The Last of Us TV show first set photo has Joel, Sarah, and Tommy

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Looks like filming is about to kick off, if it hasn't already

The Last of Us
(Image credit: Naughty Dog)

The Last of Us TV show's first set photo has been revealed, featuring Pedro Pascal as Joel, Gabriel Luna as Tommy, and newcomer Nico Parker as Joel's daughter, Sarah. It would appear the cast is rehearsing the dreaded first scene of 2013's The Last of Us, which also means filming is likely to begin very shortly, if it hasn't already.

Despite beaming smiles from The Last of Us TV show's cast, the picture is ominous to anyone who's played the game, as they'll remember keenly the trio's panic-stricken romp through the suburbs of Austin and Sarah's tragic ensuing death.

Luna shared the photo to Instagram with the caption, "Already love these folks" and the hashtags "#MillerTime, referencing Joel and Sarah's family name, and #thelastofus. Have a look:

It's hard to say for sure whether the cast is actually filming for the series or simply rehearsing. It looks like there's a cinematographer in between Pascal and Luna, which suggests they're blocking out the scene. But then Pascal is wearing a plain gray shirt similar to the one Joel wears in the opening scene, so he could be in costume. Or he could just be wearing a plain gray shirt coincidentally. Either way, if filming isn't underway already, the photo confirms it'll be kicking off very soon.

Just this week, we learned about Parker's casting as Sarah, which is fueling speculation about the character's share of screen time compared to her brief but impactful story in the game. Parker is a relatively well-known young actor, so it's possible Sarah will have a bigger part to play in the HBO series than she did in the game. Though you can't deny Sarah's immeasurable influence on Joel's character arc and his relationship with Ellie, she's only in the game for about 20 minutes at the very beginning. My guess is the first episode of the show ends with Sarah's death, but there's a chance she sticks around longer. 

After all, the game's director (and HBO series producer) Neil Druckmann said back in April that the show will "reinterpret" some parts of the game, leaving open the possibility of minor changes. Just don't expect the story to diverge far from the first game, as Druckmann also said "the structure of The Last of Us, the underpinnings" are the same, even as the creative team behind the series is "telling slightly different stories."

No pressure, but it'd be real cool if The Last of Us TV show winds up on our list of the best TV shows of all time.

Jordan Gerblick
Jordan Gerblick
Staff Writer

After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.