The Last Of Us Series Casts Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. Star As Tommy
We've not quite heard the "last" of The Last of Us news. With filming on HBO's all-star ensemble getting underway this summer, the cast of Craig Mazin's survival horror is starting to come into focus. As well as Game of Thrones alumni Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal in the leading roles of Ellie and Joel, the live-action adaptation of Naughty Dog's acclaimed gaming franchise has just cast its Tommy Miller.
Those up on their The Last of Us lore will know Tommy is Joel's younger brother, who has a crucial part to play in both the games. While the first season isn't even out yet, there are hopes the core cast could be locked into a multi-season order that would see the story cover the events of 2013's The Last of Us, 2020's The Last of Us Part II, and beyond. So, just who is joining Ramsey and Pascal as they chart the end of the human race at the hands of the Cordyceps fungus?
Who is playing Tommy in The Last of Us?
The latest casting scoop comes from Deadline, with confirmation Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Diego Luna has joined The Last of Us as Tommy. Tommy's character description reads, "Luna will play Tommy, Joel’s (Pascal) younger brother, a former soldier who hasn’t lost his sense of idealism and hope for a better world" - which follows his arc in the game. Although we've always thought Lost's Josh Holloway would've been perfect for Tommy, Luna is sure to be a great fit.
Luna famously portrayed Robbie Reyes, aka Ghost Rider, in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 4 and was supposed to lead a (now-cancelled) spinoff series. Even though Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't always fit into main Marvel Cinematic Universe canon, it means Luna was part of the world's highest-grossing franchise. As for playing Reyes, he's already told ComicBook.com he's ready to move onto his next big role. Well, The Last of Us is a pretty good place to start. Elsewhere, Luna is also known for his parts in True Detective and Terminator: Dark Fate.
Ironically, Tommy voice actor Jeffrey Pierce has previously thrown his own idea for who would've been the right guy for the job. Posting on Twitter, Piece championed Coco's Gael Garcia Bernal as his top choice. Interestingly, Pierce said he was also open to the idea of the writers gender-flipping Tommy and having the character portrayed as a woman. By the looks of it, Mazin and the writers are sticking close to the source material.
What will happen to Tommy in The Last of Us?
If the show follows the plot of the games, Tommy will start his journey alongside Joel and become separated years down the line. The younger sibling becomes disillusioned by his older brother's ways and joins the rebel militia known as the Fireflies. The pair eventually meet again, with Tommy reforming and becoming an even bigger part of the story in The Last of Us Part II. Although he's still alive at the end of the current story in the games, Tommy is a much more grizzled character and even rocks a gnarly eyepatch for his troubles. When it comes to his role in the series, your guess is as good as ours.
Much like how AMC's The Walking Dead was wildly different to Robert Kirkman's series of the same name, we're expecting The Last of Us to play out a little different. For all we know, Tommy could be killed off at the start of the outbreak. Then again, someone with Luna's credentials is exactly the kind of person who could stick around for multiple seasons as one of the show's leads. With only a few spots left to join the galaxy of stars that are already part of The Last of Us, it'll be interesting to see who's cast as the likes of Sarah and Marlene. We'll keep our ears close to the fungus-covered ground!
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