THE FIRST SEASON of The Last of Us ends exactly where the 2013 game did, too: on a hill overlooking a survival settlement, Joel and Ellie both having escaped death—but under very different circumstances—Joel delivering a lie that may soon drive both apart.
Throughout the season, the series has moved in near lockstep with its video game counterpart, diverging only a few times from its tightly plotted source material, first in a stand-alone episode about two peripheral game characters, then in another extended sequence focusing on more explored game characters, and finally in a stand-alone episode based on a downloadable follow-up to the game.
Gamers know there’s still another story to be had, given The Last of Us was followed up by a sequel in 2020, The Last of Us Part II.
If the series—co-written by the game’s writer Neil Druckmann—aspires to complete the story told in the gaming medium, it will need at least one more season to do so.
Thankfully, we’re getting that second season. Shortly after the show aired, HBO renewed the series for another season. The first episode saw about 4.7 million viewers, with the second episode jumping to 5.7—the largest second week audience jump in HBO history. In other words: if you watch it, more of it will come.
Who will be in The Last of Us Season 2?
Pedro Pascal will return as Joel, and Bella Ramsey will also return as Ellie. But a major character, introduced in The Last of Us Part II, has now also been cast.
It was announced in early 2024 that Abby—a quite polarizing character from the game to say the very least—will be played by actress Kaitlyn Dever. Dever has been one of the industry’s ascending talents over the last decade, appearing in top-notch TV shows like Justified, Party Down, Dopesick and Unbelievable, while also leading solid movies like Booksmart and Hulu’s alien invasison flick No One Will Save You.
The show has also added Beef breakout star (and Emmy nominee) Young Mazino in an undisclosed role.
When will The Last of Us Season 2 air?
While filming has not yet begun due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes eating up major chunks of the 2023 production calendar, it’s likely that HBO will fast track production on The Last of Us and cameras could be rolling before long.
PlayStation The Last Of Us Part II – PlayStation 4
PlayStation The Last Of Us Part II – PlayStation 4
The first season began filming in July 2021 in Alberta, Canada, wrapping in June 2022. Production may have been slowed due to Covid-19 regulations at the time; however, even after wrapping, the series required several months of post production.
If filming begins in the first quarter of 2024, it’s possible that the show could air by summer 2025—a show like The Last of Us needs a bit of patience from its audience. But don’t worry—it’ll be worth it.
Joshua St Clair is an Assistant Editor at Men’s Health Magazine.
Evan is the culture editor for Men’s Health, with bylines in The New York Times, MTV News, Brooklyn Magazine, and VICE. He loves weird movies, watches too much TV, and listens to music more often than he doesn’t.
