Last of Us HBO cast: Fans already have ideas about who should play Joel and Ellie

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The Last of Us TV adaptation is officially happening and fan casting in full swing

(Image credit: Naughty Dog)

After news broke that The Last of Us is being adapted into an HBO series, the internet quickly went about offering casting suggestions for Ellie and Joel. 

The series – set to be based on the original game – is being co-written and produced by the game's director, Neil Druckmann, and helmed by Chernobyl creator Craig Mazin. Casting flooded Twitter after the announcement was made official, and some of them are pretty darn spot on. We don't yet know if any of the events of the highly anticipated The Last of Us 2 releasing this May will bleed into the series, but regardless, it's a heck of a time for fans of the post-apocalyptic adventure. 

So, without further ado, here are some of the best casting choices we've seen so far.

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Kaitlyn Dever

By far the most popular choice for the roles of Ellie and Joel is Nikolaj Coster-Waldau – best known for playing Jamie Lannister in Game of Thrones – and Kaitlyn Dever, who starred in Olivia Wilde's brilliant directorial debut Booksmart. The pair have gotten some serious love online already, with many agreeing they're both perfect fits for the role.

Team Hugh Jackman 

One of the top choices for playing Joel has been Hugh Jackman – or, more specifically, Jackman sporting the look of an older more grizzled Wolverine in Logan. Shots of Jackman travelling with young Laura in the movie offer some serious Joel and Ellie vibes, and we could see him fitting into the role pretty convincingly. The other image shows a younger Jackman in Prisoners, and he certainly has the perfect beardy look. 

Sophia Lillis

One of my personal favourites for Ellie is IT Chapter 2's Sophia Lillis, who recently starred in the fantastic Netflix series I Am Not Okay With This. Just look at how Lillis' features compare to Ellie's – the resemblance is definitely there, and she certainly has the acting ability to play a convincing Ellie.

Sadie Sink from Stranger Things

Another great choice for Ellie is Sadie Sink, who played a prominent role in the most recent seasons of Stranger Things as Max Mayfield. We can certainly see the resemblance here, and going from Sink's work in the Duffer brothers supernatural world, I think it's safe to say she could do the role justice. 

Gerard Butler aka Team Beard

Gerard Butler is another choice that keeps popping up for the role of Joel. You've got to admit, Butler has got the look down. The comparisons of his beardy, stubbly look are basically a perfect match, and with his acting talent.... Let's just put it this way: I wouldn't be mad to see Gerard in the role. 

While we wait for the official cast to be revealed, the fan picks are pretty darn great, and I, for one, hope HBO makes a killer decision soon. 

In other news, The Last of Us movie has reportedly been cancelled to make room for the HBO series. 

Heather Wald
Heather Wald
Evergreen Editor, Games

Heather Wald is the Evergreen Editor, Games at GamesRadar+. Her writing career began on a student-led magazine at Bath Spa University, where she earned a BA (Hons) in English literature. Heather landed her first role writing about tech and games for Stuff Magazine shortly after graduating with an MA in magazine journalism at Cardiff University. Now with almost seven years of experience working with GamesRadar+ on the features team, Heather helps to develop, maintain, and expand the evergreen features that exist on the site for games, as well as spearhead the Indie Spotlight series. You'll also see her contribute op-eds, interview-led features, and more. In her spare time, you'll likely find Heather tucking into RPGs and indie games, reading romance novels, and drinking lots of tea.