Ever since the sophomore season of ‘The Last of Us’ was announced, fans of HBO’s hit series have been on the edge of their seats in anticipation.
The quickly approaching April 13 premiere has many wondering what they can expect from the upcoming season. A first look trailer of the post-apocalyptic drama series dropped in September, giving a few clues including Catherine O’Hara’s mysterious role and a quick look at Kaitlyn Dever as Abby.
Here’s a breakdown of everything we know so far about “The Last of Us” season 2.
Who is the season 2 cast?
Adapted from the popular video game of the same name, we currently know Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal will reprise their respective roles as Ellie and Joel in this upcoming season. Other returning cast members include Gabriel Luna as Joel’s brother Tommy and Rutina Wesley as Tommy’s wife, Maria.
In terms of new characters, it’s been confirmed that Dever will portray Abby, a soldier seeking vengeance for the people she loves. In “The Last of Us Part II” game, which season 2 is based on, this character was portrayed by Laura Bailey.
Another newcomer is Young Mazino, who will play Jesse. Jesse is well known in the community for taking care of others, but sometimes at an awful cost. In the game, this character is portrayed by Stephen Chang.
Next is Isabella Merced, who is set to play Dina. Dina is Jesse’s ex and also Ellie’s new romantic interest. But Ellie’s devotion to Dina will be tested throughout the second season. Dever and Merced previously worked together in the 2022 film “Rosaline.”
Catherine O’Hara has also been cast in season 2. The character she will play remains largely a mystery, though the most recent trailer seems to indicate she is playing therapist to Joel, who certainly has a lot of trauma and loss to work through.
In March 2024, HBO revealed several additional characters fans should look out for in season 2, which included Danny Ramirez as Manny, Ariela Barer as Mel, Tati Gabrielle as Nora and Spencer Lord as Owen. Jeffrey Wright will also be join the cast in season 2 as Isaac, a leader of a large militia group who is consumed by an endless war.
What is Season 2 of The Last of Us about?
The second season is based on the “The Last of Us Part II” game released in 2020.
The plot picks up five years after the first season. Back in Jackson, Wyoming, Joel and Ellie’s relationship had become strained and a traumatic event disrupts them both. This leads Ellie on a journey to Seattle to seek revenge.
The themes of the game were unconditional love and revenge, which is in line with the series as well. “More specifically, it’s a continuation of love from the first season, and this is just the dark side of that coin,” Co-creator Neil Druckmann told Deadline about Season 2. “The pursuit of justice at any cost for the ones you love and the exploration of that.”
The official synopsis of season 2 says: “After five years of peace following the events of the first season, Joel and Ellie’s collective past catches up to them, drawing them into conflict with each other and a world even more dangerous and unpredictable than the one they left behind.”
How many episodes are in season 2?
Season 2 will have seven episodes — two fewer than the first season. Despite fans concerns about the shorter season, the game’s creator Neil Druckmann and series creator and writer Craig Mazin assure fans that each episode will “feel like its own blockbuster.”
Will there be more seasons of ‘The Last of Us’?
It is highly likely that the series will extend into a third season, and possibly even more. Craig Mazin teased a third installment of the series saying a third season would be “significantly larger.”
“We don’t think that we’re going to be able to tell the story even within two seasons [2 and 3] because we’re taking our time and go down interesting pathways which we did a little bit in Season 1 too,” co-creator Craig Mazin told Deadline. “We feel like it’s almost assuredly going to be the case that — as long as people keep watching and we can keep making more television — Season 3 will be significantly larger. And indeed, the story may require Season 4.”
