Nick Offerman will portray Bill in HBO’s “The Last of Us” TV adaptation, after initially joining the production in a mystery role. The cable series is the first genuine adaptation of Naughty Dog’s acclaimed video game, with writer/co-director Neil Druckmann earlier penning a feature script with Sam Raimi attached to produce, however the project fell through. “The Last of Us” will premiere in early 2020, thanks to a partnership between HBO and Druckmann, with Chernobyl creator Craig Mazin set to co-develop and co-write the series.
“The Last of Us“ is a game about a smuggler named Joel in a post-apocalyptic America who is charged with going across the country with Ellie, a teenager who is immune to the virus that decimated the planet, in order to develop a vaccine. Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey will star as Joel and Ellie, with Gabriel Luna as Joel’s brother Tommy, Merle Dandridge, Jeffrey Pierce, Anna Torv, and Nico Parker rounding out the cast. “The Last of Us” began filming in Canada in July, and with another six months of filming ahead of it, the cast list for the series is changing.
Nick Offerman is confirmed to portray Bill in “The Last of Us” TV series, Variety reports, just days after it was revealed the Parks and Recreation alum had joined the ensemble. Con O’Neill, who was set in the guest-starring role until being forced to pull out due to a scheduling difficulty, is replaced by Offerman. Bill will be played by Offerman, with Murray Bartlett as his survivalist buddy Frank. The following is O’Neill and Mazin’s response to the recasting:
It was truly an honour to be asked to play Bill and I was heartbroken that the dates clashed but the scripts are magnificent and @Nick_Offerman is a superb choice. Onwards x https://t.co/JcOh4chEme
— Con O’Neill (@cononeilluk) December 7, 2021
Though fans of Chernobyl may be unhappy that O’Neill and Mazin will not be reuniting for the series, the confirmation of Offerman’s casting as Bill in “The Last of Us” is sure to be fantastic news for fans of the actor and the games. It’s reassuring to see both actors not only continuing with production but also handling the change positively by welcoming Offerman to the cast. There are no official photos of the Parks and Recreation star as the survivalist, but she bears a striking physical similarity to the character, save for Bill’s long hair.
What’s interesting about Bill’s appearance in “The Last of Us” TV series is that he’ll be accompanied by his partner Frank. Bill was discovered to be living alone in the original video game, with his boyfriend Frank having committed himself sometime before the events of the game, implying that both of their inclusions signal a departure from the source material or a semi-prequel setting for the games analogous to The Witcher. When “The Last of Us” appears on HBO in 2022, only time will tell.