Tamal Kundu
The filming of HBO’s post-apocalyptic series ‘The Last of Us’ season 2 is set to begin in Vancouver, British Columbia, on February 20, 2024, with the same scheduled to conclude by September 9, 2024. Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, who created the series and wrote the first installment based on the video game series of the same name developed by Naughty Dog, are also penning the sophomore season.
The second installment will follow the events of the video game ‘The Last of Us Part II,’ which came out in 2020, though both Mazin and Druckmann made it clear in an interview with GQ that it would take more than one season to cover the source material in its entirety. Directed by Druckmann, Anthony Newman, and Kurt Margenau, ‘The Last of Us Part II’ follows Ellie and another character as the former embarks on the path of revenge following the death of one of her loved ones.
The producers previously revealed that most cast members are set to return to the second season. In addition to Pedro Pascal’s Joel and Bella Ramsey’s Ellie, the first installment features Gabriel Luna (Tommy) and Rutina Wesley (Maria), who most likely will appear in the upcoming season. We can expect the introduction of several new characters, including Abby, an antagonist in the source video game series. She is the daughter of a doctor Joel kills to save Ellie. Even though Abby has been cast, the new addition is yet to be officially unveiled.
The first season was shot in various locations in the province of Alberta, with a considerable portion of filming done in and around Calgary, replicating different American settings. In March 2023, it was announced that the filming of the second installment would move to Vancouver. Mazin first implied in January 2023 that the production would relocate to a Pacific Northwest location. “The story goes to a different geographical location, which is rather close to another city in Canada,” the series co-creator told Postmedia. “The show is so big, it’s so massive, and we have so many resources behind us from HBO, which is incredible. But the show is so big, we really do have to think as strategically as possible or we just won’t be able to finish it.”
Following the official announcement, Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim conveyed his excitement about the news. “We are incredibly excited to welcome ‘The Last of Us’ to our city as they bring the production of their next season to Hollywood North,” Sim said in a statement. “‘The Last of Us’ is one of the biggest productions ever filmed in Canada and one of the largest shows on television today. The choice to move filming to Vancouver is a demonstration of our city’s continued strength in the film and television sector.”
