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HBO is releasing its anticipated post-apocalyptic drama series The Last of Us on January 15, 2022. The show is based on the 2013 video game of the same name.
The Last of Us stars Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie in lead roles. The supporting cast includes Gabriel Luna as Tommy, Anna Torv as Tess, Merle Dandridge as Marlene, and many others. The show also features several actors in key guest roles.
Despite the show's events occurring in the United States of America, the filming was done entirely in Canada, mainly across Calgary, Alberta.
The Last of Us was filmed entirely in Canada
The show's principal photography began in October 2021 and concluded in June 2022. CTV News reported that The Last of Us marks the largest television production in Canadian history with a budget approaching $100 million.
Alberta Film Commissioner Mark Ham commented on this by saying:
"We are really proud of the fact that Alberta, in its entirety, is going to be showcased. It wasn't just the traditional locations being featured."
The show has ruined cities, snowy mountains, and highways littered with abandoned cars, and Canada served as its perfect setting.
The Last of Us filming locations explored
Calgary, Alberta
The majority of the show was filmed in Calgary, Alberta, which is located in Western Canada. The city was used to film many areas in The Last of Us, including the Boston quarantine zone in episode 1.
A Calgary town called High River was also used for these sequences. Two colleges from the city, Mount Royal University and the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, were used for the fictional University of Eastern Colorado in the game's final section. The Northland Village Mall, downtown Calgary, and Beltline also featured heavily throughout the show.
Fort Macleod, Alberta
Fort Macleod is located in southern Alberta and is a town with a population of less than 5,000. The set in this town matched the aesthetics of Austin, Texas, and included police cars and many storefronts from Austin.
The prologue of The Last of Us will show glimpses of the town when the outbreak takes place. Austin is the hometown of Joel, Sarah, and Tommy.
Edmonton, Alberta
Post-apocalyptic Boston was represented by Edmonton in Alberta. The city is heavily featured at the end of the first episode. The Alberta Legislature Building likely represented Massachusetts' State House, where Joel and Tess are tasked with delivering Ellie.
The town of Canmore, situated west of Calgary, was used to recreate Jackson, Wyoming. Waterton Lakes National Park was also used for filming. Production was centered around this town for four days, between November 15 and November 19, 2021.
Interstate 435, Kansas City, Missouri
Though most of the show's filming took place in Canada, Interstate 435 in Kansas City, Missouri, served as one of the final shooting locations. Scenes of Henry and Sam will see this place.
In the game, Sam and Henry are two characters who became friends with Joel and Ellie in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The four worked together to avoid the bandits that had taken over the city.
However, in the show, the creators changed the setting from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Kansas City, Missouri. Other Kansas City scenes were shot in Calgary.
