*Warning: This article contains spoilers*
Since its debut in January 2023, HBO’s adaptation of the critically acclaimed PlayStation game, The Last Of Us, quickly became one of the most talked-about shows of recent times. Set in a post-apocalyptic United States, 20 years after a mutant fungus has devastated civilisation, the series follows Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey).
The adaptation of the game became HBO's second-largest debut, surpassing only House Of The Dragon, the Game of Thrones prequel, in terms of viewership. The show was such a word-of-mouth hit that it also experienced a 22% increase in viewership from its first episode to its second, which is the biggest increase for a HBO original drama in history.
Read Next
During a recent interview with Empire, Pascal revealed that the new season is set to be, 'a bigger, far more ambitious and risk-taking season. And, if it can even be imagined, further tests our strength against a world we’re already afraid to be in.'
If the two-year-long cliffhanger from the last episode, the new trailer and Pascal's comments are anything to by, season two is set to surpass all of our expectations.
Below, we've got the latest on what you should expect from season two including the cast, characters and plot. Here's everything we know so far...
FIND OUT MORE ON ELLE COLLECTIVE
Has The Last Of Us season 2 been confirmed?
Yes! The Last Of Us was so popular when it premiered on HBO in January 2023 that it was renewed for a second season before its third episode had even aired. Now that’s what we call a hit show.
Per Variety, executive producer Neil Druckmann – who was also the writer and creative director of the original PlayStation game – was understandably delighted with the show’s success, saying: ‘I’m humbled, honoured, and frankly overwhelmed that so many people have tuned in and connected with our retelling of Joel and Ellie’s journey. The collaboration with Craig Mazin, our incredible cast & crew, and HBO exceeded my already high expectations. Now we have the absolute pleasure of being able to do it again with season two!’
What will be the plot of The Last Of Us season 2?
Following the shock ending of season one, the fate of Joel, Ellie and humanity at large hangs in the balance – but for fans of the original game, it didn’t come as a surprise at all. The Last Of Us stayed incredibly faithful to the first PlayStation game, even recreating certain scenes down to almost every minute detail.
The show’s co-creator Craig Mazin has strongly suggested he will follow suit with season two – meaning the plot will likely to replicate elements of the game’s Part II, which takes place five years later and centres around the now-19-year-old Ellie who is living with Joel in Jackson, Wyoming.
If you’re seriously set on ruining the entire (potential) plot for yourself, then here is a brief overview of what happens in The Last Of Us Part II...
In the game, we follow Ellie on a mission of revenge after Joel is gruesomely murdered in front of her by a young woman named Abby. Once their paths finally cross and Ellie meets her target, the timeline begins again – but this time, from Abby’s perspective. Part II plays with flashbacks and backstories, blurring the lines between which side is 'good' and 'bad', as Ellie struggles with losing herself to this mission of vengeance.
It’s not all bad news, however, as Mazin has also stated season two 'will be different' from the game’s Part II. Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Mazin said: 'Sometimes it will be different radically, and sometimes it will be [barely] different at all. But it’s going to be different and it will be its own thing. It won’t be exactly like the game.'
As depicted in the second official trailer (which you can watch at the top of this article), we see that Ellie and Joel are now living in a compound which has been turned into a safe haven by a woman named Maria and her father. Here, we see Ellie meet her love interest, Dina. All of which occurs before Joel's death in the game.
Also shown in the second official trailer are the different types of infected, which are seen throughout the game but have not yet made an appearance in the series. 'All I'll say is that for the people who want to see more of the infected... Buckle up! Mazin stated in a conversation with Empire.
'You get to see a different evolution of this infection. It's kept certain parts of their brain alive, so they are smarter. They coordinate and hide and do things that we've never seen any other infected do on this show,' teased Druckmann.
While the trailer did not point any further about what happens to Joel, we do not that Joel and Ellie do not seem to be on good terms, presumably about Joel choosing to protect her instead of allowing The Fireflies to conduct a surgery on her that could have saved the world.
As for the rumous about Pascal's character being killed off early into the season, HBO quickly put them to bed, stating that they were 'not accurate'.
Appearing on the Scriptnotes podcast, Mazin further elaborated on the plot for the sophomoric season. When asked about the 'twists and turns' that fans of the show have anticipated ahead of the second season, he said they are '28% correct.'
'I’ve been monitoring things on the internet a little bit, people are very clever, they like to see where we’re shooting and then they have all these brilliant theories about what it means,' he said. 'I wish I could put my arm around each one of them and say, 'No.' Most of the theories are incorrect, some of them are halfway correct, some of the conjecture is like 28% correct. But I do enjoy it all, I like the interest, it's fun.'
