Latest news with #ThroughtheValley
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Last of Us Creative Team on How They Crafted Season 2's Most Crucial Episodes
Full Spoilers for The Last of Us Season 2 follow. At IGN Live today, The Last of Us Co-Creator and Executive Producer Craig Mazin was joined by several of the show's core creative team – including Ksenia Sereda (Cinematographer), Ann Foley (Costume Designer), Don Macaulay (Production Designer), Alex Wang (VFX Supervisor), Timothy Good (Editor), and David Fleming (Co-Composer) – to discuss the tremendous amount of work that went into the just-completed second season of the HBO series. As the panel began, Mazin remarked, 'The truth is that Neil [Druckmann] and I are vastly over-credited for the success of the show. We work really hard on it but these are the people that bring it to life and they deserve so much credit… All of it is necessary to make it what it is.' When the panel was asked to name their favorite episode from Season 2, nearly everyone named either episode two ("Through the Valley") or episode six ('The Price'), which made sense since they were such standouts - and segued nicely into the fact that these were the two episodes moderator Amelia Emberwing focused on for the conversation. "Through the Valley' of course had two monumental events, including the horde of infected attacking Jackson and, well… that other thing which we'll get back to. With footage of the massive attack sequence playing, Mazin noted that there were visual effects in basically every shot, saying, 'I think Alex had to touch nearly everything here.' Rewatching the attack on Jackson, Macaulay joked, 'All I can think about is the thousands of meetings we have,' saying they quite seriously probably had 10 meetings about how the barrels would be launched from the town gates into the horde. As he put it, 'Nearly every shot in this took 10-15 meetings. Craig loves meetings!' Even after all of that there was 'a lot of retrofitting on set. Lots of rooftops we weren't planning to do.' Foley said episode two was definitely the hardest part of the season for her as the costume designer because of how many actors and extras were in that episode working on multiple filming units - and that it was all taking place while they were also working on the Seraphite costumes for upcoming episodes. As she explained, this involved "65 people in three different areas.' Wang stressed that previs is crucial, and the many discussions they have about what Macaulay will build vs. what Wang will oversee being added digitally. It's a long process, with Wang noting, 'You're planning for success 6-8 months down the line' and that he's constantly in communication with Macaulay, the stunt team, and many more. Mazin joked that when he calls Wang in for one of his infamous meetings, 'His heart sinks because he knows he's about to go over budget again.' One reason the infected horde was so tricky was that it dealt with such a large army and as Wang explained, in the visual effects world, when you have a group that large 'repetition is usually okay,' since you have characters in the same costumes or creatures of the same type. Here though, Mazin wanted to sell that these were all originally different human beings who were different sizes and ages in different outfits before they were infected. As he put it, they nearly 'broke Wētā [FX]' over the specifics they asked for. Then there's Good and his crucial work as editor. He has to begin editing without the final effects in place, which can be tricky. And not just because, as he pointed out, in the early footage 'a Bloater isn't a Bloater, it's a green dot.' But after they may have cut of the episode they're happy with, 'we get the animation back and everything's changed. The motion's become faster than a human actor is able to do," so they have to re-edit to adjust. When it came to scoring the 'Through the Valley,' Fleming described it as particularly challenging, because Mazin asked him, 'How do we start this at 11 and then keep going up for the whole episode?' The idea was they were 'building up momentum so it just felt relentless relentless relentless. Then at the end, it was kind of the opposite with the pivotal scene with Joel.' When Fleming paused and said he'd been avoiding talking about how that episode ended for so long, Mazin couldn't resist chiming in: 'He died!' As Fleming explained, the original music for Joel's wrenching death scene was much busier but then 'Craig asked 'strip it back.' It was a less is more