Alex Garland believes The Last of Us is better than his zombie horror film 28 Days Later.
What did Alex Garland say about The Last of Us?
Garland sat down with The Last of Us creator Neil Druckmann for Sony’s Creator to Creator podcast. During their conversation, Druckmann was very appreciative to learn that Garland was inspired by The Last of Us. Garland quickly interrupted Druckmann to share why he loves The Last of Us.
“Let me say this: The Last of Us is better than 28 Days [Later]. “The Last of Us is better than 28 Days, or at least the writing is. I’m not going to talk about directing. That would be a silly thing. So not that. I know what 28 Days is. I know what I did. I know what that process was,” Garland told Druckmann.
“The thing about The Last of Us, I was like, ‘Oh, this is so much more sophisticated and moving.’ It was moving. I’m not dissing 28 Days. I’m very proud of it. It’s a nice part of my life. But seriously, The Last of Us is on another level. So yeah, of course I was influenced by it.”
Druckmann then revealed that the third act in 28 Days Later inspired David in The Last of Us.
Druckmann’s television adaptation of The Last of Us with Craig Mazin returns for its second season on HBO on April 13, 2025. The Last of Us Season 1 is widely regarded as one of the best adaptations of a video game.
Meanwhile, Garland returns to the 28 Days franchise later this year with 28 Years Later. Written by Garland and directed by Danny Boyle, 28 Years Later opens on June 20, 2025. It is intended to start a new trilogy, with the sequel, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, premiering on January 16, 2026.
