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The Last of Us had to fill 350 dump trucks of snow for Waterton, Alberta episode

HBO has released a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of The Last of Us to coincide with the March 12th season finale.

The featurette, appropriately titled Making of The Last of Us, reveals a bunch of tidbits about the province, which took place between 2021 and 2022 across Alberta. Naturally, the cast and crew had quite a few anecdotes to share about the production.

*Warning: light spoilers for The Last of Us Season 1 to follow* 

Perhaps the biggest fun fact had to do with the series’ eighth episode, “When We Are In Need.” With Joel (Pedro Pascal) wounded, Ellie (Bella Ramsey) is forced to hunt for food and resources, putting her in contact with a deadly group of survivors. While this takes place in Colorado, HBO actually shot these scenes in the beautiful Waterton Park.

However, things didn’t go so swimmingly.

“We went to Waterton because it was known to have a massive amount of snow. And what happened was there was no snow,” said Joel Whist, special effects supervisor, with a laugh.

“There were drifts up against some buildings but all the roads, all the grass — everywhere you looked — the snow was gone. You couldn’t bring snow from outside the park. I had to use whatever was in the town. So in three days, we did 350 dump trucks of snow — shoveling, brooming, raking, snowblowers — to cover 10 city blocks. That night, it snowed.”

Pascal added that there were “three or four house-sized wind machines” to help sell the stormy weather.

Elsewhere, the crew talked about the big human-infected battle in the fifth episode, “Endure and Survive,” and the work that went into building an entire town onto a large Calgary parking lot.

In particular, we see some neat behind-the-scenes looks at all of the human extras who played clickers and the digital effects work to enhance them, as well as a spotlight on Toronto’s Skye Cowton, a young contortionist who plays the child Clicker that tries to kill Ellie in a car. “She could move her body very, very effectively and do all sorts of Clicker-y, kind of stuttery motions,” noted Sean Nowlan, VFX producer.

Another highlight has to do with the finale, “Look For The Light.” One of the key emotional beats of the episode, which was lifted straight from the game, is when Ellie excitedly discovers a group of giraffes in the middle of the overrun city. It’s a tender moment between the teenager and Joel, and Ramsey said it was “like a spiritual experience” to shoot.

Notably, the crew reveals that the giraffe, Nobu, was actually real. “Yes, you can create a giraffe in visual effects, but it’s just not the same,” noted Matt Palmer, location manager for Episodes 8 and 9.

“Fortunately, the one thing Alberta does have is a zoo with giraffes,” added production designer John Paino. “And we spent quite a while putting things in the enclosure so we could shoot it and get the giraffe acclimated. Like, panels with blue screen so that we could get just go in there and shoot the giraffe and have Ellie feed the giraffe.”

On the whole, the special offers a fascinating look at just some of the work that goes into such a big show. (With a reported Game of Thrones-esque budget of over $100 million USD, The Last of Us is believed to be the biggest TV production in Canadian history.)

The full 31-minute Making of The Last of Us featurette and the main nine-episode season are both now streaming on Crave.

In related news, series creators Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin have confirmed that they’re planning to adapt The Last of Us Part II into at least two seasons.

Image credit: HBO

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The Last of Us creators confirm Part II will be adapted into multiple seasons

The Last of Us creators have teased that there is more to come from the acclaimed Alberta-shot HBO series beyond its previously confirmed second season.

In an interview with GQ about the March 12th Season 1 finale, creators and showrunners Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin were pressed on what’s to come. While the pair have confirmed that Season 2 will adapt The Last of Us Part II, the extent to which has remained unclear. When asked whether Season 2 will “span the entire course of the second game,” Druckmann said, “it’s more than one season.”

Although Mazin had previously teased that Part II is “more than a season’s worth of television,” this is the first time both he and Druckmann have definitively commented on there being multiple seasons in the works. Of course, the final say will come down to whether HBO renews the series again, but for now, at least, we know the creators are planning to tackle the story in this way. Given how popular it’s been so far, though — HBO’s second-biggest series premiere after only House of the Dragon — it’s not a stretch to think Season 2 will garner a similarly large audience.