situation.' While praising the performances of Pedro Pascal, Kaitlyn Dever and Bella Ramsey, Good revealed that for Joel's death 'I actually edited it five times before I was ready to show it to Craig,' because he knew how important it was to get it right. As Joel's death scene played out, the panel couldn't help but become somber and when Mazin cracked, 'Let's talk about the golf clubs we picked out. They have lots of meaning" to release some tension, he then paused and added that actually, when it came to which exact club Abby would use to beat Joel with, 'There was a whole discussion!' The conversation then moved to episode six and its flashbacks to Joel and Ellie together set between Season 1 and 2. The sequence where Ellie climbs the dinosaur was shown and Mazin remarked, 'I love this in the game. I love that we got to do it!' He added that this was a funny situation where the actual dinosaur built for Ellie to climb 'was wobbling too much so then Alex stopped it from wobbling. But then it looked fake so we had to make it wobble [again] a little bit.' Discussing Joel and Ellie's clothes, Foley noted they did their best to match their looks in the game, though there might be slight changes occasionally for specific reasons. One such case was in the museum scene. In the game, Ellie is wearing a tank top in this sequence. However, on the show, they wanted to underline that Bella Ramsey was playing a more youthful version of Ellie in these flashback scenes, so they ended up making it a t-shirt because 'changing it from a tank to a t-shirt made it look baggier and make her look younger.' In general though, 'Joel and Ellie are in the same things they wear in the game because there's no reason to change it.' Ksenia Sereda said she was both excited and nervous about shooting the scene where Ellie and Joel go inside the space capsule, because 'the way it was done in the game was so brilliant,' including the close up on Ellie smiling, imagining going into space. Sereda joked the game provided 'the most expensive previs I've ever had to work with.' Mazin marveled how Sereda lit the screen so that all of the light changes on Ellie's face were done practically, without visual effects needed. Sereda explained how difficult it was, because 'the whole sequence is lit through this teeny tiny window on the side of the capsule. It was very challenging to find this whole look.' This sequence had particular significance to Mazin because 'This is the first thing that Neil ever showed me from the second game.' He elaborated that when he went to Naughty Dog to speak to Druckmann about turning The Last of Us into a TV show, the team were nearing the completion of The Last of Us Part II. When Druckmann showed Mazin the space capsule sequence, his response was, ''We're doing that!' In my mind, I was like, 'We need to do a good enough job for Season 1 that we're renewed [to do that].'" With Season 3 of The Last of Us now in the works, Mazin said he was eager to get back in the thick of it, turning to his fellow panelists and saying 'I can't wait to do that. I can't wait to do that with all of you.' He then proclaimed: 'Don, are we going to have meetings!!'
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The mystery of Pedro Pascal's Emmy category solved as HBO's ‘The Last of Us' submissions are revealed
The Last of Us HBO has just revealed its Emmy submission categories for The Last of Us, fresh off of its second season finale. The big news: Pedro Pascal will once again compete for Lead Actor in a Drama Series. More from GoldDerby 'Hacks' renewed for Season 5 ahead of Season 4 finale Iliza Shlesinger's comedy evolution: 'You don't want to be 42 telling the same jokes you told at 22' 'The Last of Us' composers Gustavo Santaolalla and David Fleming on their unique collaboration Now, anyone familiar with the most recent season's second episode knows how destructive a golf club can be and that Pascal could have run for Supporting Actor. The decision seems to be weighing his presence in the back half of the season, including a powerhouse performance in the penultimate episode, "The Price." Also confirmed was the obvious placement of Bella Ramsey in Lead Actress, truer than ever this season. Isabela Merced (who plays Dina), Young Mazino (Jesse), and Gabriel Luna (Tommy) will compete in their respective supporting categories. With the guest actor and guest actress categories, The Last of Us could potentially claim both prizes — just like the show did in 2023 with Nick Offerman and Storm Reid, adding to the show's tally of eight awards in all. This year's lineup of potential nominees is stacked, featuring Kaitlyn Dever (submitted for her pivotal, bloody episode "Through the Valley'), Catherine O'Hara (for season premiere 'Future Days), Jeffrey Wright (for his monologue-heavy "Day One"), Tony Dalton (as Joel's dad in "The Price"), and Joe Pantoliano (as the tragic Eugene, also in "The Price"). HBO submitted cocreators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann for writing separate episodes, with the former on "Through the Valley" and the latter on "The Price." Submissions in technical categories were heavily focused on the explosive "Through the Valley" and include: Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour Or More), "Day One" Outstanding Contemporary Costume, for "Through the Valley" Outstanding Picture Editing for a Drama Series, "Through the Valley" Outstanding Contemporary Hairstyling, "Through the Valley" Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup, "Feel Her Love" Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score), "Future Days" Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour), "Through the Valley" Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour) "Through the Valley" Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Season or a Movie All this comes with the caveat that these are HBO's official Emmy entries; anyone can submit on their own and still make the final ballot, which could apply to recognizable guest stars like Josh Peck, Danny Ramirez, Alanna Ubach, Rutina Wesley, and Hettienne Park. Best of GoldDerby 'The Pitt' star Supriya Ganesh on Mohan 'reworking' her trauma and when she'll realize Abbot is flirting with her Dream Team: 'Étoile' creators Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino on the secrets of their partnership: 'You want to be jealous of something someone has done' TV sound editors roundtable: 'Adolescence' and 'Secret Level' Click here to read the full article.
The Hindu
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
‘The Last of Us' Season 2 finale review: A somewhat jumbled set-up for Season 3
The finale of the second season of Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann's The Last of Us, 'Convergence', tries desperately to tie the disparate elements from earlier episodes to partial success. While there is the sound and fury of the elements indicated in the title, it does not come together cohesively to complete any arc. There are episodes including the second one, 'Through the Valley', featuring Joel's (Pedro Pascal) horrific death at the hands of Abby (Kaitlyn Dever), in the midst of an attack by the ravaging hoards of the infected, that feel like a mini movie, and others were nothing much happens. The Last of Us Season 2 (English) Creators: Craig Mazin, Neil Druckmann Cast: Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Gabriel Luna, Isabela Merced, Young Mazino, Kaitlyn Dever Episode: 7 Runtime: 50 minutes Storyline: Ellie finally catches up with Abby and acknowledges a terrible truth about herself 'Convergence' comes after the lovely, contemplative, achingly poignant 'The Price' where we see the bond between Joel and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) flower, wither and promise to bloom again over Ellie's birthdays through the years. On her 15th birthday, Joel gives her a handmade guitar. For her 16th, he takes her to an abandoned museum where Ellie is fascinated with the thought of space travel. On her 17th birthday, Joel gruffly exclaims at all teenage stuff coming at once — drugs, tattoos and sex. On her 19th birthday, Ellie goes out on her first patrol. The way Joel deals with Eugene (Joe Pantoliano), who has been bitten, after swearing to Ellie he will take him back to town to say goodbye to his wife, Gail (Catherine O'Hara), finds Ellie figuring out the truth about the carnage at the hospital. When nine months later after the New Year's Eve party in Episode 1, Ellie confronts Joel about the fate of the Fireflies at the hospital, Joel confesses the truth, insisting he would do it again. It is Ellie's reply that she could never forgive him but would like to try that creates the poignancy as Joel's death put paid to that rapprochement. The introduction of Isaac Dixon (Jeffrey Wright), the former FEDRA officer who kills his squad and joins the WLF, and the Seraphite cult, is a sufficiently brutal lead-up to the big confrontation in the finale. That the payoff is not as satisfying is putting it mildly. That bullet fired at