One ‘The Last of Us’ Episode Made Steven Spielberg Directly Reach Out to Pedro Pascal Series Creator
Working with Steven Spielberg, one of the greatest filmmakers of the current generation is every actor’s dream. The talented director has been the brain behind one of the most spectacular movies in Hollywood like Saving Private Ryan, Schindler’s List, Jurrasic Park, E.T., and one of the most loved franchises Indiana Jones.
The director-turned-producer is also known for producing shows and movies like The Mask of Zorro and Band Of Brothers. The 12 times Emmy Award recipient knows what real talent looks like. He is a self-proclaimed fan of Pedro Pascal’s zombie drama The Last Of Us.
When Steven Spielberg Reached Out To The Cast Of The Last Of Us
The critically acclaimed Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsay’s The Last Of Us is based on the backdrop of two decades into a pandemic caused by a fungal infection, which eventually led to the host transforming into a zombie. The show is a reboot of a 2013 video game launched by the company Naughty Dog.
During an interview with the reputed media outlet The Hollywood Reporter, the co-creator of The Last Of Us, Craig Mazin spoke about the dystopian series and even mentioned the Jaws director Steven Spielberg’s lovely gesture with respect to one of the episodes of the series. He said that Steven Spielberg reached out via mail and was all praises for the Long Long Time episode of the HBO dystopian drama. The email mentioned-
“Steven Spielberg sent an email about episode three [the acclaimed ‘Long, Long Time,’ focusing on a survivor couple played by Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett]. He was so complimentary about the whole show, but that episode in particular. It was so lovely, and I shared it with all the folks who worked on the show.”
According to Craig Mazin, Steven Spielberg has already made movies based on the dystopian world like The Minority Report and Ready Player One. A compliment like that coming all the way from one of the most brilliant filmmakers in the world means a lot.
The Bill and Frank episode revolves around the characters Bill and Frank played by Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett respectively. They meet during the pandemic and fall in love. The episode Long Long Time ends tragically as one of the characters falls sick and another one decides to die along with him.
Steven Spielberg On Turning Down The Offer To Direct Harry Potter
Steven Spielberg and Harry Potter franchise- this collaboration already leaves our horses of imagination wild, but unfortunately, the Academy Award recipient had turned down the offer to direct a movie from the fantasy drama franchise. During an interview with the Indian director S.S. Rajamouli, the director spoke about turning down the franchise’s offer and never regretted his decision. He said-
“There were several films I chose not to make. They offered me, Harry Potter. I chose to turn down the first Harry Potter” so he could “spend that next year and a half with my family, my young kids growing up. So I sacrificed a great franchise, which today looking back I’m very happy to have done, to be with my family,”
In 2010, the media outlet Collider reported that the then president of Warner Bros Alan Horn had offered Steven Spielberg to direct the first movie of the Harry Potter franchise, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. However, the first project was directed by Chris Columbus, followed by Alfonso Cuarón, Mike Newell, and David Yates.
The Last Of Us is currently available on HBO.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
