Earlier this year, HBO delivered the critically acclaimed series, The Last of Us, which set the bar for video game adaptations thanks for its faithful adherence to source material while also making well-received twists to the narrative. Now, fans are champing at the bit for details on when they can watch Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) continue their story after the Season 1 finale.
Just like Season 1 adapted the first game, The Last of Us Season 2 will start the Herculean task of adapting the award-winning sequel. We’ve rounded up details on what to expect and when show is expected to return.
Plot
As confirmed by series creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, The Last of Us Season 2 will begin the work of adapting the sprawling second game in the series The Last of Us Part II. That installment is so huge, that Season 2 will only cover about half of the game. (There has been talk of possibly taking three seasons to adapt the massive sequel.)
In the Season 1 finale, Joel lied to Ellie about the Fireflies not being able to extract a cure for the Cordyceps virus from her. What actually happened is they would have to kill her to engineer an antidote, prompting Joel to shoot his way out and flee their compound. That deception will be a Chekhov’s gun going into the new season that will be set four-to-five years later.
Here’s the official synopsis for The Last of Us Part II video game to give you a hint of where the Season 2 story is going:
After slaughtering members of the Fireflies rebel group to save Ellie, Joel is now living in Jackson with his surrogate daughter, as well as Maria and his brother Tommy. When a violent event disrupts their peace, Ellie becomes obsessed with hunting down those responsible, even as she’s forced to deal with the physical and emotional repercussions of her actions.
At this point, we should highly caution you to be careful while looking around for plot details from the second game because there is a significant spoiler moment that occurs. (Don’t worry, we won’t tell you what it is.) The Last of Us Part II has been available on Playstation consoles for three years now, so there are plenty of YouTube videos and reviews that could easily spoil the events of Season 2 if you’re not aware.
Cast
Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey are, naturally, locked into reprise their roles of Joel and Ellie. Gabriel Luna is also expected to return as Joel’s brother Tommy. As of this writing, that’s the only cast that’s been officially confirmed.
However, recent uncorroborated reports have suggested that Kaitlyn Dever could play the key role of Abby in Season 2. Dever was a fan-favorite casting choice for Ellie heading into Season 1 and even auditioned for the part, which ultimately went to Ramsey. As of this writing, Dever joining the Season 2 cast is still just an unconfirmed rumor and should be treated as such.
Release Date
After seeing its production disrupted by both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, The Last of Us Season 2 will not start filming in Vancouver until January 2024. According to Variety, Season 2 is aiming for an early 2025 premiere barring any further delays.
Trailer
Considering production hasn’t even started yet, The Last of Us fans are going to be waiting a while before HBO releases a Season 2 trailer.
The Last of Us Season 1 is available for streaming on Max.