A still from HBO’s ‘The Last Of Us’
With its stellar debut last year, HBO’s The Last of Us has been moving forward with its much-awaited second season. Following the resolution of the Hollywood strike, production has been in full swing, with a few major developments including an expanded cast and projected release dates.
The first season, shot in Calgary, Alberta, featured a stellar cast including Gabriel Luna, Anna Torv, and Nick Offerman, among others. Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal will reprise their roles as Ellie and Joel in the second season, which will delve into the events of the 2020 sequel video game
The upcoming season is slated to premiere in 2025, as hinted by HBO boss Casey Bloys at the end of 2023. Unlike its predecessor, Season 2 will consist of seven episodes. Co-creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann explained, “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, so part of what we had to do from the start was figure out how to tell that story across seasons.” Both have assured fans that despite the shorter season length, each episode will feel “like its own blockbuster,” with one episode being notably long.
Production for the new season began in February this year, in Vancouver, aligning with the game’s setting in the Pacific Northwest. This season will continue to explore the cycle of violence, hatred and revenge, as Mazin and Druckmann emphasize the “pursuit of justice at any cost for the ones you love.”
The series already features some fresh faces. Kaitlyn Dever has been cast as Abby, a character driven by vengeance. Young Mazino will portray Jesse, a community pillar with a complex sense of duty. Isabela Merced joins as Dina, Ellie’s new romantic interest and Catherine O’Hara has been cast in an undisclosed guest role.
Additional cast members include Danny Ramirez as Manny, a soldier with a bright disposition masking deep fears, Ariela Barer as Mel, a dedicated young doctor, Tati Gabrielle as Nora, a medic haunted by her past, and Spencer Lord as Owen, a gentle soul in a warrior’s body. Jeffrey Wright will portray Isaac, the formidable leader of the Washington Liberation Front.
With not long to for its second season, the show’s trajectory hints at a potential third and even fourth season. Mazin stated, “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.”
