Entertainment

The Last of Us Season 2: Filming at the World’s Most Stunning Locations

By madridmandez@gmail.com / April 26, 2025

The Last of Us Season 2:

The Last of Us quickly became one of the most celebrated television adaptations in history, thanks to its gripping story, outstanding performances, and breathtaking scenery. Now, with Season 2 on the horizon, the production team has raised the bar even higher by selecting some of the world’s most beautiful sites as backdrops for the next chapter of Joel and Ellie’s journey.

Here’s a detailed look at the mesmerizing locations that will shape the emotional and visual landscape of The Last of Us Season 2.

Returning to Nature’s Masterpieces

Following the success of Season 1’s richly detailed environments, the creators sought out authentic, untouched natural settings to capture the game’s post-apocalyptic beauty more vividly.

Notable highlights include:

Pacific Northwest, USA: Towering forests, misty mountains, and lush valleys bring the Pacific landscapes seen in the second game to life.
British Columbia, Canada: Rugged coastlines and remote villages create an eerie and stunning atmosphere ideal for the darker tone of Season 2.
Iceland’s Remote Highlands: Volcanic plains and dramatic cliffs provide a haunting beauty, mirroring the harsh survival themes ahead.

These locations allow the story to unfold against breathtaking yet melancholic backdrops that reflect both nature’s resilience and mankind’s fragility.

Filming Focus: Key Scenes Set in Iconic Places

1. Seattle’s Rain-Soaked Streets

Fans of The Last of Us Part II know that Seattle plays a major role. To capture the gloomy, rain-drenched feel of the city, production teams recreated iconic Seattle settings — some on-location and some via elaborate sets based on real neighborhoods.

Crumbling skyscrapers
Overgrown highways
Flooded urban zones

This dedication ensures the visual storytelling stays true to the game’s roots while introducing cinematic brilliance.

2. Wilderness Survival Scenes

The narrative heavily leans into Ellie’s survival journey through forests, mountains, and abandoned towns. Locations deep within Vancouver Island’s dense wilderness provide an authentic sense of isolation, danger, and natural beauty.

Behind-the-Scenes Insights

The creators, including showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, emphasized their commitment to on-location filming over heavy CGI to preserve a raw, tangible feel throughout Season 2.

“We want audiences to feel the mist on their faces, the moss beneath their feet, and the silence that can only exist deep in the wild,” Mazin said during a production interview.

Authenticity isn’t just a goal; it’s a core part of the show’s DNA.

The Visual Storytelling Evolution

With Season 2 delving into more complex emotional arcs and a grittier atmosphere, the visuals needed to evolve too. These natural and rugged locations help mirror:

Ellie’s growing internal struggles
The splintering of communities
The haunting beauty of a world without humans

Conclusion: A Journey Through Beauty and Ruin

The Last of Us Season 2 isn’t just a continuation of Joel and Ellie’s story — it’s a visual odyssey through some of the planet’s most stunning and haunting landscapes. By choosing authentic locations over manufactured sets, the show promises a deeper, more visceral experience that will captivate viewers from the first frame to the last.

As anticipation builds, one thing is certain: Season 2 will be as much a feast for the eyes as it will be a wrenching journey for the heart.