‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 Is Premiering Sooner Than Expected—Plus, Deets on the Plot, Cast & More

HBO announced that The Last of Us season two will premiere on—drumroll, please—April 13. The new installment will consist of seven episodes that will run through late May. 

Deadline previously reported that The Last of Us season two will premiere sometime in 2025. Co-creator Craig Mazin confirmed the delay was partially due to the SAG-AFTRA strike. 

“We got pretty far actually, we were doing great,” he told Deadline. “Neil and I had been sitting and talking with Halley Gross, who also worked on the second game as a writer, and Bo Shim, the new writer that was in our little tiny room with us—obviously not a mini room because we’re greenlit the proper, we’re a real show, and because I hate that mini room stuff.”

In case you're not one of the millions who tuned in, The Last of Us tells the story of Joel (Pascal), a smuggler who is tasked with escorting a 14-year-old named Ellie (Ramsey) across a desolate United States after a fungal infection spreads across the Earth and turns humans into killer zombies.

The season two logline reads, “Five years after the events of the first season, Joel and Ellie are drawn into conflict with each other and a world even more dangerous and unpredictable than the one they left behind.”

Based on a popular 2013 video game of the same name, the show boasts stunning visuals, a talented cast and plenty of surprises along the way, so it's no wonder HBO has already given the green light for a second season. Pascal admitted that he wasn’t familiar with the game before landing the role of Joel. However, he was intrigued by the script.

“I was blown away by the world of it. And though I wasn’t familiar with the game, I was familiar with Bella, and with Craig Mazin, and I wanted to do it,” he told Deadline. “It intercepted me in a very specific way.”

The first season revolved around Pascal and Ramsey. They will both reprise their roles alongside fellow returnees Gabriel Luna (Tommy) and Rutina Wesley (Maria). 

In an interview with Deadline, Pascal revealed that his on-screen chemistry with Ramsey was undeniable. “I was like, ‘How could you know that you’d have a hit casting me with Bella?’” he said. “Like, how did they know? Somehow, they did.

Kaitlyn Dever is joining the cast of The Last of Us season two. The 28-year-old actress—who you may recognize from titles like Booksmart, Last Man Standing, Dopesick and Apple Cider Vinegar—will fill the part of Abby Anderson, a prominent character who plays a very important role in the video game (per Entertainment Tonight).

Dever shared the exciting news on Instagram. Along with a screenshot of a Variety article confirming the announcement, she wrote in the caption, “So excited to join the family [red heart emoji].” 

And it gets better. The Last of Us season one alum, Melanie Lynskey, wrote a congratulatory message underneath the post. It read, “Oh, I am so in love with this casting [red heart emojis].”

Deadline also reported that actor Young Mazino has been cast as Jesse for The Last of Us season two. And based on what the show’s co-creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann had to say about this casting choice, they’re happy to have the Beef star on board.

“Young is one of those rare actors who is immediately undeniable the moment you see him,” they said in a statement. “We’re so lucky to have him, and we can’t wait for the audience to see Young shine in our show.”

As for the latest news, Deadline confirmed that Schitt’s Creek star Catherine O’Hara is set to appear in The Last of Us season two. Unfortunately, HBO hasn’t released any further details about her involvement. But we do know that she’s joining the cast alongside fellow newcomers Isabela Merced, Ariela Barer, Tati Gabrielle, Spencer Lord, Danny Ramirez and Jeffrey Wright.

Well, there was nothing else like it at the time. And the story line was oddly chilling as we recovered from a global pandemic. According to HBO, the show broke history for the biggest audience growth following the premiere.

“Episode two of The Last of Us tallied 5.7 million viewers across HBO Max and linear telecasts in the U.S. Sunday night, based on Nielsen and first party data, adding more than one million new viewers vs. the series premiere,” HBO said in a statement. “This 22% jump marks the largest week two audience growth for any HBO Original Drama Series in the history of the network.”

Not yet. But now that the premiere date has been revealed, it’s only a matter of time before the trailer is released. 

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