The Last of Us showrunners thank fans after premiere reaction

The Last of Us showrunners have thanked fans for the positive reaction to the first episode, which recently aired on HBO and HBO Max. The show, adapted from the beloved video game of the same name, stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey. 

The post-apocalyptic series is set in the aftermath of a devastating pandemic, with the Cordyceps infection decimating human civilization. In the wreckage, Pascal's Joel must escort Ramsey's Ellie out west on a secret mission. 

"And exhale! Pedro, Bella you had big shoes to fill. You delivered and then some! Couldn’t be prouder! Craig [Mazin, co-showrunner]… you’re okay, I guess (thank you, thank you, thank you… )" wrote the game's creator Neil Druckmann on Twitter. "And thank you all for the kind words. We read everything! The journey is just starting!" 

Mazin also took to the internet to thank fans, writing on Reddit: "...THANK YOU for all the wonderful reactions and passion you've shown for the show. Honestly, we're all blown away over here, and I'm particularly pleased because I think the series just gets better and better as it goes... so THANK YOU ALL."

He continued: "Bella and I promised each other we would stay away from too much social media, because we have a tendency to give too much attention to the negative voices, but there is so much positivity right now, she granted me one-time permission to do this. ;)

"On behalf of myself, Neil, Pedro, Bella and everyone else who worked so hard for so long on this show, I say thank you thank you thank you again for watching, and I hope you stick with us for the full run of the series."

So far, the show is proving incredibly popular with viewers, with reactions praising it as "outstanding" and "sublime." The series will consist of 9 episodes total – see our The Last of Us release schedule to keep up to date with when every installment will arrive. 

If you're up to speed on episode 1, check out our guide to all the differences with the game. For everything else there is to look forward to, see our roundup of all the new TV shows heading our way soon.