Interestingly, though, the pair declined to specify whether this means we’re getting two or three more seasons. “You have noted correctly that we will not say how many,” responded Mazin with a laugh. “But more than one is factually correct.”

Those who have played both The Last of Us games will certainly understand Druckmann and Mazin’s reasoning. The first game is roughly 15 hours to complete, while the sequel is nearly 25 hours. Without getting into spoilers, Part II — which takes place five years after the first game — is also much more ambitious in its narrative structure, with many jumps in perspective and time periods.

While they didn’t provide any details on how they’re tackling this, they did acknowledge complaints that Season 1 didn’t have many infected creatures.

“Ultimately, we generally stressed the power of relationships and trying to find significance within moments of action,” Mazin said during a virtual press conference, via Variety. “And so there may be less action than some people wanted because we couldn’t necessarily find significance for quite a bit of it, or [there was] concern that it would be repetitive.”

However, he did tease that “it’s quite possible that there will be a lot more infected later. And perhaps different kinds” in Season 2.

It’s also worth noting that Laura Bailey, who plays a major new character in Part II named Abby, also made a cameo in the Season 1 finale. Druckmann and Mazin also teased that she could play a bigger role in future seasons, similar to what they gave to game actors Troy Baker (Joel), Ashley Johnson (Ellie) and Jeffrey Pierce (Tommy).

A release window for The Last of Us Season 2 has not yet been confirmed. Season 1 is currently streaming on Crave in Canada.

Image credit: HBO

Source: GQ

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An armed Alberta teen shut down The Last of Us production last year

The Olds, Alberta production of HBO‘s The Last of Us faced a major scare last year when an armed man was spotted in a nearby apartment building.

Speaking to a Calgary judge earlier this week, series producers testified that on June 1st, 2022, a costume assistant noticed a pointed rifle through a second-floor window and warned the head of security. Production was then shut down and cast and crew members, including stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, were ushered to safety.

The man in question, then-18-year-old Reece Wadden, was later discovered to have been holding an airsoft gun, not an actual rifle. Wadden claims he didn’t intend to harm anyone and was simply using the scope to get a better look at the set. Nonetheless, prosecutor Alyx Nanji says his actions resulted in around 300 cast and crew members taking cover for about 90 minutes until RCMP arrived to clear the scene, costing the production $54,000 USD (about $75,000 CAD) in salaries for actors and support crew.

Wadden now faces three charges of mischief, unlawful use of an imitation firearm to commit mischief and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

The Last of Us is now streaming on Crave in Canada.

Image credit: HBO

Via: The Calgary Herald

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Here’s where The Last of Us star Troy Baker says you should eat in Calgary

A few months ago, The Last of Us star Pedro Pascal told us that Canmore was his favourite place in Alberta, specifically citing its “really great fudge.”

Now, we’ve learned where Troy Baker, the man who originated the role of Joel in The Last of Us game, likes to eat in the province.

Speaking to Daily Hive, Baker, who plays a villain named James in the TV adaptation’s eighth episode, was asked about his favourite food spot in Calgary. Although he notes that he “spent a lot of time in downtown Calgary,” he says much of that was dedicated to the Charcut Roast House.

“I got to know the staff. I’m a guy who likes the Cheers factor. So, wherever I go if someone knows my name I’m going to spend a lot of time with those people,” Baker added.

He went on to praise the city’s “incredible food scene” and mutual love of wine. “So spending a month there, I got to know the town really, really well.” Baker’s character serves as the right-hand man of David (Scott Shepherd), the leader of a group of survivors that has a run-in with Ellie (Bella Ramsey) in the woods.

On that note, Baker also spoke to Daily Hive about the cold but “beautiful” landscapes of the province. Many of his scenes took place outdoors in the Waterton Park area.

Notably, Baker’s The Last of Us co-star, Ashley Johnson (the original Ellie before Bella Ramsey), will also play a different role in the series. Specifically, Johnson will appear in this season’s ninth and final episode, March 12th’s “Look for the Light,” as Ellie’s mother, Anna. It remains to be seen what she might say about her own experiences in Alberta.

