Hollywood Is Already Circling Naughty Dog’s Intergalactic — But Druckmann’s Not Biting Yet

Why This Caught My Attention

Naughty Dog doesn’t launch new IP often. When the studio behind Uncharted and The Last of Us says it’s building something “the most ambitious we’ve ever created,” you listen. And apparently, so does Hollywood. After a teaser for Intergalactic: The Heretic Project dropped at The Game Awards last year, Neil Druckmann says film and TV studios came knocking. The twist: he’s not interested – not yet. As someone who’s watched game adaptations go from cringe to critically acclaimed, this restraint actually gives me confidence.

Key Takeaways

• Hollywood already pitched adaptations of Intergalactic after a single teaser.
• Druckmann says the team’s priority is making a fantastic game first – not chasing transmedia.
• Troy Baker is in the cast alongside Tati Gabrielle, pointing to heavy performance capture and cinematic ambitions.
• Naughty Dog calls it their “most ambitious” and possibly “most expensive” project to date, which raises both hype and questions.

Breaking Down the Announcement

Speaking to Variety ahead of the Emmys (where The Last of Us is back in the spotlight), Druckmann confirmed he’s stepping away from co-showrunning duties on the TV series to return full-time to Naughty Dog. On Intergalactic, he was deliberately coy but clear. “We’re deep in it. We’re developing it, we’re playing it. We’re firing on all cylinders,” he said. “It’s the most ambitious game we’ve ever created, the most complete we’ve ever created – maybe the most expensive once it’s done.”

He also confirmed Troy Baker’s return — their first collaboration in five years — and name-checked Tati Gabrielle in the cast. If you’re connecting the dots, that likely means full performance capture and Naughty Dog’s trademark focus on character-driven storytelling. As for the teaser? Druckmann said it “barely scratches the surface,” adding that announcing a new IP of this scale “requires coordination with marketing, PR, and a whole bunch of people,” so don’t expect a constant drip-feed of reveals.

The eyebrow-raiser is the Hollywood interest. “Studios have already contacted us about Intergalactic after seeing the trailer — they don’t know much about the game,” Druckmann said. “I want to make sure we don’t put the cart before the horse. It needs to be a fantastic video game first. If that happens and we find the right partnership, those opportunities will be great. But that’s not our reason for being.”

Industry Context: Adaptations Are Moving Faster Than Games

We’re in a moment where Hollywood snaps up game IP at pre-production speed. Some projects are getting greenlit before the game even ships — see the chatter around Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. It makes sense after a run of hits like The Last of Us (HBO), Fallout (Prime Video), and Arcane (Netflix). Sony’s PlayStation Productions pipeline is packed too — Ghost of Tsushima, God of War, Horizon — so it’s no surprise suits called as soon as Naughty Dog showed a logo and a vibe.

That’s exactly why Druckmann’s stance matters. The Last of Us worked on TV because the game came first and nailed its characters, pacing, and themes. Reverse the order and you risk a hollow transmedia “universe” with nothing at the core. Druckmann basically saying, “We’ll talk later — after we ship something great,” is the most encouraging news in this whole story.

The Gamer’s Perspective: Ambition Is Exciting — And Risky

“Most ambitious” and “most expensive” are big promises. In practice, that could mean a larger cast, broader locations, more systems, or just a bigger, denser story. Naughty Dog’s last brand-new IP was The Last of Us in 2013 — a genre-defining leap. Since then, the studio’s polish has been unmatched, but long dev cycles and scope creep are real risks. The cancellation of The Last of Us Online shows the team isn’t afraid to cut projects that don’t meet the bar. That’s good news for single-player fans who want Naughty Dog doing what it does best.

With Troy Baker back and Tati Gabrielle on board (Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, plus the Uncharted movie), expect extensive performance capture and a cinematic presentation — likely targeting PS5 with an eye toward late-generation hardware. We’ll see whether this leans into space opera, hard sci-fi, or something stranger, but Naughty Dog rarely chases open-world trends or live-service gimmicks. If Intergalactic follows their DNA, think focused, authored encounters over checklist design.

What I’m watching for next: more than vibes. A systems or scenario reveal — how we play, not just what we watch — will tell us whether “ambitious” means deeper mechanics or just a pricier cutscene pipeline. The studio’s cinematic chops are a given; it’s the moment-to-moment that will decide if Intergalactic stands beside The Last of Us and Uncharted or just looks expensive.

Why This Matters Now

The Game Awards are the obvious stage for a follow-up one year after the teaser. If Naughty Dog brings Intergalactic back, the smartest move would be a proper gameplay slice — a vertical slice that shows tone, mechanics, and stakes in one go. If they hold back, it likely means the studio is keeping its head down, which, frankly, I’d rather see than a marketing calendar doing laps around a half-finished idea.

TL;DR

Hollywood already wants Intergalactic, but Druckmann’s not rushing into adaptations. Naughty Dog is prioritizing the game — with Troy Baker and Tati Gabrielle in the cast and promises of their “most ambitious” project yet. Show us gameplay when it’s ready, ship something great, and the rest will take care of itself.