4.7M tune in for 'Last of Us' premiere on HBO

Jan. 17 (UPI) -- About 4.7 million viewers tuned in to the series premiere of The Last of Us on HBO and its streaming platforms Sunday.

HBO said it was its second-largest debut, behind only House of the Dragon, since Boardwalk Empire premiered on the network in 2010.

Dragon scored 10 million viewers when it debuted last year.

Starring Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal, the critically acclaimed video-game adaptation takes place 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed by a mutated fungus that turns people into monstrous cannibals.

"Our focus was simply to make the best possible adaptation of this beloved story for as big an audience as we could," executive producers Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann said in a statement Tuesday. "We are overjoyed to see how many fans, both old and new, have welcomed The Last of Us into their homes and their hearts."

Casey Bloys, chairman and CEO of HBO & HBO Max Content, added, "We are thrilled to see fans of the series and game alike experience this iconic story in a new way, and we extend our gratitude to them for helping to make it a success."