The Last of Us Season 2: Latest Updates and News
Discover everything you need to know about The Last of Us Season 2: release window, cast, intriguing new characters, captivating plot details, and whether or not a thrilling trailer has been unveiled Get ready to dive into the highly anticipated sequel!
The Last of Us Season 2 is now officially confirmed with exciting updates on the horizon. Here's everything we know so far, including release window, cast news, plot details, and more.
It's official. HBO has not only produced an incredible adaptation, but The Last of Us Season 2 is already a top contender for the best show of 2023, setting a new standard of excellence for video game movies and TV shows.
The first episode put all concerns to rest as Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey proved to be perfect as Joel and Ellie. Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin successfully honored the essence of the game and created a vital experience for both fans and newcomers. Now, fans eagerly await the next chapter of Joel and Ellie’s story. Here's everything we know about The Last of Us Season 2 so far.
Is there a The Last of Us Season 2 release window?
The release date for The Last of Us Season 2 has been announced as 2025. The show’s official social channels confirmed this towards the end of 2023, reassuring fans that the second season will be available for streaming at some point in 2025.
Now that the strikes are over, news for Season 2 of The Last of Us is coming thick and fast. In fact, it filming is set to start very early next year,
HBO's head of drama, Francesca Orsi, recently stated in an interview with Deadline that it is still too early to predict how the strike will impact the timelines of its shows. She mentioned that they had initially planned to release "The Last Of Us" in 2025, but now there are uncertainties due to the strike.
Orsi expressed hope for a timely resolution, but acknowledged the possibility of having to reassess the schedule and deliverable shows for 2025 if the strike lasts for six to nine months. She emphasized that the potential impact on their programming is a major concern, but they will address it when the time comes.
Thankfully, during the A Night in the Writer’s Room panel, showrunner Craig Mazin revealed that filming for Season 2 will commence on February 12, 2024.
The Last of Us Season 2 cast: Who’s in it?
While certain roles have still to be confirmed, we can expect The Last of Us Season 2 cast to include:
Bella Ramsey as Ellie
Pedro Pascal as Joel
Gabriel Luna as Tommy
Rutina Wesley as Maria
During an appearance on The Last of Pods podcast, Ramsey said: “I’m really excited. It still feels surreal to me that it’s going to go again.
"However, I also don't want to create comparisons to the first season's experience because it was the best year of my life and the upcoming season won't be identical.
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"I approach Season 2 with the mindset that it will be different from Season 1, and I'm thrilled about it. I can't wait to be back in Canada with Craig Mazin and Pedro [Pascal]. It's going to be great."
In a recent interview with L’Officiel, Ramsey discussed their excitement for Season 2. "I’m open to anything. I can't wait to see how Craig and Neil bring the story of the second game to life in another season. Personally, I'm excited to do more fight scenes, although that's just for me, not necessarily for Ellie," they expressed.
Part 2 brings the action to a higher level, and Mazin is mindful of the increased demands on the actors. "Our actors will have to push themselves even harder," he stated. "As they age and time passes, how will that affect them physically? How will they move and fight? And how will they navigate a world that becomes increasingly physical and perilous?"
New characters in The Last of Us Season 2
Depending on how much of Part 2 is covered in the second season, there are a few roles still to be cast, including:
Abby
Dina
Jesse
Lev
Yara
Manny
Viewers thought they saw Dina in Season 1, Episode 6 and showrunners seemed to confirm it, but it's uncertain if the same actress will reprise the role. Most of the speculation revolves around Abby, with hints from Craig Mazin that the actor may have already been chosen. The Los Angeles Times also mentioned that Abby has been cast, but the identity of the actor is being kept under wraps. Without giving away any spoilers, it's clear that she will be the antagonist in Part 2 and is likely to be just as polarizing in the show as she was in the game.
Neil Druckmann recently teased her arrival in the show with a poster showing her armed with a hammer.
Shannon Berry, known for her role as Dot Campbell in The Wilds, has been connected to the role for several weeks now for a good reason. Stay tuned for updates on her casting confirmation.
Meanwhile, there have been recent indications that Kaitlyn Dever, who was previously considered for the role of Ellie, is now being considered for the role of Abby.
