The first season of HBO’s The Last of Us was filmed in Alberta, and now, it looks like the second might shoot in British Columbia, according to a recent report from Deadline.
The first season was shot in locations around Calgary, Edmonton, Canmore, Grand Prairie and more, but it’s unclear specifically where the second season will be filmed in Vancouver. That said, the area should serve as a stand-in for Seattle and other Pacific Northwest locations. HBO confirmed that The Last of Us is renewed for a second season at the end of January.
The first season stars Bella Ramsey as Ellie and Pedro Pascal as Joel. The Last of Us series is an adaptation of the well-known 2013 Naughty Dog video game with the same name.
The second season of HBO’s TV show will be based on The Last of Us Part IIgame, which follows Ellie’s journey five years after the first game’s events. While HBO has only officially greenlit a second season, the creators are planning multiple seasons to fully adapt the sequel.
The Last of Us Part Ifinally debuted on PC on March 28th, but it’s been a bumpy launch, to say the least.
In the past 24 hours, players have been reporting a slew of technical issues with the remake of the seminal 2013 PS3 game, including repeated crashes, inconsistent framerates and lengthy wait times to load shaders. At the time of writing, the game has a “Mostly Negative” rating on Steam based on more than 7,000 reviews.
Naughty Dog, the original developer of The Last of Us that also assisted port studio Iron Galaxy on the PC version, took to social media to acknowledge the issues.
The Last of Us Part I PC players: we've heard your concerns, and our team is actively investigating multiple issues you've reported.
We will continue to update you, but our team is prioritizing updates and will address issues in upcoming patches.
“We’ve heard your concerns, and our team is actively investigating multiple issues you’ve reported. We will continue to update you, but our team is prioritizing updates and will address issues in upcoming patches,” tweeted Naughty Dog. The developer also directed players to a page listing known issues with the PC port while also asking players to submit a ticket for any others they my encounter.
It’s a remarkably bad look for PlayStation, which had already delayed the port by a few weeks for extra polish. It’s also a blemish on Naughty Dog, specifically, a studio renowned for its tightly-crafted, highly-polished games. “We want to make sure that The Last of Us Part I PC debut is in the best shape possible,” wrote Naughty Dog in a February 3rd tweet of the delay. “These additional few weeks will allow us to ensure this version of The Last of Us lives up to your, and our, standards.”
The port also comes several months after The Last of Us Part I was released on PS5 with no significant issues.
Further enhancing the issue is the fact that this port was meant to coincide with the recently concluded first season of HBO’s hit The Last of Us series, which directly adapts the first game. Clearly, PlayStation is positioning the remake as an entry point for people who were introduced to the IP through the series. What’s more, PlayStation also didn’t make review copies available ahead of release, which meant that buyers weren’t able to get any advance feedback on how the PC port actually runs.
For one weekend only, PlayStation Canada has opened a pop-up inspired by the hit franchise in the city’s bustling Union Station. There, visitors will see an infected person stuck in the wall in a creepy, zombified outgrowth. Other imagery, including materials from the game’s fictional Federal Disaster Response Agency (FEDRA), is also featured.
BREAKING NEWS – A Cordyceps outbreak has hit Toronto with one infection already reported. Reports indicate they were a fungi. Experts link this to the increase in players experiencing The Last of Us on PS5. #livefromPS5pic.twitter.com/sFV5lDzzOH
Interestingly, though, the pop-up is inspired by The Last of Us Part I, the PS5 remake of the original The Last of Us PS3 game, rather than the HBO series, specifically. It’s part of the gaming giant’s “Live from PS5” campaign, a series of live-action skits in which fictional reporters cover events from PS5 games like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Final Fantasy XVI.
Those interested in attending The Last of Us pop-up in Toronto can do so at the following times:
Friday, March 24th (2pm to 10pm ET)
Saturday, March 25th (10am to 10pm ET)
Sunday, March 26th (12pm to 10pm ET)
The pop-up comes right before the March 28th PC launch of The Last of Us Part I, and just a couple of weeks after the finale of the hit HBO series.
While watching Episode 8 of HBO’s The Last of Us, Kingston, Ontario wool farmers, Jacob Murray and Rach Hawkshaw, noticed something familiar draped over Joel (via CBC).
