Deadline is reporting that Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian; Game of Thrones) has been cast as Joel Miller in HBO's upcoming live-action adaptation of The Last of Us.
The fan-favorite actor joins the previously announced Bella Ramsey (Game of Thrones; His Dark Materials), who will play his travel companion-turned-surrogate daughter Ellie.
While Pascal already headlines The Mandalorian, his schedule has managed to remain relatively clear due to the nature of his character Din Djarin, who wears a helmet in the vast majority of his scenes and is frequently portrayed by a stunt double (with Pascal providing the voice). The report adds that since his schedule is currently wide open, Pascal has been attracting a number of huge offers over the past several weeks from both premium networks and streamers, ultimately choosing the high-profile The Last of Us adaptation for his next project.
2x Academy Award-winner Mahershala Ali (Blade; Alita: Battle Angel) was briefly rumored for the role, but no offer was made and nothing serious ever materialized from either side.
Craig Mazin (Chernobyl) and The Last of Us video game creator Neil Druckmann are co-writing and executive producing the series, with the first season expected to primarily adapt the events of the first game. Russian filmmaker Kantemir Balagov (Beanpole; Closeness) will helm the pilot.
With the leads set, production is expected to begin this summer, if not sooner.
Pascal is likely best known for his breakout role as Oberyn Martell in HBO's blockbuster fantasy drama Game of Thrones and has become a highly sought-after actor in the years since, with starring roles in The Mandalorian, Narcos, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, Triple Frontier, The Great Wall, The Equalizer 2, and Wonder Woman 1984.
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