"The Last of Us" transforms Nanaimo into apocalyptic landscape
After film crews began setting up for filming the latest season of The Last of Us, additional photographs have emerged portraying the once-quaint island city as an overgrown, post-apocalyptic dystopia.
The images from NYLA Fresh Thread capture downtown Nanaimo near Diana Krall Plaza with rampant overgrowth, charred and abandoned vehicles, and military tanks strewn about.
Based on the acclaimed 2013 video game of the same name, The Last of Us is anticipated to continue the storyline from its 2020 sequel in its upcoming season. The second season of the HBO hit series starring Pedro Pascal is shooting in Vancouver, too.
This season will continue the storyline of The Last of Us Part II, which primarily unfolds in Seattle, and it appears that Vancouver and Nanaimo will be the settings transforming to depict the game’s environment.
The production team for the second season of The Last of Us began setting up in Nanaimo at the end of April for a five-week shoot in downtown Nanaimo.
The narrative revolves around Joel (portrayed by Pascal) and Ellie (portrayed by Bella Ramsey) navigating a world ravaged by a global pandemic caused by a fungal infection.
So far, there haven’t been any sightings of The Last of Us actors — including Pascal, Ramsey, or Nick Offerman — yet, that hasn’t stopped from fans going downtown to catch a peek.