Just seconds into the episode, the pair took note of a very familiar-looking green and grey checkered blanket sold by their company, Topsy Farms. According to Murray, an entertainment industry props buyer reached out about purchasing the blanket earlier this year.
After seeing the green and grey blanket in the episode, Murray says he contacted the prop company, and as he expected, it was his brand. In total, the blanket appears roughly 30 times in the episode.
According to Murray, in the time since Episode 8 aired, the blanket has become a sought-after item, but unfortunately, only one was left in stock. However, instead of selling it, Topsy Farms gave it away through a recent contest on social media.
“If you want a blanket that’ll survive to the apocalypse, you need Canadian wool,” said Murray in a recent interview with the CBC.
This isn’t the first time fabric and The Last of Us have combined forces to become a news story only worthy of a Friday blog post. Last Friday, we covered Pedro Pascal, who plays Joel in The Last of Us, strutting around Hollywood wearing a pair of socks from Calgary-based Friday Sock Co.
The Last of Us is now streaming on Crave in Canada.
It’s been just over a week since HBO’s The Last of Us concluded its nine-episode run. The adaptation of Naughty Dog’s critically acclaimed game received similar praise for its storytelling. Though, fans awaiting the sophomore season may want to strap in.
The Last of Us Season 2 may not arrive until late 2024 — at the earliest.
In a recent interview with The Independent, Bella Ramsey, who plays Ellie Williams, discussed that production will likely begin towards the end of the year. Based on her rough timeline, Ramsey doesn’t expect The Last of Us Season 2 to debut until the end of next year. “It will be a while. I think we’ll probably shoot at the end of this year, beginning of next,” Ramsey states. “So it’ll probably be the end of 2024, early 2025.”
Ramsey’s sentiments regarding this year’s production schedule are also echoed by co-star Pedro Pascal. In a separate interview, Pascal stated that the second season would begin production in late 2023.
None of this should come as a surprise, given historically, HBO doesn’t rush the production of its premier programming. This has been the case with Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, Westworld and more. While the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic impacted the production of The Last of Us’ debut season, the series did shoot for nearly a year in Alberta, Canada.
It’s difficult to say whether production will be as strenuous this time around or even if The Last of Us will return to shoot in Alberta. That said, showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann both strive to use as many practical effects and locations as possible.
Druckmann has already confirmed that the adaptation of The Last of Us Part 2 will be “more than one season.” This past weekend, the co-creator of the game and series posted a teaser for Season 2 and the introduction of Abby, a prominent character from The Last of Us Part II. This all but confirms the trajectory of the series and the direction Season 2 will take.
All episodes of The Last of Us Season 1 are available to stream on Crave in Canada.
How would Canadian cities fare during a zombie apocalypse?
It’s a question that online rental platform Rentola Canada has been looking to answer amid the popularity of HBO’s The Last of Us in a new ranking. Notably, Edmonton took home the top spot, while Toronto came in quite low.
To compile the report, Rentola looked at Statistics Canada data for 35 of the country’s metropolitan areas in five different categories:
Vulnerability — population density, perceived physical and mental health
Hideouts — average household space, green spaces, vacancy rate
Supplies — everything from fuel and weapons to food and medicine
Safety — crime rate and number of firearms
Mobility — the prevalence of walking, running and cycling, the number of roads
Min-max normalization was then used to index the data sources on a 1-10 scale, with 1 representing worst and 10 representing best.
Overall, Edmonton received high marks across the board, leading it to claim the top spot with an average of 7.6. In particular, the Alberta town got 10/10 in both hideouts and mobility. Saskatoon, meanwhile, came ever so slightly in second with 7.95, while Guelph, Ontario rounded out the top three with 7.0.
Toronto, for comparison, scored a dismal 4.66, particularly due to 1.0 for vulnerability and 2.0/10 for supplies. It did score fairly high (8.45) in hideouts, though.
