Before HBO's critically acclaimed television series, Naughty Dog's The Last of Us was slated for a feature film adaptation. This potential movie adaptation had a long and complex development period, ultimately being shelved in favor of the highly successful HBO show.

The initial push for a screen adaptation began not long after the game's 2013 release, with Sony Pictures announcing in 2014 that The Last of Us was "soon to be a major motion picture." Official key art depicting Ellie with a knife was produced, and director Sam Raimi, known for his work on Sony's Spider-Man films, was attached to produce.

Neil Druckmann, the game's director, confirmed at the time that the movie would adapt the game's narrative. While he noted early on that the adaptation would "take into account the unique properties of film," the specifics of condensing the game's extensive story into a two-hour runtime remained undecided. By 2015, Druckmann had completed a second draft of the script, which he described as containing "pretty big changes" from the original game. A table read with unspecified actors had also taken place.

Maisie Williams, then 17, was a rumored frontrunner for the role of Ellie, having met with Druckmann and Raimi. She commented at the time that the project lacked a script and a director, and humorously noted concerns about the film's potential production timeline. Kaitlyn Dever was also considered for Ellie and would later portray Abby, Ellie's adversary, in the HBO series.

The film project entered what is commonly known as "development hell," a term for productions that face prolonged delays. By 2016, Druckmann stated that the movie had been stalled for "over a year." The project never secured a director, a cast, or a release date, mirroring the troubled development of other Naughty Dog adaptations like the Uncharted movie.

During its development as a film, Druckmann reportedly received notes from studio executives to "make it bigger, make it more like World War Z." He pushed back against these suggestions, arguing that The Last of Us was not intended to be an action-heavy spectacle. In contrast, when HBO approached the project, network executives reportedly encouraged a more nuanced approach, advising Druckmann to "do as much action as you need to, and no more. Do as much violence as you need to, and no more. Here, we sell drama."

Druckmann has since stated that he believes the movie version "would have been awful," citing the limitations of a two-hour format and the feedback he received as reasons for this sentiment. He also expressed a change in perspective regarding direct game-to-movie adaptations, stating in 2016 that Naughty Dog had "evolved our feelings" and was no longer excited by direct retellings of game stories.

The shift to an HBO television series proved successful. Premiering in January 2023, the series starring Bella Ramsey as Ellie and Pedro Pascal as Joel garnered critical acclaim and significant viewership. A second season, airing in 2025, also achieved success, with a third and potentially final season currently in development.