What we do know, though, is how much the cast and crew as a whole have loved the province. Jeffrey Pierce, who played Tomy in the games and Perry in the show, told MobileSyrup his time in Calgary was “maybe my favourite experience filming ever,” while production designer John Paino has said he was “shocked” at how “clean” Alberta was compared to the U.S.

The Last of Us is now streaming exclusively on Crave in Canada.

Image credit: PlayStation, The Food Network

Source: Daily Hive

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Man travels to Pedro Pascal’s favourite Alberta town to recreate scenes from The Last of Us

Gabriel Luna and Pedro Pascal in a bar in The Last of Us

For Canadians, part of the fun of watching The Last of Us has been to spot all of the acclaimed HBO series’ Alberta filming locations. However, one fan has taken that admiration to another level.

On Instagram, Irish-Canadian photographer Mark Cogan posted images of Canmore, the town featured prominently in the series’ sixth episode, “Kin.” As part of this visit, Cogan held up stills from the show to match them with where they were filmed on the actual 8th Street in Canmore. These scene recreations include when Joel (Pedro Pascal) has an emotional reunion with his brother, Tommy (Gabriel Luna), and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and Joel on horseback. In the show, Canmore stood in for Jackson, Wyoming.

 

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A post shared by Mark Cogan (@skymanblue)

Cogan also shared them with blogger Andrea David, whose larger audience helped the photos catch the attention of none other than Ramsey herself.

It’s unclear why Cogan picked Canmore, specifically, to visit, but it’s possible he was taking cues from Pascal and Ramsey themselves. The pair told MobileSyrup that it was their favourite place to visit in Alberta, with Pascal even calling it a “magical little town.” The most recent episode of The Last of Us, “When We Are In Need,” took Pascal and Ramsey to another snowy area, Waterton Park.

It’s worth noting that the season finale premieres on March 12th. The show has already been renewed for a second season, although it remains to be seen whether production will return to Alberta.

The Last of Us is now streaming exclusively on Crave in Canada.

Image credit: HBO

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The Last of Us’ Troy Baker praises Calgary for its ‘beautiful landscape’ during production

This weekend, HBO’s The Last of Us delivered a gripping adaptation of one of the most important chapters from Naughty Dog’s game. It also introduced us to the haunting antagonist David alongside James, played by Troy Baker.

Baker is intrinsically tied to The Last of Us. He’s provided the masterful voice of Joel in the game alongside motion capture. Pedro Pascal now helms the role of Joel in the series adaption. However, Baker was cast as David’s secondhand man in the episode dubbed “When We Are in Need.”

Baker recently sat down with Daily Hive for a roundtable interview where he recounted his time spent in Calgary, Alberta. “They were very prepared and to be able to find the sound stages that they shot at and be able to literally take that over like they did… all of the locations that we found within Calgary to be able to shoot… it was surprising how much they could be completely transformed.”

Over the season, Alberta has been shown to be transformed to create many backdrops for this post-apocalyptic tale. For instance, the small town of Canmore was turned into the blooming community of Jackson. Last week’s mall set piece used a real abandoned mall in Calgary.

Throughout the interview, Baker states what many Canadians already know, Calgary is a marvel to look at. Now, it’s put in the spotlight on one of HBO’s most popular series to date. “Calgary provided this beautiful landscape — inside the city and far outside of it,” Baker said to Daily Hive.

This week’s episode used Alberta’s Waterton Park for David’s community in this week’s episode. The extent of the area isn’t shown in full. However, there are many exterior shots showing the snowy streets. It was then up to production to make the area feel like a world living in the age of the Cordyceps virus. “Waterton is the town where we shot a lot of our episodes. It’s a far cry away from Calgary but the landscape that it provided really set the stage and you could believe that this was what the world could look like absent of civilization.”

HBO’s The Last of Us is barrelling toward its season finale on March 12th. Canadian viewers can catch up on the season, and see Alberta’s beauty captured on screen, via Crave.