See below for the full rankings:
1. Edmonton
2. Saskatoon
3. Guelph, Ontario
4. Calgary
5. Regina
6. Winnipeg
7. Kelowna, British Columbia
8. Greater Sudbury, Ontario
9. Kingston, Ontario
10. Abbotsford, British Columbia
11. London, Ontario
12. Windsor, Ontario
13. Oshawa, Ontario
14. Ottawa
15. Peterborough, Ontario
16. Brantford, Ontario
17. St. Catharines, Ontario
18. Halifax
19. Hamilton, Ontario
20. Barrie, Ontario
21. Thunder Bay, Ontario
22. Vancouver
23. St. John’s
24. Quebec City
25. Kitchener, Ontario
26. Victoria
27. Lethbridge, Alberta
28. Moncton, New Brunswick
29. Toronto
30. Saguenay, Quebec
31. Sherbrook, Quebec
32. Montreal
33. Trois-Rivieres, Quebec
34. Belleville, Ontario
35. Saint John, New Brunswick
It’s especially interesting that Edmonton and Calgary are two of the top cities, given that The Last of Us series was partially filmed in those cities as part of a year-long shoot in Alberta. Therefore, it’s almost poetic that the province that stood in for such a major interpretation of the post-apocalypse would, hypothetically, end up being well-prepared for a real-life one. The second season of the series is also expected to film in Alberta either this year or next.
What cities are you most surprised to see ranked where they are and why? Let us know in the comments.
Just a few days ago, Pedro Pascal raved once again about Canada on the Oscars’ red carpet.
Now, we’re seeing that love in action. After TMZ snagged some shots of The Last of Us star leaving a Starbucks in Hollywood, people were naturally examining his fit. Some eagle-eyed viewers soon noticed that Pascal was wearing none other than Canadian socks — specifically, a pair repping Calgary.
Friday Sock Co., the Calgary-based company behind the socks, even took to Instagram to give Pascal a shoutout:
Taking a closer look at the deliberately mismatched socks, one features Calgary Tower while the other sports the Scotiabank Saddledome. They’re available in both men’s and women’s variants for $16.95 on Friday Sock Co’s website so you, too, can be stylish like Pascal.
Over the course of The Last of Us promotional tour, Pascal made no secret of his love for Canada. After all, he spent an entire year in Alberta shooting the series. Speaking to MobileSyrup, Pascal even said it was “essential” to film there, praising the province for its landscapes and crew members. He also gave a special shoutout to Canmore, a “magical little town” that stood in for Jackson, Wyoming in the series’ sixth episode.
In the meantime, though, we’ve rounded up where you can stream other shows in Canada — primarily those with similar post-apocalyptic themes, but also some that share key talent and/or story beats.
Amazon Prime Video
Y: The Last Man
Adapted from an acclaimed comic series, Y: The Last Man explores a world in which a mysterious event has caused the deaths of all but one male.
It should be noted, however, that it was cancelled after one season, despite fairly positive reviews.
A key reason for the success of The Last of Us is that original game writer/co-director Neil Druckmann spearheaded the series with Craig Mazin, the creator of HBO’s Chernobyl.
Starring Jared Harris (Mad Men) and Stellan Skarsgård (Andor), the miniseries is based on the true story of a catastrophic nuclear accident in Chernobyl and the sacrifices of the brave men and women who worked to mitigate the disaster.
In a rare move for post-apocalyptic media, Station Eleven offers a more uplifting look at survivors in a pandemic-ravaged world.
What’s more, it’s really Canadian: the miniseries is based on the eponymous novel from Merville, B.C.’s Emily St. John Mandel, it stars Vancouver’s Mackenzie Davis (Halt and Catch Fire) and it was filmed in Mississauga, Ontario.
Sure, it’s not a post-apocalyptic drama, but it’s also perhaps the most obvious choice on this list, given that it also stars Pedro Pascal as a badass protecting a child. And unlike The Last of Us, this Star Wars series is appropriate for all ages.
Stream The Mandalorian here. A list of where to stream other Pedro Pascal shows and movies can be found here.
Netflix
The Walking Dead
At this point, everyone knows TV’s quintessential post-apocalyptic zombie drama.
But the popular AMC series just wrapped its 11-season run in November 2022, which makes it especially worth including for those who fell off in recent years and maybe want to catch up.
Based on Kass Morgan’s young adult novels of the same name, The 100 follows space habitants who return to Earth after a nuclear apocalypse and encounter descendants of the planet’s survivors.
Good for all ages, this well-received post-apocalyptic fantasy-drama is about a human-deer boy who goes on a journey to find family and home with a gruff protector.
