Joel and Ellie live on as The Last of Us survives to see another season.
The season 1 finale of the HBO original show reached a record high in viewership — 8.2 million, to be exact — so we already feel the anticipation for season 2. It left fans on quite the cliffhanger, too, as Joel (Pedro Pascal) fought to take Ellie (Bella Ramsey) away from the Firefly hospital, and the two make their return to Canmore. Only, this time, Joel is hiding a big secret from her.
With The Last of Us top of mind again after the first installment earned a whooping 24 nominations at the 2023 Emmy Awards, it makes sense why fans want to hear the latest on the show's new episodes. Here's everything we know so far about The Last of Us season 2.
Will there be season 2 of The Last of Us?
Just two episodes in, Warner Brothers renewed The Last of Us for a second season. The video game adaptation exceeded expectations upon its debut, surpassing millions upon millions of viewers.
“I’m humbled, honored and frankly overwhelmed that so many people have tuned in and connected with our retelling of Joel and Ellie's journey,” said executive producer Neil Druckmann in a statement. "The collaboration with Craig Mazin, our incredible cast and crew and HBO exceeded my already high expectations."
He added: “Now we have the absolute pleasure of being able to do it again with season 2! On behalf of everyone at Naughty Dog & PlayStation, thank you!”
Is there a release date set for season 2 of The Last of Us?
No, there is no official premiere date for season 2 just yet. Both the WGA writers' strike and SAG-AFTRA strikes in 2023 put a pin in production. However, it seems like the cast and crew are gearing up. Craig confirmed The Last of Us season 2 starts filming on February 12, 2024, slated for Vancouver, Canada.
Given its early stages, we can only predict that season 2 will arrive sometime in 2025: Its debut season was filmed from July 2021 to June 2022 and premiered episode one in January 2023. Season 2 could very well take longer considering the creators' plans of potentially splitting it up into two parts.
Getting fans excited amid the 2024 Critics Choice Awards and Golden Globes, Pedro recently shared an on-set photo with Bella. The Instagram post from January 10 showed the pair dressed in character. Part of his caption read: “(To #TLOU family. You are the bones and the blood ❤️ We are zero without you.)”
In the meantime, hit “save” at the top of this story and circle back later to this page once the official The Last of Us season 2 trailer and premiere date drops.
Do we know if The Last of Us will end after season 2?
While the original video game has just two parts, that doesn't necessarily mean only two seasons of the HBO series. The co-creators spoke with GQ UK and when asked if season 2 could cover the entirety of The Last of Us Part II, Craig responded with an emphatic, “No. No way.” Neil added, “It’s more than one season.”
Craig and Neil kept tight-lipped about exactly how many seasons that means ahead. The former told the publication: “You have noted correctly that we will not say how many. But more than one is factually correct.”
Do we know who will be in The Last of Us season 2 cast?
So far, we can expect The Last of Us season 2 cast members to include:
- Pedro Pascal as Joel
- Bella Ramsey as Ellie
- Gabriel Luna as Tommy
- Rutina Wesley as Maria
As for any newcomers, Booksmart and Ticket to Paradise star Kaitlyn Dever officially joins the fray as Abby for The Last of Us season 2. Her character is one of the game's two playable characters alongside Ellie. Per Variety's description, she's “a skilled soldier whose black-and-white view of the world is challenged as she seeks vengeance for those she loved.”
More talent joins the cast with the recruitment of actor Young Mazino from the Emmy-winning Netflix series Beef. Deadline announced the news on January 10, adding that he'll play Jesse, “a pillar of his community who puts everyone else's needs before his own, sometimes at terrible cost.”
Fans pointed out one possible dilemma with the time jump from Part I to Part II, which puts Bella's Ellie at an older age. Calling Bella's casting “lightning in a bottle,” showrunners assure her return is not even a question. Plus, Craig pointed out that Bella is now the age of Ellie in The Last of Us Part II.
“The only way we would ever, ever consider recasting Bella is if she said, 'I don't want to work with you guys anymore,'” said Neil, according to IGN. “Even then, I'm not sure we would grant her that. We might still force her to come back to season 2.”
Bella pretty much confirmed it themselves on Twitter. Amid the renewal news, they basked in the excitement and wrote: “I'm taking a ride with my best frienddddd (again) :) #TheLastOfUsHBO.”
Bellie, for the win!
What can fans expect from season 2?
As many know, The Last of Us is based on the hit video game, so there is already some framework laid. But whether the series stays true to the original? Pedro spoke with Deadline on January 18 about what to expect.
“I think that [the showrunners are] always going to find ways to build on the incredible source material that they have and surprise us with how they can use that material in a different format like a television show,” he told the outlet. “But I wouldn't want to spoil it for anybody, and the truth is, I don't actually have all of the information as of yet.”
Taking into account what we know about the video game, The Last of Us Part II, viewers will want to prepare themselves. If you thought season 1 was gloomy, The Last of Us Part II takes things to another level. Part II deals with the aftermath of Joel's actions at the end of Part I. While the first game focused on love and hope, the sequel centers more on revenge.
Bella touched on this concept while speaking to Variety about season 2. “It's darker. It's really a story about revenge and a continuation from the first season about the dangers of unconditional love,” she told the outlet.
The events of The Last of Us Part II take place a few years after the first game, and the second season of the HBO show will likely have a time jump as well. However, the game does include flashbacks from the intervening years, so it's up to the showrunners to decide how they will adapt the story and in what order.
Even though HBO has not officially announced anything beyond the fact that there will be a season 2 for The Last of Us series, Craig and Neil have hinted that season 2 will feature more action and more infected. "It's quite possible that there will be a lot more infected later," Craig told Variety. "And perhaps different kinds.”
How do I watch or stream The Last of Us?
If you want to get in on the action, The Last of Us season 1 is available to stream exclusively on Max. Subscriptions start at $9.99 per month. You can stream the series on your phone, tablet, computer and TV by signing in to the Max app.
Jacqueline Saguin
Jacqueline (she/her) was a commerce editor for Good Housekeeping from 2021 to 2024. Prior to joining GH, she was a style and beauty reviews fellow at Insider, testing viral trends, reviewing sustainable brands and more. She's a graduate of the University of Florida's School of Journalism, with a specialty in magazines and mass communication.
