Alex Garland: The Last of Us is Better Than 28 Days

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Neil Druckmann and Alex Garland are highly respected creators who have contributed significant works to the zombie genre. Garland penned the novel “28 Days Later,” while Druckmann serves as the creative force behind the “The Last of Us” video game series.

As a gaming enthusiast, I must confess that playing The Last of Us significantly raised the bar for me in terms of the zombie genre, a genre that had previously been influenced by 28 Days Later.

“The Last of Us is Better Than 28 Days”

In an appearance on Creator to Creator, Garland tells Druckmann during the interview:

To put it simply, I found ‘The Last of Us’ to be far superior to ’28 Days Later’. It was incredibly polished and emotionally engaging for me, almost like someone challenging the bar for quality.

In response to Garland’s praise for his game, Druckmann also acknowledged that “there’s a clear link between the swift infected in 28 Days Later and the infected in The Last of Us..” Furthermore, Druckmann referenced Einstein’s saying that ‘the key to creativity lies in mastering the art of disguising your inspirations.’

How Resident Evil Inspired 28 Days Later

Garland openly acknowledges his longstanding passion for gaming, and titles like “The Last of Us” (as well as “BioShock”) played a significant role in showing him the storytelling capabilities of video games that surpass those achievable via films or TV shows.

28 Days Later, despite its fast-paced zombie chases, Garland admits that his inspiration came from playing Resident Evil. In particular, he found himself frightened whenever he encountered the undead dogs in the game, and he decided to create a similar sense of dread by making the zombies run too.

Revisiting ’28 Days’ and Starting Something New

At present, it appears that Garland and Druckmann are engaged in separate creative endeavors. Specifically, Garland is revisiting the story of 28 Years Later, while Druckmann is venturing into uncharted territories with the next Naughty Dog series titled Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.

It’s intriguing to consider how Garland’s creative evolution, since his initial work in the 28 Days series, might influence the style and content of the upcoming film, 28 Years.

Neil Druckmann, in an interview, confessed that he conceived the themes for “Intergalactic” even amidst the intense dislike some fans showed towards “The Last of Us Part II”. Despite the fact that many critics appreciated the game, it’s intriguing to speculate on the path Druckmann will chart with this new project and how it might incorporate the insights he gained from developing “The Last of Us”.

As of now, the launch date for “Intergalactic” remains unannounced, however, moviegoers have something exciting to anticipate with Garland’s “28 Years Later,” scheduled to hit theaters on June 20.

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2025-03-11 23:42