Who wants to be a Clicker?
Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey will be filming season 2 of HBO blockbuster The Last of Us in British Columbia later than originally planned. Production is now expected to get underway in February and wrap in September next year.
New filming dates: February 20 2024 – September 09 2024 (via DGC-BC Production List).
What was the holdup?
A six-month work stoppage in Hollywood delayed production. Eight studio/streamers didn’t reach a deal with striking writers (Writers Guild of America) until late September and with striking actors (SAG-AFTRA) until early November.
The Last of Us star Pedro Pascal on a SAG picket line in September.
Season 2 of HBO’s The Last of Us likely won’t premiere until 2025.
What The Last of Us about?
The Last of Us takes place 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed by a fungal pandemic. Joel (Pedro Pascal), a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle 14-year-old Ellie (Bella Ramsey) out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal, heartbreaking journey as they both must traverse across the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.
Season 2, like Part II of the video game, is set in a post-apocalyptic Seattle and other places in the Pacific Northwest.
Has there been any work done on season 2?
The end of the Writers Strike in late September meant The Last of Us co-creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann could get back to work writing scripts for season 2.
The pair wrote all the season one scripts and will continue to do so in season 2.
Craig Mazin told EW he had outlined all of season 2 and even managed to submit the season two premiere script to HBO ahead of the May 2nd Writers’ Strike.
We were able to map out all of season 2. And I also wrote and submitted the script for the first episode and sent it in [to HBO] around 10:30 or 10:40 p.m. right before the midnight …. strike began — Craig Mazin told EW.
Almost five months later, Mazin posted on the news of a deal that once the strike was officially lifted they would get back to work.
Very proud of the WGA and its membership and excited to get back to work on The Last of Us Season 2. The strike has not been officially lifted , but the second it is we will spring into action! — Craig Mazin on Threads.
And so they did.
The Last of Us Season 2:
Working title: MEGA SWORD.
Co-Creators/Writers: Craig Mazin, Neil Druckmann.
B.C. filming dates: February 12 2024 – August 21 2024. Updated.
Cast: Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey.
We left Joel and Ellie in the season one finale overlooking Jackson, Wyoming, after Joel’s big lie:
Does she look like she believes him?
Season One Awards:
The Last of Us season one was named Program of the Year in June at the Rockie Awards gala at the Banff World Media Festival in Alberta.
The Last of Us scored 24 Emmy nominations in July for its first season, including nominations for Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Lead Performances by Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey..
Alberta was named Outstanding Film Commission in August for The Last of Us season one locations, like Canmore as Jackson, Wyoming.
