The Naughty Dog masterpiece The Last of Us will be getting the big screen treatment courtesy of Screen Gems, who are responsible for bringing the Resident Evil franchise to cinemas worldwide. Key members of Naughty Dog will write the film alongside the Evil Dead mastermind himself, Sam Raimi providing himself as producer. At this time, there is no one set to direct the picture. There is no doubt that this adaptation will be on a lot of people's radars in the coming months, particularly because everyone will be wondering who will snag the coveted roles of the game's protagonists, Joel and Ellie. Like any other form of fictional media, people take the time to invest in characters like Joel and Ellie, and the characters themselves are very special to the fans. There is bound to be a lot of discussion among people about the casting. With that being said, I have comprised a list of actors who I think would do a commendable job of bringing Joel to life. These choices are actors that could perfectly convey the brutality, the ruthlessness, and ultimately, the father that Joel truly is. So join me, ladies and gents, as we take a look at 11 actors who could potentially play Joel in The Last of Us.
11. Edward Norton
Edward Norton is one of those actors who can do anything. He can be funny, sympathetic, scary, and ruthless. He has quite the resume which would make him a prime candidate for the role of Joel. Having starred in everything from American History X, to Fight Club, to Red Dragon, and The Incredible Hulk, Norton could no doubt portray Joel as a broken, brutal man with a past that he'll never be able to forget, and a future that he's unsure if he'll even survive. Norton definitely possesses the pedigree for such a role, and wouldn't have any qualms about dedicating himself fully to the character. Norton has a reputation for being a perfectionist when it comes to the films that he stars in, which has caused him to clash with many directors (This behaviour pretty much ruined his future with Marvel, having been replaced by Mark Ruffalo in The Avengers). Whether or not this would cause a problem with the higher ups if he were ever chosen for this role is a story for another day. If they could find a way to work through it, or come to some sort of mutual agreement, I have the utmost belief that Norton would knock Joel out of the park.