‘The Last of Us’ Season 2: 1st Photos, Release Plans and Everything to Know

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Everything We Know About ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2: The Story, Who’s Returning and More

Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey will return for more post-apocalyptic adventures on the upcoming second season of HBO’s The Last of Us. Based on the 2013 video game of the same name, the series follows Joel (Pascal), a grizzled survivor tasked with transporting Ellie (Ramsey) across the country, 20 years after a zombie-like fungus, cordyceps, wiped out much of civilization. As they continue on their journey, the unlikely duo form a surrogate father-daughter bond along the way. Upon the show’s premiere in January 2023, the series — cocreated by Craig Mazin and the game’s writer and creative director, Neil Druckmann — was renewed for season 2 after only two of the season’s nine episodes had aired. The second season is expected to follow the plot of the video game’s 2020 sequel, The Last of Us Part II, which picks up a few years after the original story. Though the show hasn’t been picked up for a third installment, Mazin previously teased that the series’ team may need more than one more season to properly portray Part II’s events. “The amount of remaining story would take us more than a season to tell. But definitely, I don’t see this as something that runs on and on and on,” he told Collider in January 2023. “We don’t have that ambition. Our ambition is to tell the story that exists, as best as we can, in a different medium.” Scroll below to find out everything we know about The Last of Us season 2:

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When Will Season 2 of ‘The Last of Us’ Premiere?

The Last of Us season 2 will debut in the first half of 2025, executives confirmed in May 2024 (which is also when the first photos of Joel and Ellie, seen above and below, were released). 

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What Will Season 2 of ‘The Last of Us’ Be About?

Season 2 is expected to be inspired by the events of the video game’s sequel, The Last of Us Part II. Without spoiling what lies in store, the story picks up with Joel and Ellie several years after the original game’s events. In addition to working through struggles in their relationship, a major event sets Ellie on a dangerous journey for revenge.

As for whether the show will “deviate” from The Last of Us Part II’s story, Pascal told Deadline in January 2024, “I think that they’re always gonna 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.”

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Which Cast Members Are Returning for ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2?

Pascal and Ramsey are set to return as Joel and Ellie, respectively. While HBO has not confirmed which other cast members will reprise their roles, it is likely Joel’s brother, Tommy (Gabriel Luna) and Tommy’s wife, Maria (Rutina Wesley), will return as their characters appear in the video game’s sequel.

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Will ‘The Last of Us’ Go Beyond Two Seasons?

Having previously teased the show could carry over into a third season, Mazin told The Hollywood Reporter in August 2023 that he could see the series running for four seasons total.

“Some seasons, because of the story we’re telling, will need fewer episodes and some will need more. The best news is the audience wants more,” he shared. “We will not indulge a desire for more simply to make them happier when they hear how many episodes are announced. And if they don’t like how many episodes are in a season because they want more, well, OK.”

He continued: “But when all is said and done, I think the wisdom of how we lay it out will hopefully be clear. I don’t know if any season will actually have the same amount of episodes. But, whatever, the number’s not important. What’s important is when they get to the end of the season, they’re like, ‘That was a good season.’”

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Who Is Kaitlyn Dever Playing in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2?

HBO confirmed Dever was cast in the second season in January 2024 as Abby. Video game players will know the name well. The network describes Abby as a “skilled soldier whose black-and-white view of the world is challenged as she seeks vengeance for those who loved.”

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Who Is Catherine O’Hara Playing in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2?

The Schitt’s Creek alum was announced as a season 2 guest star in February 2024. Her character was not revealed at the time, leaving fans questioning who O’Hara could be playing. It is possible her role could be a new character created for the show, similar to the way that Melanie Lynskey’s season 1 character, revolutionary leader Kathleen, did not appear in the video game.

One day before her casting announcement, O’Hara revealed she was in talks to join the series during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen. She also shared that one of her two sons works as a set dresser on the HBO series. O’Hara shares kids Matthew and Luke with her husband, Bo Welch.

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Who Else Is Joining ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 Cast?

Not long after Dever was cast as Abby, HBO announced that Young Mazino and Isabela Merced would be joining The Last of Us season 2 as Jesse and Dina, respectively. Dina, in particular, plays a major role as Ellie’s love interest.

Ramsey shared their excitement over Merced’s casting via their Instagram Story in January 2024, writing, “We’re gonna take over the world. @isabelamerced.”

The following month, HBO announced the addition of Danny Ramirez, Ariela Barer, Tati Gabrielle and Spencer Lord to the cast. Ramirez will play Manny, a loyal soldier whose sunny outlook belies a fear that he’ll let his friends down, while Barer will portray Mel, a young doctor committed to saving lives amid war and tribalism. Gabrielle will be Nora, a military medic struggling to come to terms with her past, and Lord joins as Owen, a gentle soul in a warrior’s body who’s fighting an enemy he refuses to hate.