How The Last of Us’ Epic Plane Scene Was Shot

The Last of Us Tommy actor, Gabriel Luna, reveals how episode 1 of the HBO series shot its epic, and completely unexpected, plane scene.

Warning: Spoilers for The Last Of Us Episode 1 ahead!Gabriel Luna, who plays Tommy in HBO’s The Last of Us series, has talked about how the show handled production of episode 1’s shocking plane crash scene. HBO’s The Last of Us show is an adaptation of the game of the same name from 2013. The series stars Pedro Pascal as hardened survivor Joel, who gets tasked with taking the mysterious young Ellie, played by Bella Ramsey, to the revolutionary group named the Fireflies. Luna gives life to Joel’s brother, Tommy, and had an important role in keeping his brother alive during premiere episode ofThe Last of Us.

During an interview on The Last of Pods, Luna revealed behind-the-scenes details on The Last of Us episode 1’s epic plane scene.

The Last of Us was filmed on a number of locations primarily around Canada, with Luna explaining that the facades of the buildings on the street from the plane scene were fully recreated on the series’ set in Fort Macleod, Alberta. While Luna goes on to talk about how the majority of the scene was practical, obviously the same could not be said about the shocking plane crash. The actor reveals that HBO’s The Last of Us used a gigantic light wall to reproduce the effect of the crashing plane to actors on set. Check out the full quote below:

“We completely reconstructed the facades of a whole street in Fort Macleod, Alberta. Which is about one hour and a half south of Calgary… I found myself in full 360 sets, that I could see, touch, hear everything — all senses were ignited and everything was there for you to experience. And the plane was actually just a massive light wall, that blasted — I mean, we were all instructed to avert our gaze — ’cause that thing was just the most intense light-emitting device that I have ever seen in my life. Just this massive wall of light.”

Related: How The Last Of Us Cast Looks Compared To The Game Characters

Why HBO’s The Last Of Us Plane Scene Was Perfect

The first episode of the series was a great example of how TV shows and movies should handle game adaptations. HBO’s The Last of Us new story additions, such as the perfect inclusion of the plane crash scene, brought something new to the table for fans of the original game, which help add to the show’s positive word-of-mouth. The Last of Us episode 1 started with Joel, Tommy and Sarah back in 2003, the beginning of the series’ zombie apocalypse. The show stuck fairly close to the source material, mainly giving more scenes to develop Sarah as a character and give additional context to how her relationship with Joel worked before the tragic events that episode 1 would introduce to viewers.

The plane scene came after a reasonably long run of almost shot-by-shot scenes from the game, depicting the Miller family trying to escape the outbreak in their neighborhood. When the characters’ car enters the town, The Last of Us show throws a curveball to game players, as the reason for the car wreck in the game — another car crashing into the Millers — appears in the show, only for Tommy to sway from it. Seemingly escaping the harm, the characters (and the audience) are shocked to see that a plane is crashing behind them. After crashing, an unidentified part from the plane flies towards the Millers’ car and sends it spinning. The shocking scene is an interesting taste of the changes the HBO series has in store for the show’s future, which should keep things exciting for people who played the game.

What To Expect From The Last Of Us Season 1

The Last of Us episode 1’s ending set up the story audiences will follow for the rest of the season. Joel, Tess and Ellie are outside the Boston Quarantine Zone and on their way to meet with the Fireflies. Smugglers Joel and Tess were sent by Marlene, the leader of their area’s Firefly faction, to deliver the seemingly immune to the virus Ellie to the Fireflies. In exchange for delivering Ellie, Joel will get a car in good condition, guns and more supplies to search for his brother Tommy, who has been missing for three weeks. Audiences can expect the rest of The Last of Us season 1 to focus on Joel’s mission to find Tommy and the unraveling of Ellie’s mysterious condition.

Next: Why THAT Had To Happen To Sarah In The Last Of Us Episode 1

Source: The Last of Pods/Twitter