HBO has big expectations for The Last of Us, and while the series premiere didn’t get House of the Dragon-sized ratings, it got dang close.
“When You’re Lost in the Darkness” brought in 4.7 million viewers across all platforms, including HBO and HBO Max. “That figure trails only House of the Dragon’s nearly 10 million among HBO series premieres in the past decade-plus,” according to the Hollywood Reporter. “Other than the Thrones prequel, the last HBO show with a larger opening-night audience for its debut was Boardwalk Empire (4.81 million) in 2010.” Boardwalk Empire lost viewers after the Martin Scorsese-directed premiere, while House of the Dragon held strong — what will The Last of Us do?
“We are thrilled to see fans of the series and game alike experience this iconic story in a new way, and we extend our gratitude to them for helping to make it a success,” said Casey Bloys, HBO and HBO Max CEO. “Congratulations to Craig [Mazin], Neil [Druckmann], and the brilliant cast and crew who worked tirelessly to bring this show to life. We look forward to fans around the world enjoying the rest of the season.”
It’s early, but between the strong ratings and critical admiration, The Last of Us could join Game of Thrones, The Sopranos, Succession, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Six Feet Under, The Wire, and Deadwood among HBO’s finest Sunday night offerings.
(Via the Hollywood Reporter)
