New set images of The Last of Us give a close-up look at the HBO series’ production, likely concerning the first episode (s). The Last of Us, the first television series from Sony’s studio PlayStation Productions, is based on Naughty Dog’s award-winning video game series of the same name. Naughty Dog’s co-president Neil Druckmann is executive producing and co-writing the series will Chernobyl’s Craig Mazin. The first season, comprised of ten episodes made on an eight-figure budget (each), is expected to adapt and enhance the events of the first game and may lead into/allude to plot details from The Last of Us Part II.
The Last of Us takes place in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by infected and follows the jaded smuggler, Joel, tasked with escorting a teenage girl, Ellie, across the country. Earlier this year, it was announced that Game of Thrones alums Pedro Pascal and Bell Ramsey would be playing the characters, respectively. Joining them is Nico Parker as Joel’s daughter, Sarah, Gabriel Luna as Tommy, and Merle Dandridge reprising her role from the games as Marlene, the leader of a revolutionary militia, the Fireflies. Now, production for the series has officially begun in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and photos of the cast and from the set are appearing online.
Photos of HBO’s The Last of Us have surfaced online courtesy of Necromonica1 on Twitter, a fan who walked onto the show’s set. While the photos and videos don’t feature any of the actors, they do show off what appears to be the backdrop for an earlier episode; a street in Alberta being transformed into Austin, Texas—where the first The Last of Us game begins. Check them out below:
The Last of Us’ prologue introduces Joel as a single father living in Austin, Texas; its opening has players experience escaping the initial outbreak with Tommy, Joel, his daughter Sarah. After the prologue, the game cuts to Joel in a Boston quarantine zone twenty years later. On top of the Texan set photos, the street is clean as opposed to the mess of a post-apocalyptic world—which suggests the Calgary set has been created to film scenes for The Last of Us’ first episode. Two weeks ago, Luna posted a pre-outbreak set picture to Instagram with Pascal and Parker.
Of all the movies and TV shows that shoot in Canada, The Last of Us is said to be one of the most expensive productions currently filming there. Filming isn’t set to wrap until June 2022 and there’s no word on a release date. If the series effectively replicates/pays homage to the game’s attention to detail and central relationship—something that is reinforced by the events of the prologue—long-time fans of the franchise should be more than pleased.
Source: Necromonica1/Twitter