Photo provided A screenshot of the new HBO series “The Last of Us” shows Interstate 470 and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge in Episode 4.

WHEELING — Viewers of the new HBO series “The Last of Us” caught a glimpse of the Wheeling area during a recent episode.

Interstate 470 and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge that spans the Ohio River at Wheeling were featured during the show.

Bethlehem Mayor Aaron Snider said the show has been on his “watch list” for awhile, but now he will move it to the top of that list.

Snider said he learned about the region being featured in the show after speaking with Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott about it on social media.

“All of a sudden I had this realization that 470 was shut down a few months ago and it was hard to come up with information as to why. I passed a vehicle with a huge crane with a camera on it,” he said. “Then I put two and two together.”

This is not the first time a TV show or movie has been filmed in the region. Years ago the village of Bellaire and its Great Stone Viaduct train bridge was featured in the 2010 film “Unstoppable.” The city of Weirton was the backdrop for the 2011 movie “Super 8.” Many years ago, “The Deer Hunter,” released in theaters in 1978, was filmed in parts of Mingo Junction and Steubenville. And Moundsville is famous for being the site of the 1971 movie “Fools Parade” featuring Jimmy Stewart.

Snider believes the region’s landscape with its rolling hills and valley are attractive to filmmakers.

“We have a lot of great landscapes in our area. And with a smaller populated area … it’s easier to film and make it look remote, probably,” he said. “We have lots of beautiful shots; we live in a beautiful area.”

Snider said he would love it if more movies and TV shows were filmed in the Ohio Valley. Meanwhile he is looking forward to watching the “Last of Us” and seeing if any shots of the village of Bethlehem were included as well.

Elliott said he and his wife have become fans of the show and while watching it Sunday they noticed some familiar territory.

“Immediately after the show I went back and rewatched the scene and realized it was Interstate 470 approaching the Ohio River,” Elliott said. “While there was nothing in the scene to indicate it was in Wheeling to outsiders, it is nevertheless nice to see HBO using our community as a backdrop for one of its hit big-budget shows.”

Elliott believes the region’s beautiful landscape helps attract filmmakers.

“The combination of rolling hills, a majestic river, and authentic Victorian architecture make Wheeling a unique setting for a variety of films and television shows,” he said.

Elliott believes Wheeling and the state of West Virginia should attract and capitalize on the film industry.

“I would love to see Wheeling be positioned as a filmmaking hub. We have many of the ingredients in place,” he said.

“Just last year, the West Virginia Legislature and Governor Justice took a step forward in this regard by reinstating a film tax credit that had expired six years prior.

“But one significant hurdle that we have is our state’s political climate. There remain too many members of our Legislature obsessed with waging culture wars on social issues instead of focusing on economic development.

“Most of the major players in the filmmaking profession are culturally progressive and less likely to want to operate in states that are seen as unwelcoming to LGBTQ individuals, immigrants, minorities, etc.

Other Ohio Valley residents also took to social media to point out that I-470 and the bridge could be seen in Episode 4 of the post-apocalyptic drama. Many were pleasantly surprised by it, saying they wanted to watch the show.

HBO’s description of the show states, “After a global pandemic destroys civilization, a hardened survivor takes charge of a 14-year-old girl who may be humanity’s last hope.”

HBO gives the show a TV-MA or mature rating. The “hardened survivor” is played by Pedro Pascal from “The Mandalorian.”