Troy Baker on The Last of Us Movie: 'I Would Cast Josh Brolin as Joel'

Videogame actor Troy Baker became gaming's top leading man when he played Joel in Naughty Dog's The Last of Us. Now as a film is announced, Baker explains who he'd like to see play the character on the big screen.

[GamersHeaven]

I agree Josh Brolin would be a perfect choice for Joel.

@FlunkinMonkey-My buddy told me that as well I will have to check After Prisoners out this weekend always thought Hugh Jackman was a underrated actor.

@Lukas-Troy nailed the voice brought alot of emotion to the character.Josh could pull the voice off hard to say if he could add the same emotion to the performance we never seen him play that type of character in movies before.Regardless who they cast not sure how they could pull this off in a two hour movie vs a 12-15 hour game.

[GarrusVakarian]

But it wouldn't be Joel.....Troy Bakers voice acting and mo-cap is what makes Joel. A different actor just isn't going to cut it, even the best actors in the world. Same goes for Ellie.

I really don't want a live action movie. CGI is more than good enough in this day and age for movie adaptations of videogames (Avatar proved that in 2009). That way you could have the right look of the characters and their voice actors. Seeing some Hollywood actors acting as Joel and Ellie would make me cringe. Even if they find actors that look near identical to their videogame counterparts, they still aren't going to be the characters we "fell in love" with from playing TLOU.

The same goes for the Mass Effect movie too.

[-Foxtrot]

The only thing you could do in my opinion with things like this is allow the mop cap actors to play the parts in the film....however I think it's harder for the Last of Us.

It would be more easy to do the Uncharted film with Nolan, Emily and Richard as they look more like their parts.

I know Amy Hennig has left but they could still hire her to write the Uncharted film. Why go through a ton of writers for that film when they allowed Neil to write the Last of Us film straight away....first choice. Tad unfair I think

[BelkingOfSony]

i hate hollywood, they've ran out of ideas for movies so now they go and take video games and produce a half arsed attempt at trying to squeeze 10 plus hours (length of my first tlou playthrough) of videogaming epicness into 2 hours of mediocrity.

[Alexander1Nevermind]

Personally I Like Gerard Butler as Joel...

http://n4g.com/news/1469098...

[NewMonday]

Joel is maniac that kills scores of people with his bare hands

Gerard Butler can project that both physically and in character.

the second choice would be Liam Neeson

[morganfell]

It's never going to be Joel and Troy Baker is never going to look like Joel. I had just written on another forum yesterday that Josh Brolin should get the role. He just jumped into my mind. Either that or let the Butler do it. But on Ellie I am drawing a blank.

[GarrusVakarian]

"It's never going to be Joel and Troy Baker is never going to look like Joel"

As i said, CGI >>> live action for videogame movies.

[Sevir]

BelkingOfSony...

Well ND was actually the one who pitched the movie to Sony, who own's Screen Gems! the difference here is that The writer for The movie is None other than the man who wrote the game! So it's going to be handled the way proper Game to film adaptations should be. I don't think Hollywood came to Sony, as Sony owns 7 movie studio's and is a prolific force in Hollywood. This is the Game industry going to Hollywood with the right people on board. The only reason why i'm happy about this is because ND's Neil is the writer and co producer of the movie. So the movie will remain and retain the grim integrity of last years best game!

[BelkingOfSony]

and Ellen Page as Ellie?...

[Tdmd]

That woud be kind of hilarious... lol

[Sevir]

Her likeness is clearly the influence of Ellie's initial design, Ellen would pull it off well, even though it would be hilarious.

[InTheLab]

Now this may seem kinda left field be hear me out on this....

Dillon Mcdermot.

I know you're all like wtf but look...

https://www.google.com/sear...

and here...

https://www.google.com/sear...

Great actor. Looks like Joel. Sounds like Troy Baker.

[adorie]

I think I agree with this.100%

He can act too.

[FlunkinMonkey]

After Prisoners, it would have to go to Hugh Jackman to be honest (I never thought i'd say that in the past).

Josh Brolin hasn't fared well in movies such as Old Boy (horrible US version), I don't think he pulled off the gritty, man at a loss type character at all.

Hughverine pulled off the caring dad who lost his shat, just doing what needs to be done. Brolins face looked like a banana in Old Boy.

Joels face is not a banana.

Joelverine.

[Armadilo21]

Josh Brolin should of been Batman but for joel yeah only Hugh Jackman can do it

[-Foxtrot]

Nice choice, I still think Josh should of been Batman if Zack Synder had his way, he's a fantastic actor

Either Josh Brolin or Hugh Jackman would be good enough for me but knowing Hollywood they'd cast someone totally different.

Josh Brolin

http://twinstickgaming.file...

or Hugh Jackamn

http://i.imgur.com/Pi4pJ0F....

I suppose Tommy could be played by Josh Holloway

http://m5.paperblog.com/i/7...

As for Ellie though....I honestly have no idea who could play her. Theres not really any good choice of female child actors in Hollywood. They probably get Chloë More to play her....urgh.

I would say Ellen Page but she's no 14 year old is she :|

[HeavenlySnipes]

Hugh Jackman would actually be a really good choice

[Yui_Suzumiya]

Josh Holloway as Tommy. Oh hell yes. I effing love LOST.