Image credit: HBO

Source: Daily Hive

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This beautiful Alberta park was home to The Last of Us’ latest villains

After the seventh episode of The Last of Us was filmed almost entirely in an abandoned Calgary mall, the eighth episode is all about the outdoors.

Specifically, the series’ latest (and penultimate) episode, “When We Are In Need,” takes place in the snowy wilds of Colorado and was actually shot at Alberta’s Waterton Park. Bella Ramsey, who plays Ellie in the series, had namedropped the hamlet in an interview with MobileSyrup, but we now get to see it in action.

One establishing shot, in particular, spotlights Waterton Lakes National Park, per the screen industry advocacy group Keep Alberta Rolling.

In the latest episode, Ellie’s hunt for food for her and an injured Joel (Pedro Pascal) leads her to encounter two strangers, David (Scott Shepherd) and James (Troy Baker, who played Joel in The Last of Us video games). Without spoiling anything, let’s just say they don’t become friends.

Interestingly, though, David and James belong to a larger community of survivors who live in an abandoned resort. In a later scene between Ellie and David, the two can be spotted in a place called Todd’s Steakhouse. Notably, the exterior of this set is Lakeside Chophouse, the only Waterton restaurant by the lake.

Other real-life places Albertans spotted include the Thirsty Bear socialhouse and Trappers Mountain Grill.

Over the course of the last several weeks, one of the highlights of The Last of Us for Canadians has been to see where all of the episodes have been filmed in Alberta. It remains to be seen where, exactly, the March 12th finale was filmed, so we’ll have to keep an eye out.

It should be noted that The Last of Us has been renewed for a second season, although there hasn’t been any official word about the production returning to Alberta. For now, though, we can admire the beautiful landscapes and production designer John Paino’s sets.

The Last of Us is now streaming exclusively on Crave in Canada.

 

Image credit: HBO

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The Last of Us cast and crew say Albertans were ‘pissed off’ but ‘so polite’

The creative team behind The Last of Us has opened up about how the people of Alberta responded to their year-long shoot in the province.

The comments came during Sony’s new ‘Creator to Creator’ series, which centres around a roundtable discussion behind some of the key figures behind HBO’s The Last of Us. This includes Neil Druckmann (co-creator of the show and game), Craig Mazin (co-creator of the series), Pedro Pascal (Joel), Bella Ramsey (Ellie) and Asad Qizilbash (head of PlayStation Productions).

In the first part of the series, Pascal mentioned how impressed he was that the production team “dressed entire areas of the downtown Edmonton and Calgary [areas].” In response, Ramsey smiled and said they “pissed off all the residents,” which elicited a chuckle from the group. “We shut off a highway!” Druckmann pointed out.

That said, Mazin noted that “they were so polite about it,” while Ramsey said “they loved it.” Pascal added that “they were really nice about it.”

This isn’t the first time The Last of Us team has praised Alberta. Speaking to MobileSyrup late last year, Mazin said the crew in the province was “fantastic,” while Pascal commended “the warmth and the dedication” of everyone involved. The series leads also said they loved the province’s landscapes, giving a special shoutout to the “magical little town” of Canmore.

Jeffrey Pierce, who plays Perry on the show and Tommy in the video games, also told us that his time in Calgary was “maybe my favourite experience filming [ever].” Meanwhile, production designer John Paino has said he was “shocked” at how “clean” Alberta was compared to the U.S.

Sony says Part 2 of the Creator to Creator series will drop next week, although it’s suggesting you watch the eighth episode, which premieres March 5th, beforehand.

Image credit: Sony

Source: Sony

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Pedro Pascal says The Last of Us Season 2 might film later this year

The second season of The Last of Us might begin filming later this year.

During an interview with Collider to promote The Mandalorian Season 3, Pedro Pascal, who stars as Joel on The Last of Us, was asked about the sophomore outing for the popular HBO series. While he noted that he couldn’t reveal much, he did tease that production could begin sometime in 2023.

“In the year 2023? Oh, what season are we in now? We’re getting into spring?” he said coyly. “Yes, there is a chance. Yes.”

