The Last of Us Season 2 Release Date Window Confirmed by HBO – New Characters & Plot Twists Teased

Release date and episode rollout HBO confirmed that The Last of Us Season 2 premiered on Sunday, April 13, 2025, at 9 p.m. ET/PT, with new chapters dropping weekly through the seven-episode finale on May 25, 2025. Story picks up five years later Season 2 adapts the first half of Naughty Dog’s 2020 game The Last of Us Part II. Joel and Ellie have settled in the thriving settlement of Jackson, Wyoming, but the fragile peace is shattered by a violent incident that propels Ellie and Dina on a revenge-fueled road trip to Seattle. Parallel flashbacks explore Joel’s attempt to mend his strained bond with Ellie, while newcomer Abby’s mission for retribution reframes the show’s central moral questions. New and returning cast • Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey reprise Joel and Ellie, joined by Gabriel Luna (Tommy). • Isabela Merced debuts as Dina, Ellie’s love interest. • Young Mazino (Beef) plays Jesse, Jackson’s self-sacrificing scout. • Kaitlyn Dever headlines as Abby, a Washington Liberation Front soldier whose personal vendetta drives the season’s most shocking twist. • Jeffrey Wright returns to his video-game role as WLF leader Isaac, while Catherine O’Hara, Danny Ramirez, Tati Gabrielle and others expand the ensemble. Production and filming insights Showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann trimmed this arc to seven “dense, high-calorie” episodes and confirmed the story will stretch into future seasons. Principal photography ran February–August 2024 across British Columbia, doubling for post-pandemic Seattle; additional shoots wrapped in January 2025 at Vancouver Aquarium. Directors Mark Mylod, Kate Herron, Peter Hoar, Nina Lopez-Corrado and Stephen Williams each tackled standalone chapters to give the year-jumped story distinct perspectives. Trailer and marketing buzz The official full-length trailer—unveiled at SXSW on March 8, 2025—amassed 158 million views in its first three days, becoming HBO/Max’s most-watched promo ever. Teasers highlighted Pearl Jam’s “Future Days,” an emotional motif for Joel and Ellie, while character posters for Joel, Ellie and Abby fueled week-to-week social chatter. Ratings surge for season opener The premiere drew 5.3 million cross-platform U.S. viewers on its first night, a 13 percent lift over the series launch in 2023. Nielsen streaming minutes topped 800 million during the first week, placing the show at No. 1 on Samba TV’s Top 10. Critical response Early reviews call Season 2 “darker, more complex and even better than the first” (Collider) thanks to expanded infected action, Ramsey’s powerhouse performance and Dever’s polarizing but riveting Abby arc. Rotten Tomatoes lists a 95 percent critics’ score from more than 200 reviews, while Metacritic posts an 81/100 “universal acclaim” rating. How to watch Episodes air Sundays on HBO and stream day-and-date on Max, with American Sign Language versions released simultaneously. For cord-cutters, all Season 2 installments will be part of Max’s ad-free and ad-supported tiers and are available in 4K HDR with Dolby Atmos on supported devices. What’s next Mazin and Druckmann have already secured a Season 3 renewal and reiterated that Part II’s back-half will not be rushed. Expect production news for the next run later in 2025, with filming again eyed for Vancouver as the story widens to Santa Barbara and new factions of infected. Search takeaway Whether fans are looking for The Last of Us Season 2 release date, cast list, episode guide, trailer details, filming locations or renewal status, the latest chapter delivers must-watch TV and sets the stage for an even more ambitious saga ahead.