Mazin assured that there would be no recasting for Season 2. "We are not taking any House of the Dragon-style leaps. Those involved significant age jumps, and we don't have that here. So, there will be no recasting. Not on my watch," he informed Collider.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, he also expressed: "Will there be furor? Yes, probably. I mean, it usually starts with casting. We knew they were the exact right person to cast, and they had to endure several months of social media negativity until people saw what we saw. That, to me, is the point. We don't aim to please people on social media or avoid upsetting them. We simply do what we believe is right, and we hope that people come along for the ride and enjoy it."
The Last of Us Season 2 plot: What will it be about?
Naughty Dog's The Last of Us Part 2 contains major spoilers ahead. If you haven't finished the game and want to stay in the dark, stop reading now.
In Season 2, following Part 2, the storyline will fast forward five years. Joel and Ellie reside in Jackson but their relationship unravels when Joel admits to deceit regarding the Fireflies at the hospital. One wintry day, Joel and Tommy save a girl from a swarm of infected. Upon reaching an outpost, they are ambushed by her faction, the Washington Liberation Front.
This girl is Abby, the daughter of the Firefly doctor Joel killed while saving Ellie from the hospital in Salt Lake City.
When they fail to return to Jackson, Ellie and Dina set out to locate them. When Ellie arrives at the same outpost, she is forced to witness Abby brutally beating Joel to death with a golf club. This drives Ellie to seek revenge, leading her to embark on a journey to find Abby.
Sony
Ramsey revealed to GQ in February 2023 that they had the opportunity to visit the writers’ room for Season 2. “It was fascinating to hear them discuss their ideas - I've actually watched a significant amount of gameplay from the second game out of curiosity,” they shared.
"I anticipate that the show will stick closely to the games' storyline once again, and I don't believe there will be a need for additional filler content. I'm looking forward to seeing Ellie and Dina's story unfold, but like everyone else, I'm also concerned about how Joel's death will be portrayed in the show."
Ramsey discussed the increasing complexity of her relationship with Joel on the Happy Sad Confused podcast. She expressed anticipation for the heightened excitement and impending violence, while also admitting to feeling nervous about the role. Ramsey is aware of the events in the second game and expressed concern about the possibility of being without Pedro for an extended period, which would be deeply saddening.
At the very least, Season 2 will begin to tell the story of Part 2, and it's much broader in scope than the first game. Mazin suggests that we can expect multiple seasons in the future.
"There is still a considerable amount of story left to cover, more than enough for another season of television. Assuming we can continue moving forward, the plan is to go beyond just one more season," he shared with Consequence.
In a recent interview with GQ, Druckmann confirmed that Part 2 will be spread out over multiple seasons. Additionally, Mazin stated to Deadline, "The series will not conclude with Season 2 unless it doesn't attract an audience and gets canceled."
More infected and a bigger budget are on the way. Despite some deviations from the source material, like with Bill and Frank, Mazin and Druckmann are standing firm on not altering their process. “Our process was effective. We had great collaboration,” they stated to Deadline.
"We made adaptions where and how we saw fit, remaining true to the material. There were times when we deviated from the source material, but that approach proved successful. As a result, we have no intention of altering this process. We will continue to challenge ourselves in various ways.
We also plan to advance the technology we utilize. Through our experiences, particularly in regards to the infected and improving the portrayal of scenes involving them, we have gained valuable knowledge. Our aim is to consistently raise the standard and push the boundaries higher and higher. This is our driving force."
Mazin also told Entertainment Weekly, "I will never confirm that things from the game will happen in the show. You never know what we're going to do. But I can say that the adventure, the journey, is the focus. There will be surprises - some from the game, some not - and that's okay as long as they serve a purpose. We're not trying to create fear for social media, we just want to tell the story the way we believe it should be told."
Has The Last of Us Season 2 trailer been released?
No, there isn’t a trailer for The Last of Us Season 2 right now – however, you can get a flavor of what to expect from the reveal trailer for Part 2 below:
And that’s everything we know about The Last of Us Season 2. Check out the rest of our coverage here and our other TV hubs below:
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Editor's P/S
As an enthusiastic fan of The Last of Us, I am thrilled about the confirmation of Season 2. The first season was a masterpiece that exceeded my expectations, and I can't wait to see what's in store for Joel and Ellie in the next chapter of their journey. The release date in 2025 might seem like a long wait, but I know it will be worth it to experience more of this captivating story.
The news about the filming start date in February 2024 has me even more excited. It's great to know that production is moving forward, and I can't wait to see the new characters and plot details that will be introduced in Season 2. I'm particularly looking forward to seeing how the show will adapt the events of Part 2, which is one of my favorite video games of all time.
