As the television and film industries gradually start resuming production, many of the biggest upcoming media projects just so happen to be adaptations of video games. Perhaps the most ambitious multimedia foray initiated by a gaming company is that of Sony PlayStation. With its live-action Uncharted movie and previously announced The Last of Us TV adaptation, Sony is seeking to bring its biggest characters to new audiences, with Naughty Dog properties being just the launching point. Now, a director for the new The Last of Us television show has been selected to help bring Joel and Ellie to live-action.

The Hollywood Reporter shared the news of the new director for The Last of Us TV adaptation, with HBO and Naughty Dog choosing Kantemir Bagalov as the new director for the pilot episode. Bagalov notably replaces Chernobyl series helmer Johan Renck, who was attached to direct The Last of Us for HBO before having to drop out due to scheduling conflicts. Bagalov, a young Russian filmmaker, is best known for the Cannes-favorite dramas such as Beanpole and Closeness. Both of these projects were originally recorded in Russian, making The Last of Us series Bagalov’s first major English media project.

Bagalov will direct under executive producers/writers Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann. Given Bagalov’s past work in drama, it would seem to indicate that HBO and Naughty Dog want The Last of Us TV adaptation to exhibit a fairly somber, dramatic tone. Mazin’s past work on the HBO series Chernobyl and Bagalov’s artistic visions would seem suited to synchronize fairly well. No plot details or casting choices have been made yet, but the first season of the series is expected to follow the story of the first Last of Us game. Whenever this series ends up premiering, hopefully, it will air in a world less on the brink of global infection. Don’t want those clickers feeling too real.

What do you guys think about The Last of Us TV adaptation’s choice for director? Let us know in the comments below! Be sure to stay tuned for the latest video game adaptation news, such as the first official images from the upcoming Mortal Kombat live-action movie reboot, here on Don’t Feed the Gamers! Follow us on Twitter to see our updates the minute they go live!