Notably, it’s based on the eponymous comic from Essex County, Ontario’s Jeff Lemire and has a second season coming on April 27th, 2023.
*Warning: full spoilers for The Last of Us Season 1 to follow*
The Last of Us ended in a big way: a tense firefight in a hospital. Like many aspects of the HBO series, it was a faithful retelling of the events of the 2013 eponymous PlayStation game.
That includes the controversial decision that Joel (Pedro Pascal) makes at the end to take Ellie (Bella Ramsey) away from the Fireflies militia group’s lab, refusing to lose her to a surgery that could have produced a cure to save humanity. This leads him to kill a slew of Fireflies along the way.
In the Alberta-shot show, this is all meant to take place in a Salt Lake City hospital, but in real life, HBO used a hospital just outside of Calgary. Per Travel Alberta, this hospital is Grande Prairie’s Queen Elizabeth II Ambulatory Care Centre.
Speaking to Variety, production designer John Paino revealed some details about how his team turned the real hospital into the climactic battlefield we see in the show.
Interestingly, Paino notes that he originally thought they’d have to build a hospital from scratch, but they found a “disused” one — the Queen Elizabeth II Ambulatory Care Centre — to use instead. From there, he says the team repainted the hospital and aged it up to make it look believably weathered for the post-apocalyptic setting. He adds that the little murals you can see when Joel visits the paediatric wing are taken straight from the game, another testament to the series’ immaculate attention to detail.
Additionally, Paino says he thought the Fireflies would be using construction site-esque portable generators, so his team deliberately used dim lighting accordingly. He says this gives the setting “a dark and moody vibe,” which certainly fits with Joel’s harrowing actions. Meanwhile, plastic barriers were brought in and strewn about the facility as a “nod” to when infected people were being brought in earlier in the outbreak.
Marlene (Merle Dandridge)
Elsewhere in the interview, Paino touched on the pivotal giraffe scene. While the Making of The Last of Us special already revealed that this was a real animal named Nobu from the Calgary zoo, Paino expanded on some of the work the team did with it. Impressively, he says the crew spent a month and a half setting up green screen panels in an enclosure containing Nobu while trainers kept the giraffe comfortable. This would allow Pascal and Ramsey to approach the giraffe and feed it while giving the VFX team the ability to make the filming location look like the building rooftop in the show.
“That’s Hollywood magic of [visual effects supervisor] Alex [Wang] isolating the giraffes and putting them on our set,” said Paino. “That was probably the most complicated piecing of VFX stage, scenery and location I’ve worked on.”
Pedro Pascal took some time during the Oscars to send some love to Canada.
Speaking to eTalk on the award show’s red carpet, The Last of Us star was asked whether Canada “did [him] proud” after filming the popular HBO series in Alberta for a year.
“Incredibly proud,” Pascal responded. “We couldn’t have done it without Canada, frankly, because of its physical landscape, because of our crew. 12 months — I miss it.”
Notably, Pascal went on to say that “we’re going back,” suggesting that Season 2 of the series will once again film in Alberta — or, at least, elsewhere in Canada. This echoes comments from co-star Bella Ramsey, who told Comicbook.com she’s “really excited” to be “back in Canada” for Season 2.
It should be noted that HBO hasn’t yet made a formal announcement regarding where or even when The Last of Us‘ sophomore season might film. For all kinds of business reasons, changes could happen, especially since we’re presumably months out from the start of production. Still, Pascal and Ramsey’s comments now suggest that the current plan, at least, is to return to Canada.
Elsewhere in his brief chat with eTalk, Pascal was asked to give a shoutout to his “Canadian fans,” but that wasn’t enough for him.
“A big shoutout to my Canadian family — I miss you!”
Pascal has been quite open about his love of Canada during The Last of Us promotional circuit. Speaking to MobileSyrupahead of the show’s premiere, the actor raved about “the warmth and the dedication” of the Canadian crew, saying that it ended up being “essential” to film here. He also gave a special mention to Canmore, which stood in for Jackson, Wyoming in Episode 6, calling it a “magical little town.”
The entire first season of The Last of Us is now streaming on Crave in Canada. A release window for Season 2 has not yet been revealed, although we know it will adapt The Last of Us Part II. That said, the creators have confirmed that at least two seasons will be needed to fully cover the events of the sequel.