Speaking with GQ, showrunner Neil Druckmann also seemed to confirm that the events of Part II will extend over ‘more than one’ season – meaning there will hopefully be plenty more episodes of The Last Of Us on the horizon.
One thing we know for sure is that the script will be stellar. Apparently, moments of improvisation on set are few and far between, although Mazin and Druckmann have revealed that one key line in season 1 was ad libbed by Pascal.
Speaking on HBO's The Last of Us Podcast, the co-creators discussed an emotional scene in episode 6, in which Joel breaks down to his brother Tommy (Gabriel Luna). Joel tears up telling Tommy that he is having disturbing dreams, and when his brother asks him what they are about he replies: 'I can't remember. I just know that when I wake up, I've lost something. I'm failing in my sleep.'
This may be a small moment, but it's a memorably moving show of vulnerability from this complex, emotionally reticent character. 'That was obviously a hard monologue to write,' says Mazin. 'But the [lines], 'I have dreams ... All I know is that when I wake up, I know I've lost something', that was something from Pedro directly.'
Who will make up the cast of The Last Of Us season 2?
Let’s be honest, here: the main question is, will we be treated to more hours of gazing at Pedro Pascal in season two? Luckily, the answer is yes. Though, as mentioned before, we’re not sure for quite how long.
Bella Ramsey will return as Ellie. Druckmann also confirmed Ramsey's return speaking with Entertainment Weekly in March 2023. 'The only way we would ever, ever consider re-casting Bella is if she said 'I don’t want to work with you guys anymore,'' he said. 'And even then, we’re not sure we would grant her that. We might still force her to come back to season two.'
Booksmart actress Kaitlyn Dever is also confirmed to be joining season two as the vengeful soldier Abby who, in the video game sequel The Last Of Us Part II, comes into deadly conflict with Ellie. In a press release accompanying the news of Dever's casting, Mazin and Druckmann said: 'Our casting process for season two has been identical to season one: we look for world-class actors who embody the souls of the characters in the source material. Nothing matters more than talent, and we’re thrilled to have an acclaimed performer like Kaitlyn join Pedro, Bella and the rest of our family.'
Schitt's Creek and Beetlejuice star Catherine O'Hara has also been added to the growing list of actors joining the HBO hit, and appears to be starring as Joel's therapist.
Madame Web's Isabela Merced and Beef's Young Mazino have also been added to the cast for the second season. Merced will portray Dina, described as 'a free-wheeling spirit whose devotion to Ellie will be tested by the brutality of the world they inhabit,' while Mazino will portray Jesse, 'a pillar of his community who puts everyone else’s needs before his own, sometimes at terrible cost.'
Other new cast members include Ariela Barer as Mel, Tati Gabrielle as Nora, Spencer Lord as Owen, Danny Ramirez as Manny, and Jeffrey Wright as Isaac.
Is there a release date for The Last Of Us season 2?
Yes! The show will be released on April 13, 2025 at 3am in the UK.
How can I watch The Last Of Us season two in the UK?
For viewers in the UK, you will be able to stream the show from Sky Atlantic or NOW TV.
Is there a trailer for The Last Of Us season 2?
On September 26, 2024 the first official trailer for the The Last Of Us season 2 was released. Without giving too much away, we can already tell that we're in for yet another tense season as we see Joel and Ellie fight for survival, as well as Joel confronting demons from his past.
Kaitlyn Dever can also be seen for a split second in the role of Abby, and so too is Catherine O’Hara in an unknown role that is yet to be confirmed. In the trailer, O’Hara’s character is seen asking Joel: 'Did you hurt her?' seemingly referring to Ellie.
On March 9, 2025 HBO released the second trailer for the upcoming season, which let viewers further into the post-apocalyptic world of chaos.
ELLE Collective is a new community of fashion, beauty and culture lovers. For access to exclusive content, events, inspiring advice from our Editors and industry experts, as well the opportunity to meet designers, thought-leaders and stylists, become a member today HERE.
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
Naomi May is a seasoned culture journalist and editor with over ten years’ worth of experience in shaping stories and building digital communities. After graduating with a First Class Honours from City University's prestigious Journalism course, Naomi joined the Evening Standard, where she worked across both the newspaper and website. She is now the Digital Editor at ELLE Magazine and has written features for the likes of The Guardian, Vogue, Vice and Refinery29, among many others. Naomi is also the host of the ELLE Collective book club.
