The Last Of Us Returns For Season 2 On 14 April

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Led by Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, it's two years since The Last of Us debuted on HBO – and became an immediate hit. And now the season 2 wait is finally over...

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The Last Of Us was one of the biggest break-out TV shows of 2023, having bagged several nominations and awards (including eight Primetime Emmy Awards) and an average viewership of 32 million people per episode. It’s no wonder, then, that the series was renewed for a second instalment just two episodes in. Here’s everything you need to know about season 2 of The Last Of Us – including when each and every episode will be available in the UK.

Note: season 1 spoilers to come…

The Last Of Us Season 2: Plot, Cast, Release Date & More

Pedro Pascal as Joel in The Last of Us season 2. (© HBO)

What Is The Last Of Us About?

Based on a video game franchise of the same name, The Last Of Us is a post-apocalyptic drama where a mass fungal infection, known as Cordyceps, has turned a huge percentage of the American population into zombie-like creatures. Set 20 years after this pandemic first began, the show highlights how society has since collapsed as it scrambles to survive and find a cure.

In the first season, the show primarily focuses on Joel (Pedro Pascal), a smuggler who is tasked with escorting infection-immune teenager Ellie (Bella Ramsey) across the US to a safe point. As HBO summarises: ‘After a global pandemic destroys civilization, a hardened survivor takes charge of a 14-year-old girl who may be humanity’s last hope.’

The Last of Us season 2. (© HBO)

What Will Happen In Season 2?

The Last Of Us season 2 will pick up with Joel and Ellie five years after the events of season 1, in line with the video games (The Last of Us and The Last of Us Part II). However, fans should note season 2 ‘will be different, just as this season was different [from the first game],’ says show creator Craig Mazin. ‘Sometimes it will be different radically, and sometimes it will be [barely] different at all. But it’s going to be different and it will be its own thing. It won’t be exactly like the game. It will be the show that Neil and I want to make…’.

The second season is set to introduce Dina (Isabela Merced) as Ellie’s romantic interest, as well as Dina’s ex Jesse (Young Mazino) and vengeful soldier Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) – but how closely these characters adhere to their original storylines is yet to be seen. Meanwhile, Catherine O’Hara will appear in a guest role, though her character is yet to be revealed.

The finale of The Last of Us season 1 saw Joel and Ellie reach the Fireflies’ Salt Lake City outpost, with Ellie choosing to undergo the operation that could help find a cure for the Cordyceps pandemic. But after he discovers the procedure will kill her, Joel sets out to rescue Ellie, mowing down the Fireflies and their leader, Marlene. He takes an unconscious Ellie out of the lab and, when she wakes up, tells her that things went south at the hospital and that the cure is a lost cause.

The season ends with Joel and Ellie hiking back to Jackson, a commune led by Joel’s brother Tommy. Here, Ellie asks Joel if what he told her was true, but Joel doubles down on his lie to protect Ellie from the truth. She simply responds with, ‘Okay.’

The Last Of Us Season 2 Trailer

Bella Ramsey & Isabela Merced in The Last of Us season 2. (© HBO)

The Last Of Us Season 2 Cast

First things first: let’s talk new arrivals. Schitt’s Creek star (and all-round icon) Catherine O’Hara was recently revealed as the newest cast member to join The Last Of Us, alongside fellow actors Isabela Merced, Young Mazino and Kaitlyn Dever. While the role O’Hara will have in the show has been kept under wraps, we’re excited to see what she’ll bring to the story.

‘Our casting process for season two has been identical to season one: we look for world-class actors who embody the souls of the characters in the source material,’ said showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann. ‘Nothing matters more than talent.’

They’ll be joining Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, who play central characters Joel and Ellie. While some characters from the first season could pop up again in the second, there are some who have sadly already met their end on the show are less likely to make a return (unless there’s a flashback).

The full cast for The Last of Us season 2 is as follows:

Pedro Pascal as Joel Miller, a hardened middle-aged survivor of the apocalypse who earns money as an illegal smuggler. In season 1, he is enlisted by the Fireflies to smuggle Ellie across zombie-filled America.
Bella Ramsey as Ellie, a teenager who is immune to the Cordyceps infection
Gabriel Luna as Tommy, Joel’s younger brother, a former Firefly who now runs a peaceful commune in Jackson with his wife, Maria
Rutina Wesley as Maria, a co-leader of the survivors in Jackson and Tommy’s pregnant wife
Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, a soldier who seeks vengeance for a loved one
Young Mazino as Jesse, an important member of his community whose selflessness sometimes comes at a cost
Isabela Merced as Dina, Ellie’s romantic interest and Jesse’s ex
Danny Ramirez as Manny, a loyal soldier who fears failing his friends
Ariela Barer as Mel, a doctor committed to her role while struggling with the realities of war
Tati Gabrielle as Nora, a military medic who has difficulty accepting her past behavior
Spencer Lord as Owen, a gentle person with supreme physical strength
Catherine O’Hara in an undisclosed guest role
Jeffrey Wright as Isaac Dixon, the leader of a militia who faces an ongoing war in their pursuit for liberty. Easter egg: Wright voiced this role in the video game.

Bella Ramsey as Ellie in The Last of Us season 2.

Where Is The Last Of Us Filmed?

Season 1 was filmed in Alberta, Canada between July 2021 and June 2022; season 2 locations are yet to be revealed. You can read all about the various filming locations with our guide here.

The Last Of Us Season 2 Release Date

The Last of Us season 2 will premiere on Sunday 13 April 2025 on HBO in the US, launching on Sky and Now in the UK in the wee hours of Monday 14 April. Season 2 is made up of seven episodes, with each airing at the same time and same place weekly. One of HBO’s flagship series for 2025, The Last Of Us season 2 will begin exactly one week after HBO’s biggest name, The White Lotus, wraps up its third season.

The Last Of Us Season 2 UK Release Schedule

In the US, The Last of Us season 2 will air weekly on Sunday nights for seven weeks. In the UK, episodes will be available to stream on Now from the early hours of Monday, airing on Sky Atlantic on Monday evenings. The UK episode release schedule is as follows: