The Last of Us is returning for a second season, after keeping fans waiting for two long years since the acclaimed American TV series—based on the popular video game franchise by Naughty Dog—debuted in 2023. The acclaimed HBO series is ready to pick up right where it left off. Though there have been some cast shake-ups, fan favourites Pedro Pascal (Joel) and Bella Ramsey (Ellie) are definitely returning to survive the apocalyptic plague. Here’s all you need to know about The Last of Us Season 2.
The Last of Us returns for season 2 on April 13 (9:00 PM ET) on HBO and MAX. For fans in India, the show will stream on JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar. April 14 at 6:30 am IST.
The Last of Us Season 2 episode release schedule
Directed by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, episodes will be released weekly, every Monday (India time). The second season will consist of seven episodes, which is fewer than the nine episodes in Season 1. Episode 1 is titled “Future Days”. Details of other episodes are under wraps.
Quick recap: What happened in season 1 of The Last of Us
Season 1 of The Last of Us is set 20 years after a plague caused by a Cordyceps fungus. Those who got infected during the 2003 outbreak turn into zombie hosts whose sole purpose is to spread the infection to others. Fast forward to the present: civilisation has collapsed, humanity is on the verge of vanishing, and the surviving Americans are forced to live in quarantines controlled by FEDRA under a military government.
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The first season introduces Joel Miller (played by Pedro Pascal), who used to live with his daughter—she gets killed by a soldier during the outbreak. After losing contact with his brother, Joel starts working as a smuggler with his partner, Tess. When one deal doesn’t go as planned, they come across Ellie, a teenager who was abducted by a rebel militia group called the Fireflies. He is tasked with smuggling her across post-apocalyptic America. Why her? She’s immune. What began as a job ends up turning into a powerful, emotional bond between the two. The finale of Season 1 left fans shaken as Joel made a life-changing decision.
Season 2 Plot: What to expect
Season 2 picks up five years later, with Joel and Ellie now living in a settled community in Jackson, Wyoming. According to the official description, “Five years after the events of the first season, Joel and Ellie are drawn into conflict with each other and a world even more dangerous and unpredictable than the one they left behind.”
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Who’s returning and who’s new in The Last of Us season 2
Returning Cast: Pedro Pascal as Joel Miller, Bella Ramsey as Ellie Williams, Gabriel Luna as Tommy, Rutina Wesley as Maria.
New Additions: Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, Isabela Merced as Dina, Young Mazino as Jesse, Jeffrey Wright as Isaac, Danny Ramirez as Manny, Ariela Barer as Mel, Tati Gabrielle as Nora, Spencer Lord as Owen, Catherine O’Hara as Gail, Joe Pantoliano as Eugene
The Last of Us Season 3 already confirmed
Even before Season 2 aired, HBO announced that The Last of Us would return for a third season. Co-creator Craig Mazin told Variety: “I made the second installment with the goal of creating something I could be proud of—and we’ve gone beyond even those ambitions.”
The video game that inspired The Last of Us came out in 2013, developed by Naughty Dog, and quickly earned a loyal fan base. Its sequel, The Last of Us Part II, released in 2020, caused a lot of discussion. Some praised its bold take, while others found certain choices hard to swallow. The second season of the HBO show will follow this next chapter. So, fans can expect the show to go into uncharted, emotional, and morally grey territory.
