The Last of Us series reveals a new location not seen in the games

A new reveal for HBO’s The Last of Us series will take Joel and Ellie into uncharted territory even for vets of the games.

One of the big risks of adapting a video game to the big (or small) screen is that it can feel like retreading familiar grounds to the fans of the game.

That’s not as much of an issue when adapting a game without a linear storyline (such as League of Legends’ adaptation, Arcane) or when the show is based on an entirely different storyline (Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is completely distinct from 2077). But when a game with a linear story is being adapted, you run the risk of simply doing the same thing over again – and often worse.

This was the case for adaptations like the Uncharted movie, and it was a very valid risk felt when a series based on The Last of Us was announced. Luckily, new details confirm that there will be aspects of the show that weren’t in the games.

A new location will be featured in The Last of Us series

Along with the recently-released trailer, EW managed to get some more background on details of the upcoming series.

This includes the introduction of a brand new character, played by Melanie Lynskey (Yellowjackets). But the description of her character as “Kathleen, the ruthless leader of a revolutionary movement in Kansas City” also raises eyebrows.

Not only is Kathleen a completely new character, but none of the games in the Last of Us series have taken the player to Kansas City, or anywhere remotely similar.

This revelation seems to confirm that there will not only be slight deviations from the plot of the games, where events occur in different locations or unfold slightly differently, but entirely new plot threads.

Notably, Kathleen is not named as a Firefly, the known revolutionary movement from the games (which is confirmed to appear in the series based on the imagery in the trailer). This could set up some sort of conflict between the two movements or introduce new factions that are at odds.

Just how much the new characters and new location will impact the plot remains to be seen, but it is encouraging that the show is willing to take risks and not just retread the same story.

The Last of Us is due for release in early 2023. For more on the show, click here.