HBO’s ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 Set for April 2025 Premiere

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — HBO‘s critically acclaimed series “The Last of Us” will return for its second season in April 2025, creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann announced during a June 2024 interview. The post-apocalyptic drama, based on the popular video game franchise, will feature seven episodes in its sophomore season, adapting the story from “The Last of Us Part II.”

Mazin and Druckmann revealed that the second season will delve deeper into the expansive narrative of the game’s sequel, which offers significantly more material than the first installment. “The story material that we got from Part II of the game is way more than the story material that was in the first game,” Mazin said. “We had to figure out how to tell that story across seasons, and this season’s natural breakpoint felt like it came after seven episodes.”

The creators also hinted at the possibility of extending the series beyond Season 2, with plans for a third and potentially fourth season. “We don’t think that we’re going to be able to tell the story even within two seasons,” Mazin added. “As long as people keep watching and we can keep making more television, Season 3 will be significantly larger, and the story may require Season 4.”

Season 2 will introduce new characters, including Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, a soldier with a pivotal role, and Isabela Merced as Dina, Ellie’s love interest. Jeffrey Wright will also join the cast as Isaac Dixon, a militia leader. Returning stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey will reprise their roles as Joel and Ellie, respectively.

While HBO has not confirmed an exact premiere date, speculation points to April 13, 2025, following the conclusion of “The White Lotus” Season 3. Mazin teased that one episode in Season 2 will be notably long, though not quite feature-length. “There’s an episode that is going to be quite big in length,” he said.

Season 1 of “The Last of Us” premiered in January 2023 and quickly became a cultural phenomenon, praised for its gripping storytelling, strong performances, and emotional depth. The series is available to stream on Max.