The HBO adaptation of The Last of Us is currently filming in Canada, and we’re getting details here and there about how the production is going. A new report has revealed some new info about the show’s production, namely how much money HBO is reportedly sinking into each episode, which allegedly is at least $10 million.
In a report on Calgary’s CTV News — part of the show is being filmed in Alberta — Damian Petti, the president of the Albertan chapter of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, said that the show was employing hundreds of locals and that it’s a “monster.” He added: “I cannot confirm the official budget numbers but will say it is likely the largest project shooting in Canada… This project well exceeds the eight figure per episode mark.”
Based on the way Petti worded that, it could potentially cost a lot more than $10 million per episode. It would certainly not be out of character for HBO, which can shell out the big bucks for its spectacle shows. The final season of Game of Thrones, for example, allegedly cost about $15 million an episode to produce. If HBO is investing as much into The Last of Us show as it’s reported to be, it might be doing similar numbers.
The latest news to come out about the upcoming game-to-show adaptation is that Jeffrey Pierce, the actor who played Tommy in the game, has been cast in the show — but not as Tommy. Instead, Pierce will be playing a character named Perry, “a rebel in a quarantine zone” according to a Deadline report. Perry isn’t a character from the games that I remember, but it’s possible that the show will flesh out areas that aren’t shown in great detail in the game. In case you hadn’t heard, Gabriel Luna is playing Tommy.
Source: CTV News