Why September 26th Is So Important In The Last Of Us
HBO's long-awaited adaptation of "The Last of Us" has finally shown off what fans can expect with the release of its first trailer, and thus far, things are looking promising. Much like the games that inspired it, "The Last of Us" is set in a post-apocalyptic world that's been overrun with zombie-like infected Clickers and centers on Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie's (Bella Ramsey) dangerous journey to find a cure. The first trailer featured a ton of small details that reference or connect it to the games, signifying that "The Last of Us" is at least going to be somewhat faithful to its source material.
Interestingly enough, however, the initial trailer for "The Last of Us" was released on September 26th, which might just seem like a random date for those unfamiliar with the games. After all, that's seemingly how it works for other productions; trailers are often released whenever they're actually ready or a studio feels like it's the right time to show fans what they have to look forward to. But in the world of "The Last of Us," September 26th is actually a rather important date when it comes to a pretty big lore event in the games.
September 26th is The Last of Us Day
Per Entertainment Weekly, the release of the first trailer for "The Last of Us" coincides with The Last of Us Day, an annual event in celebration of the games. However, it goes much deeper than that. September 26th is also Outbreak Day in the world of "The Last of Us," an event that saw the outbreak of the Cordyceps parasite virus. Developer Naughty Dog has been celebrating the event since 2013, and it's become a banner day for fans of the game. With the trailer drop for HBO's adaptation, however, this probably marks one of the most significant The Last of Us Days since its inception.
It'll be interesting to see if the show incorporates this date in any meaningful way or if this was just a one-time thing to have a fun tie-in to the games. Either way, it seems as if the HBO show at least recognizes the importance of the date in the games and is using it for a fun bit of marketing. Considering that "The Last of Us" mastermind Neil Druckmann is heavily involved in the adaptation, that shouldn't surprise most fans.