The Last of Us was renewed last month after only two episodes had aired, with HBO saying the series had its second-biggest premiere ever after House of the Dragon. However, the network didn’t reveal any further details beyond confirming that it would adapt the 2020 PlayStation game The Last of Us Part II. Craig Mazin, co-creator of the series, has also indicated that at least two seasons may be needed to fully adapt the sequel.

For now, though, the first season of The Last of Us still has one more episode before its March 12th finale. It should be noted that we don’t actually know how far along Mazin and co-creator Neil Druckmann (co-director of The Last of Us) actually are in the writing process for Season 2, although Pascal’s comments suggest they might have made some significant progress already.

Another big question: where will The Last of Us Season 2 film? Most notably, Season 1 was filmed entirely in Alberta in what’s believed to be part of Canada’s largest TV production to date. Bella Ramsey, who stars opposite Pascal as Ellie, has also suggested that production could return to Canada, although HBO hasn’t made any official comment on the matter.

That said, the entire cast and crew have had nothing but positive anecdotes to share about their time in Alberta. In a recent interview with MobileSyrup, Pascal, Ramsey and Mazin raved about the province. John Paino, the series’ production designer, has also said how “shocked” he was at how clean Alberta ended up being.

It’s worth noting that Canmore — Pascal and Ramsey’s favourite filming location — stands in for Jackson, Wyoming in the series, and the first few hours of The Last of Us Part II are set in the American town. Therefore, it remains to be seen whether HBO will return to the Alberta location — or any others — for Season 2.

Image credit: HBO

Source: Collider

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How The Last of Us rebuilt abandoned Calgary mall for latest episode

The latest episode of The Last of Us, February 26th’s “Left Behind,” primarily consisted of flashbacks to Ellie’s (Bella Ramsey) time before meeting Joel (Pedro Pascal).

In particular, the bulk of this episode shows Ellie with her best friend, Riley (Storm Reid), as they have charming adventures through an abandoned shopping mall. Fans of Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us PlayStation game will recognize this story from the downloadable expansion, Left Behind. Now, we’ve learned a bit more about how that setting came together in the show.

Speaking to Variety, John Paino, production designer on the acclaimed HBO series, explained how the crew found a real abandoned mall in Calgary to use for the episode. While Paino didn’t mention a specific name, Calgarians have identified it as Northland Village Mall, which closed in 2021 to be turned into an “open-air shopping centre.”

As Paino notes, the mall had been “completely stripped” and didn’t have a usable second floor. However, those who have watched the episode will know that a two-story setup was key thanks to a charming scene involving an escalator. Therefore, the rooftops were created using CGI.

Meanwhile, Paino’s team built 20-25 stores to turn the dilapidated Canadian mall into an American one. That said, some of the fast-food joints got to play themselves, such as A&W.

Elsewhere, Paino says the merry-go-round featured in a key scene had to be brought into the mall just for the shoot. “It actually used to be in that mall, but when it went out of business, another mall took it, so we made a deal to rent it,” he said.

TLOU merry go round

Finally, there’s the arcade. As Paino points out, the name and font of this spot (“Raja’s Arcade”) were taken straight from the game. This is a fun reference to a hot-headed character named Eddy Raja from another beloved Naughty Dog series, Uncharted.

Beyond that, though, the production team assembled a lineup of real arcade cabinets, including those for Frogger, Tetris and, most prominently, Mortal Kombat. Interestingly, though, Paino says they actually built LED displays for each game because their original cathode-ray tube (CRT) retro screens came out blurry on their modern cameras.

Naturally, seeing the old Calgary mall has brought out some fun reactions from viewers:

After “Left Behind,” only two episodes of The Last of Us remain. However, the series has already been renewed for Season 2, which doesn’t yet have a premiere window.

For more on The Last of Us, check out what Paino had to say about transforming Canmore — Pascal and Ramsey’s favourite place in Alberta — into Jackson, Wyoming for the show. Earlier this year, Paino also revealed how “shocked” he was to see how clean Alberta ended up being.

Image credit: HBO

Source: Variety