The story of Joel and Ellie continues: HBO has renewed The Last of Us for season 2 (and even season 3!), going on to cover the events of the second game. We've got you covered on everything you need to know about that: the expected release date, the cast, news and rumors.
HBO absolutely nailed it with The Last of Us season 1, catching new and old fans alike. The first season covered the events of the first game with the same name by Naughty Dog, telling the story of Joel and Ellie as they set out on a journey to find a cure for the fungal infection that changed the world and basically turns infected into zombies – a cure Ellie might be the key to.
The second and third season will cover the story of the second game – something to look forward to, but also dread (if you know, you know). Here's everything you need to know about the upcoming second season so you can get ready to live through that emotional turmoil again.
The Last of Us Season 2: Release Window
The Hollywood strikes that shut down the industry back in 2023 have delayed many projects, including The Last of Us. Now, we're back on track: filming started on February 12, 2024 in Canada. HBO also confirmed that The Last of Us Season 2 comes out in 2025, along with many other highly anticipated shows:
The best is yet to come.
— Max (@StreamOnMax) December 6, 2023
New originals, returning series, and more are coming soon to Max, The One to Watch. pic.twitter.com/Rnfp7gpvAe
The first season took nearly a year to film and released about half a year after they finished up in June 2022, so if they are on a similar schedule again, a summer release makes sense to us.
The Last of Us Season 2: Returning And New Cast
SPOILER ALERT: If you somehow haven't played The Last of Us Part II and are clueless about what went on in the game, kindly click away – or click here to get the game. And I implore you to, because TLOU is God's way of showing us that he still loves us (and I'm not even religious).
As season 2 will tackle the story of the second game, we already know there are some new characters bound to play a big role in the upcoming HBO adaptation. And, as much as it pains me to say it, there are characters we'll have to say goodbye to.
Still, Pedro Pascal will return as Joel and Bella Ramsay reprises their role as Ellie – yes, the aged up version as well, and I don't want to hear any complaints about that. Ramsay did a phenomenal job as Ellie (as did her original actress in the games, who is also Ellie's mother in season 1, Ashley Johnson).
As the two of them reside in Jackson at the moment, chances are Gabriel Luna and Rutina Wesley will return as Tommy and Maria, Joel's brother and sister-in-law. The Jackson crew gets completed by Young Mazino and Isabela Merced, playing Jesse and Dina, respectively.
And obviously, there's the elephant in the room: who is going to play Abby? Who is willing to go through that? Even the voice actress for her in the first game, the wonderful Laura Bailey, got death threats. She got death threats for voicing a character people didn't like. Think about that.
Rumors have been around for some time, and now it's official: Kaitlyn Dever will portray Abby in The Last of Us' second season. I want all fans to be on their best behavior when it's her time to shine – no more situations like Laura Bailey had to face, okay?
Abby's original voice actress seems pleased on the live-action casting, though, and didn't waste a second to congratulate Dever on the part:
Huge congrats, Kaitlyn! So excited to see Abby's evolution in your performance! Let me know if you want a workout buddy. https://t.co/Sryf9i85dp
— Laura Bailey (@LauraBaileyVO) January 9, 2024
Most of the WLF fraction has been cast as well: we've got Danny Ramirez as Manny, Ariela Barer as Mel, Tati Gabrielle as Nora and Spencer Lord as Owen.
The Last of Us Season 2 & 3: One Game, Two Seasons
The Last of Us Part II was basically split into two parts as well and, let's be honest, there's a lot to cover. It does make sense then, that the second game will be split into two seasons. That's why The Last of Us season 2 only gets nine episodes instead of ten – because there's even more to come.
How they are going to split it is the topic of many discussions online. Are they going the game route, first following Ellie and then Abby? Are they going to go back and forth? When will they end the second season, and at which point in the story will they set the cut? How am I, personally, going to survive the heartbreak a second time? More questions than answers, honestly.
The fact remains that The Last of Us Part II will be adapted into two seasons by HBO, which is probably a good call. Even though the main part of the story only spans the time of three days, a lot can happen in those three days. I would know, I've relived and replayed those 72 hours about fifty times in the last three years.
That means I know the story by heart, as well as any little corner in the game and every single word of dialogue. Will that be of any value, though? They could still take a new approach to tell the story.
How Closely Will Season 2 Follow The Source Material?
It's not even about Joel at this point. What happens to him needs to happen, and there's basically no chance they'll change his fate in the HBO show. Stop dreaming.
But, showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann hope that the remainder of the show will have something for everyone, whether they're newcomers to the series or devoted fans of the video game. Mazin and Druckmann also emphasized that they don't feel constrained by the source material, so viewers can expect to see changes in the show compared to the game.
That probably means they are going to keep their philosophy from season one: stick to the story, make some changes where they make sense. Having the cordyceps spread by wheat and not by crazy monkeys, for example. Let Ellie have her catharsis with David without Joel stopping her. Give Henry and Sam more backstory. Break our hearts into a million tiny pieces with Bill and Frank – stuff like that.
Still, it's going to take some time until The Last of Us graces our screens again. Until then, you can bet we'll keep you updated with the latest news!