the end and the fade to black is as clumsy a cliffhanger as there could be and the switch to Abby's perspective, while echoing the game, seems ill-judged as far as pacing goes. Even though Mel's (Ariela Barer) death is cruel and underlines the causalities of conflict, it is good that Ellie does not kill Alice, the WLF dog, like in the game. There is only so much brutality one can take. The production value remains gorgeous and the aquarium and island shots in the pelting rain are spectacular as is Ellie's desperate boat ride. Ramsey does their best to capture the hurt and hatred as well as the goofiness of a young person on the threshold of adulthood as Ellie, while Pascal's Joel is the brother, father, friend anyone would want. Wright's Isaac, while terrifying, is frustratingly underwritten. Isabela Merced brings fire and fun to Dina, proving an effective foil to the impetuous Ellie. Season 2 of The Last of Us lurches from crisis to crisis, with long lulls of running and shooting doing nothing to move the story along. Maybe instead of splitting Part II of the eponymous game into many seasons, the makers could have opted for a longer second season with a mid-season break. The Last of Us is currently streaming on JioHotstar
Time Out
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
‘The Last of Us' season 2 soundtrack: the full tracklist for the post-apocalyptic series
Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal are back in action, taking down fungal zombies and going through an emotional rollercoaster in The Last of Us season 2. Based on the acclaimed Naughty Dog game The Last of Us Part II, the series raises the stakes after a five-year jump. Ellie (Ramsey) is growing up amidst a new society of survivors while her father-figure Joel (Pascal) confronts the actions of his violent past. To make matters worse, the zombies are smarter, and the humans are more divided this time. The soundtrack complements the rustic dystopia of the series, accompanied by some Easter Eggs that will delight fans of the source material. As was the case with the games and the first season, Argentine maestro Gustavo Santaolalla returns to score the series along with co-composer David Fleming. Eagle-eyed viewers will also be able to spot Santaolalla strumming a guitar in episode 1's New Year's Eve dance. Going by its source material, this season is bound to be more musical as Ellie picks up the guitar to escape from her existential dread. With Joel also tinkering with the six-stringer in episode 1, there are hints of more acoustic melancholia to follow. How The Last of Us season 2 soundtrack has Easter Eggs for the game fans So far, the soundtrack features needle drops by Seattle grunge legends Nirvana and folk-country outfit Crooked Still (who perform in the episode 1 party as Brittany and the Jug Boys). In fact, the Crooked Still tracks also featured in the gameplay trailer of The Last of Us Part II, and later in the actual game. But the emotional high point of The Last of Us season 2 soundtrack was a cover of Shawn James's Through the Valley (also the title of the second episode). In the game, Ellie can be seen hearing the song before she actually plays it in the later parts of the game. Ellie's voice actor Ashley Johnson delivers a haunting spin on the folk number with a cover that also makes its way in episode 2. Yes, it's the very song that plays over 'that shocking character death'. What's on The Last of Us season 2 soundtrack? Episode 1 The Last of Us Main Theme – Gustavo Santaolalla Love Buzz – Nirvana Little Sadie – Crooked Still Ecstasy – Crooked Still Longing – Gustavo Santaolalla Episode 2 Episode 3 Where can I watch The Last of Us season 2? The seven-episode season airs weekly on HBO and Max for US audiences, and Sky Atlantic and NOW in the UK. Viewers can gear up for new episodes at 9pm ET/PT on Sundays in the US and 2am on Mondays in the UK.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
TVLine's Performer of the Week: Bella Ramsey
