A The Last of Us spin-off featuring Bill and Frank, which fans are eager for, may actually happen… since it’s been ‘pitch’.
It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly a year since the drama exploded onto our television screens, capturing the attention of fans all around the world.
Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey teamed together as the odd combination Joel and Ellie in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by a fungal disease in the TV version of the iconic video game franchise, and it was an instant smash.
One of the most critically lauded episodes of season 1 was episode 3, which featured Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlett), a couple who meet after the breakout and grow old together in a passionate love tale for the ages.
Fans have been eager to witness more of Bill and Frank’s emotional journey since the series debuted, especially because it was presented in a much different way than the computer game.
Nick, 53, attended the Creative Arts Emmy Awards on Saturday night, when he received his first Emmy Award for his brilliant performance in the world acclaimed programme.
When asked if Bill and Frank may be seen in The Last of Us world in the future, given that the second season is presently in the works, the Parks and Recreation star delivered a very intriguing answer.
‘Oh, great question but I would have to ask somebody with a higher pay grade than myself. It certainly has been pitched. I think we pitched a whole mini-series of a prequel of their lives before they met each other,’ he said, according to Deadline.
He quipped jokingly: ‘It could be a musical. We’re not short on ideas. We’ll just see what [creators] Craig [Mazin] and Neil [Druckmann] come up with.’
The actor said that he would be up for reprising the role, saying: ‘Oh sure,’ in response to the question.
With his signature dry wit, he added: ‘I was lucky this time. They needed a guy who could use a shovel. Three of us in Hollywood, Harrison Ford passed and Jane Lynch was not available.’
Murray, 51, commented on the ‘value’ of presenting Bill and Frank’s narrative when discussing their The Last of Us episode.
‘You read stories or you read scripts and there are so many things that you take into account, including something like diversity and representation and the importance and the responsibility of that,’ he said at the time.
‘I think one of the best things to do while honouring that, is sort of put that out of your head – and fortunately in this case, we had this wonderful script about a love story between these two people.
‘You just focus on that, regardless of all that stuff, because I think that that’s what makes representation and inclusivity and diversity – it’s just connection between people. That was just in the script. There’s this beautiful connection between these two people. I hope it has a sort of a universal kind of resonance that is memorable.’
Nick went on to say that he hadn’t’really seen this relationship reflected’ in popular culture.
‘It really goes a long way toward espousing the permission to all of us that if there’s another human being you should be allowed to love one another, regardless of how you fit in conventional couple templates,’ he said.
‘I love that, I love the narrative possibility that these two guys run into each other and you’re like, “Oh, that’s such a wonderful surprise. I did not see this turning into ‘let’s fall in love.’”’
The Last of Us is available to watch on Sky and NOW.