Tamal Kundu
The filming of ‘The Last of Us’ season 2 is set to begin in Vancouver, British Columbia, in January 2024. Created by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, the HBO post-apocalyptic action-drama series is based on the video game series of the same name developed by Naughty Dog. The first season is based on the first game, which came out in 2013 and was directed by Druckmann and Bruce Straley. Set in a world where a considerable portion of humanity has either died out or turned into monstrous beings because of a fungal infection, the story follows the smuggler Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal) as he takes the immune Ellie (Bella Ramsey) across the American landscape 20 years after the advent of the pandemic to a facility where she can supposedly help to save humanity.
The first season premiered in January 2023. The series was renewed for a second season within two weeks. Season 2 will follow the events of ‘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 second game 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.
Season 1 was shot in various locations in the Canadian 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 for season 2 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.”
‘The Last of Us’ is one of the shows impacted by the ongoing writers’ strike, and it is still unclear what the effects will be if the actors also go on strike as planned. The producers indicated to GQ in the above-mentioned article that most cast members are set to return for season 2, but that interview was published in March 2023. We can expect more updates on casting, production, and plot in the coming months.