THE PERFORMER | Bella Ramsey THE SHOW | The Last of Us More from TVLine YOU's Final Season Brings Back Familiar Faces From Joe's Sordid Past - Just Don't Expect to See [Spoiler] The Last of Us' Joel vs. The Walking Dead's Glenn: Which Brutal Zombie-Drama Death Hurt More? The Last of Us EP Promises All Is Not Lost After Episode 2's Crushing Death THE EPISODE | 'Through the Valley' (Apr. 20, 2025) THE PERFORMANCE | Joel's death in Sunday's The Last of Us would've been sad under any circumstances, full stop. But what really made his final moments stick with us, making us ache anytime we recalled them throughout the week, was how Bella Ramsey played Ellie's reaction to finding her surrogate father near death. Ramsey had so much to do in a quick, complicated scene, and they did it all beautifully. As we watched, the fear in Ramsey's eyes crystallized to horror as Ellie took in Joel's broken body, their voice breaking a little more each time Ellie demanded that Joel get up. Ramsey had Ellie operating at full tilt, fighting Abby's friends one moment and screaming for Joel the next, right up until Abby drove the sharpened golf club into his neck. We're not quite sure how, but at that exact second, we were able to see every ounce of Ellie's regret about the state of her relationship with Joel pass over Ramsey's devastated face. We also won't soon forget the way they pulled Ellie over to Joel's prone body, belly-crawling with everything she had left in order to be close to him. The way Ramsey gently placed Ellie's hand on Joel's, the care with which they lay her face on his as her tears spilled onto his face — these are the details we can't get out of our heads, and these are the touches that catapulted Ramsey's performance into our top spot this week. Scroll down to see who got Honorable Mention shout-outs this week… Because there's no such thing as too much Anna Camp, the twisted minds at YOU invited her to play dual roles in the Netflix thriller's final season, blessing viewers with one (actually, make that two!) of the series' best performances. Camp instantly commanded our attention on screen, whether she was making us laugh as helpless-but-harmless Maddie or making our blood boil as Maddie's unimaginably cruel twin Reagan, but it was her extraordinary work as both sisters in Episode 4 that deserves a special shout-out. From Joe coaching Maddie to take Reagan's place ('Maybe kidnap Kate Winslet next time!'), to Reagan's wild brawl with Joe ('You picked the wrong house and the wrong bitch!'), Camp owned every moment of that episode — and that was before both of her characters found themselves in 'the cage' together. Seeing Maddie realize the extent of her twin's callousness in real time was both haunting and satisfying, as was the outcome of their fatal encounter. Getting to watch Maddie act as Reagan in the final boardroom scene was merely the icing on this already delicious cake. — Andy Swift Seth Rogen is consistently great in The Studio, but in Episode 6, the comedian had us in stitches as he went full Larry David battling doctors at a cancer benefit. His character Matt tried to remain charming with witty banter and that hearty signature laugh, despite being patronized by his girlfriend's stuffy colleagues. But once they ridiculed his poop joke-heavy satire, the gloves were officially off. Rogen allowed the character's temper to rise during key cringeworthy moments, as the back-and-forth turned hilariously vicious with cutting insults and loads of disrespect on both sides. The actor then delivered a pratfall John Ritter would've been proud of, taking out an entire table with him and disrupting the whole event. The Curb-like circus may have cost Matt a girlfriend, but at least he fought the good fight to defend the arts… diarrhea explosions and all. — Nick Caruso There are some acting gems across #TheFBIs — making the loss of FBI: International and FBI: Most Wanted all the more upsetting — and International's Eva-Jane Willis is among them. In her three-season run as Megan 'Smitty' Garretson, Willis has built a compelling character, but there's often been a 'wall' shielding us from the Europol liaison's interior thinking. Procedurals have shown us time and again that an undercover op, especially when the agent gets a bit too into character, can lower such a wall, and that was the case as Smitty befriended Nicole, an arms dealer's wife. Willis exuded a new warmth as Megan was welcomed into Nicole's complicated world, and you could almost sense a long-awaited 'exhale' as she crossed the line into physical intimacy. Megan would later shrug off that closeness as 'a means to an end,' but Willis deftly communicated to us that an awakening of sorts had in fact transpired. — Matt Webb Mitovich Which performance(s) knocked your socks off this week? Tell us in the comments! Best of TVLine Weirdest TV Crossovers: Always Sunny Meets Abbott, Family Guy vs. Simpsons, Nine-Nine Recruits New Girl and More ER Turns 30: See the Original County General Crew, Then and Now The Best Streaming Services in 2024: Disney+, Hulu, Max and More
