted not to have Lorimer play the game. Instead, Druckmann provided a different entry point into the world by sending Lorimer "Art of" books and advising him to review cutscenes and gameplay videos on YouTube. Druckmann reportedly "seemed to appreciate" Lorimer's fresh perspective, uninfluenced by years of prior engagement with the game.

This unique approach allowed Lorimer to study the game's environments, characters, and major sequences without being constrained by preconceived notions of how these moments were "supposed" to look. Despite this fresh perspective, the team was fully committed to tackling the game's most significant imagery. Lorimer specifically identified Season 1's "Endure and Survive" as his most challenging episode to storyboard. This was primarily due to the intense infected attack sequence and the dramatic introduction of the Bloater. He noted that this particular sequence "went through numerous creative iterations" as he collaborated with director Jeremy Webb. Ultimately, the painstaking process was deemed worthwhile, with the Bloater's arrival becoming one of the first season's most memorable and spectacular moments, testament to the payoff of those iterations.

Fans interested in gaining further insight into the creative process behind the series will have an opportunity to do so. Colin Lorimer is scheduled to present "The Story Art of HBO's The Last of Us" at LightBox Expo 2026. During his presentation, he will guide attendees through the entire process, from script to storyboard and beyond. LightBox Expo 2026 is slated for October 23–25, where Collider's Aidan Kelley will moderate a panel.