[MilkMan]

Agreed! Josh all the way. Maaaaaaybe Kevin Costner if Josh wont do it.

[calvincrack]

Video Game movies need to stop. The dream is over.

Naughty Dog makes their games reminiscent of films, so to then base movies on those games is like swallowing your own vomit, pooping it out and then using that to butter your bread. i sincerely apologize for that horrible analogy.

[Lord_Sloth]

I'm probably alone here and while prolly too young I think Sam Witwer would be a candidate.

http://scifiandtvtalk.typep...

[Brix90]

The game will be better than any movie made so I dont think they should work on a movie based off Joel and Ellie but rather a new story in the last of us universe maybe a few years before. Maybe make the main character a Firefly.

[Dan_scruggs]

You forget this is a movie based on a video game. It will inevitability be screwed up horribly.

They may want Josh Brolin bu they will probably get Nick Cage... with a beard. or Sam Worthington... with a beard.

[Sevir]

The main reason why Video game adapted to films have sucked and failed is because the film version were devoid of anything that made the games memorable. They went for practicality instead of what was the essence of the game. what this movie has going for it was the Fact That NaughtyDog was the one who shopped it to Hollywood which in this case is Sony Pictures who owns Screen Gems, and the fact that ND staff in actively in control of this. Neil Druckmann is also the creative director, writer and co-producer for the Film... It'll be a good film.

[Dan_scruggs]

ND has already tied an failed at doing this before with Uncharted. It doesn't exactly instill me with confidence. Being good at making games doesn't make you good at making movies. Hollywood is a completely different beast.

[Sevir]

Tried and failed! They weren't involved with the Uncharted movie that was rewritten that ultimately got scrapped due to creative differences for the project. It's a totally different situation.

[GUYwhoPLAYSvideoGAME]

NO, troy baker is joel, and this movie is cg! or atleast it should be

[WeskerChildReborned]

Great choice c: Can't really think of anyone better for the role.

[they4gotdre]

I think Dylan McDermott from American Horror Story would be a good choice.

[InTheLab]

Gahh....beat me to it...sorry I posted it a sec ago but to be fair, I couldn't paste on my phone so I had to boot my PC...lol

[they4gotdre]

Lol my bad :)

[blueberry]

In my opinion, they should forget about a movieadaption with real actors, and instead do this thing animated. Keep the motioncapactors.

[AD705]

That's not a bad choice really

[TheFallenAngel]

It sucks Joe doesn't look much like Troy Baker. I wish he could be Joe in the last of us.

[ajax17]

Screen Gems... not a good sign. I was hoping for Sony Pictures Classics... I know it's their art house division, but come on. The Last of Us IS art!

[MisterFantastic]

I think Gerard Butler will be a better match

[hotbeef]

The whole time I watched prisoners I was thinking of Joel. Jackman would be perfect but it may be too similar. I think he would totally take a project like this tho. This could potentially be very good as long as they don't hire some hack director but with naughty dog staying involved and Druckman writing it, I feel naughty dog will make sure it lives up to their standards

[WizzroSupreme]

Me too Troy Baker, me too. . . if Joel even needs to be in the movie. I doubt/hope they'll follow up his generally concluded story, they need to move on.

[solidboss]

how about a movie WITHOUT joel and ellie? troy baker and ashley johnson's performance in the game was fantastic and i wouldn't want to have that ruined by actors who neither look nor sound like their video game counter parts. the last of us is a world with many characters with different stories. im sure they can come up with new characters/stories within the fireflies and so on..they can still make reference to joel and ellie in the film too. something like when you are playing as ellie in the game and people say that "some crazy old guy and his daughter have been killing all our people" fans will immediately know who it is and be satisfied.

[Inception]

Agreed with you on this one. They should put new characters instead re-telling Joel and Ellie stories with different actors.

Just like Telltale Walking Dead. In that game, we're not playing the characters from the TV series, even though some of them appeared as a cameo. But they gave us new characters with Lee and Clementine and the result is great. I think Druckmann must do the same with TloU movie.

[solidboss]

exactly my point. hit the nail right on the head.

[NikX]

It would be a lot better if this is gonna be a cgi animated movie like what Sony is doing with Heavenly Sword, Sly Cooper and Ratchet & Clank Movies. So they can keep the same actors for voice and mocap like Troy Baker, Ashley Johnson, Nolan North, Annie Wersching, etc. That way they can stay true to the story and characters because these actors spent enormous amount of time playing and understanding these characters.

But if this is a live action movie, I say cast Hugh Jackman (see Prisoners movie if you don't agree with me) or Josh Brolin as Joel and Ellen Page as Ellie. I honestly can't think of anyone that looks like and can play Ellie besides Ellen Page. Another good idea would be to write a new story within The Last of Us universe.

[Section8]

But it's hollywood, so they'll screw it up. Look at who they're using for the uncharted movie. Mark Wahlburg. It should be Nathan Fillion.

[rastapau19]

Gerald Butler would also be a great fit for joel and adam sandler for ellie:) just kidding on the ellie part.

[HmongAmerican]

That famous scene where the fungus came out of the ant head better be in the movie too.