Merle Dandridge returning as Marlene in 'The Last of Us' adaptation

HBO had given a series order to the project, which hails from Chernobyl creator Craig Mazin and game’s writer Neil Druckmann, in November 2020. 

Dandridge joins the show's cast which also includes Pedro Pascal as Joel, Bella Ramsey as Ellie and Gabriel Luna as Tommy, reported Variety. ''The Last of Us'', which was launched in 2013, takes place 20 years after modern civilisation has been destroyed. 

Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal, heartbreaking journey, as they both must traverse across the US and depend on each other for survival. 

Luna's Tommy is Joel’s younger brother, a former soldier who hasn't lost his sense of idealism and hope for a better world. 

In the video game, Marlene is the head of the Fireflies, a resistance movement struggling for freedom against an oppressive military regime. 

Kantemir Balagov is directing the pilot episode of ''The Last Of Us'', a co-production with Sony Pictures Television. It will be produced by PlayStation Productions, Word Games, The Mighty Mint, and Naughty Dog. 

Dandridge most recently featured along with Kaley Cuoco in HBO Max's ''The Flight Attendant''. She will next star in Apple TV Plus' ''Truth Be Told'', alongside Kate Hudson and Octavia Spencer.