HBO’s smash hit The Last of Us, starring Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie, is almost halfway through production of season 2 in the Vancouver area and has moved from the Jackson to the Seattle levels of the game.
Without giving too much away, season 2 is Ellie’s story more than Joel’s.
What is The Last of Us?
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 teen 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.
After the events of season one, Joel and Ellie settle in Jackson, Wyoming, a thriving community of survivors that includes Joel’s brother Tommy (Gabriel Luna) and his wife Marina (Rutina Wesley). There Ellie makes friends with Dina (Isabela Merced) and scout Jesse (Young Mazino).
Jackson Set:
Production built a massive Jackson set at Britannia Beach on the Sea to Sky Highway.
Related: The Last of Us Season 2’s New Jackson Under Construction in British Columbia
Later Ellie and Dina travel to Seattle on horseback, where a group of former Fireflies are part of the Washington Liberation Front (WLF) militia group:: soldier Abby Anderson (Kaitlyn Dever), who’ wants vengeance for someone she loved, soldier Manny (Danny Ramirez), doctor Mel (Ariela Barer), military medic Nora (Tati Gabrielle) and Owen (Spencer Lord).
Seattle sets:
Crew turns Vancouver and Nanaimo into abandoned, overgrown Seattle neighbourhoods.
Two blocks of Alexander Street in Vancouver as Seattle Center.
Cristina Barper/@CristinaBarper video.
Es que mira un señor haciendo set dressing “plantando” árboles pic.twitter.com/sWDVb8Wmhr
— Cristina Barper (@CristinaBarper) May 4, 2024
Oceanic Plaza in Downtown Vancouver as Seattle.
Cristina Barper/@CristinaBarpe video.
New location “The Last of Us” set in Downtown Vancouver!! #TheLastOfUs @yvrshootstweets @YVRFilming pic.twitter.com/E6144cHK9I
— Cristina Barper (@CristinaBarper) May 11, 2024
Downtown Nanaimo as Seattle’s Capitol Hill.
Related: The Last of Us Season 2: Nanaimo as Seattle’s Capitol Hill From Game
A local men’s store shared a photo from above the Nanaimo set.. Some would like to keep the greenery.
Seattle Spoilers:
The Washington Liberation Front (WLFL or Wolves) patrol Vancouver’s Alexander Street as Seattle Center.
New West Boy/@CaptCanuck66 video.
The military has invaded Hastings & Main Street area, oh wait it’s a movie shoot for the show #TheLastofUs @yvrshootstweets @WhatsFilming pic.twitter.com/kRvPUY7k0x
— NewWestBoyⓂ️ (@CaptCanuck66) May 4, 2024
Foot soldiers join the patrol on Alexander Street.
New West Boy/@CaptCanuck66 video.
Very impressive to see the military vehicles & foot soldiers moving side by side in this scene for #TheLastofUs shot in #Vancouver @WhatsFilming @yvrshootstweets @WhatsFilmingON pic.twitter.com/dmgSAzdHoU
— NewWestBoyⓂ️ (@CaptCanuck66) May 4, 2024
Later fans got their first glimpse of Bella Ramsey’s Ellie and Isabela Merced’s Dina on horseback at Oceanic Plaza in downtown Vancouver as Seattle.
Ed Chee/@cheechoo98 video.
Bella Ramsay and Isabel Merced prepping on horseback for their filming of Last of Us Season2 – in downtown Vancouver on Sat. May 11 – then their stand-ins, in costume, block out the shot. Was a highly locked-down set – but we public got to see a little bit. @yvrshootstweets pic.twitter.com/IXviVCkI2N
— Ed Chee (@cheechoo98) May 13, 2024
Here’s Ellie and Dina on horseback on Nanaimo’s Skinner Street as Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighbourhood.
A local captured Bella Ramsey as Ellie and Isabela Merced as Dina riding onto Nanaimo’s Commercial Street at Diana Krall Plaza as Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighbourhood.. The source is unknown.
There are more Vancouver as Seattle shoots to come.
The Last of Us Season 2:
Working title: MEGA SWORD
B.C. filming dates: February 12 2024 – August 21 2024.
Co-Creators/Writers: Craig Mazin, Neil Druckmann.
Directors: Craig Mazin, Mark Mylod, Kate Herron, Peter Hoar, Stephen Williams, Nina Lopez-Corrado.
Cast: Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Kaitlyn Dever, Young Mazino, Isabela Merced, Catherine O’Hara, Gabriel Luna, Rutina Wesley, Danny Ramirez, Ariela Barer, Tati Gabrielle, Spencer Lord.
Sound stages: Bridge Studios.
Season 2 of The Last of Us premieres on HBO in 2025.