'The Last of Us' season 2: release date, plot and cast

WORDS Jasmine Pirovic PUBLISHED Thu, 11 Jan 2024 - 11:30 am

Loyal players of The Last of Us were always going to tune into the critically-lauded TV series adaptation, brought to life by the game's creator Neil Druckmann and Chernobyl’s Craig Mazin. But what really had us hooked, line and sinker, was the casting of the internet's favourite "slutty daddy" Pedro Pascal in the lead role. Now, after a successful first season, HBO has renewed The Last of Us for a second season, and there's going to be some changes...

Who's involved

Those changes are mostly to do with casting from what's been shared so far. You can relax though, all the original players will return. We're talking Pascal and Bella Ramsey. Joining them is Booksmart's Kaitlyn Dever, who is set to star as the season's most prominent character Abby, behind Joel and Ellie that is. Per Deadline, Abby is a "skilled soldier whose black-and-white view of the world is challenged as she seeks vengeance for those she loved".

Variety also confirmed that Beef star Young Mazino will be added to the cast of season 2 as Jesse, "a pillar of his community who puts everyone else’s needs before his own, sometimes at terrible cost".

Season 1 included the likes of Gabriel Luna, Anna Torv, Nico Parker, Murray Bartlett, Nick Offerman, Melanie Lynskey, and Storm Reid. And the search continues for equally talented actors. "Our casting process for season 2 has been identical to season 1: we look for world-class actors who embody the souls of the characters in the source material,” says Mazin and Druckmann.

What's the plot?

Just as season 1 of the post-apocalyptic HBO series stayed true to the source material, season 2 aims to do the same thing... sorta. Anyone who has played The Last of Us: Part II knows the game becomes more complicated and expansive in its sequel, as such the showrunners have hinted that the story could stretch across a handful of seasons. How many? That's not yet clear. However, don't expect it to be a scene-by-scene copy. The second season of The Last of Us opens to Ellie and Joel four years from when we left them in the original game. What little peace they've managed to grasp is blown to shreds after a violent event alters their existence and Ellie sets off for retribution.

Is there a release date?

Not as of yet. However, we know production for the second season of The Last of Us is set to begin in February 2024, with a 2025 release date in mind. Time for a rewatch, we suppose?