Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us saga has yet to visit Canada and show us how the Great White North is handling the Cordyceps outbreak. But the games’ hit TV adaptation will soon be crossing the border to continue Joel and Ellie’s story. And it will also be earning a few tax breaks in the process. According to Deadline, The Last of Us’ producers have chosen Vancouver as the primary filming location for season 2.
The second season will begin to adapt The Last of Us Part II, Naughty Dog’s critically-lauded sequel that was originally released on the PlayStation 4 in 2020. Without giving away any spoilers, a good chunk of the game’s story took place in Seattle, so setting up camp in the Pacific Northwest seems to have been a wise choice on behalf of the series’ creators.
As it happens, this won’t be the show’s first trip to the Canadian wilderness. Most of its first season was actually shot further east in Calgary, Alberta between July 2021 and June 2022. The first season reportedly cost around $10-15 million per each of the nine episodes. So those government subsidies are bound to come in handy on the second season as well.
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Showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann have previously confirmed that it will probably take more than one season to cover the full narrative of Part II’s story. Although the start date remains up in the air, co-headliners Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey have suggested that filming could resume by the end of 2023. But even if this gets pushed back further, it fits in with the game. Part II famously takes place four years after the original game. In other words, giving the actors a little extra time to age might work in its favor.
Meanwhile, Druckmann recently began teasing the arrival of Abby Anderson, one of the most pivotal new characters from the second installment. However, no actress has been cast in the role just yet.
All episodes of The Last of Us’ first season are currently streaming on HBO Max. The network still hasn’t announced a premiere date for season 2.
Do you think Vancouver can successfully re-create Part II‘s most memorable locations? Let us know in the comment section below!
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