Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey fans, rejoice! HBO’s hottest drama will return for another go-round. The entertainment juggernaut renewed the critically acclaimed video game adaptation The Last of Us for Season 2 per a WarnerMedia press release. 

The Last of Us premiered on January 15, 2023, with HBO’s second-largest debut behind House of the Dragon. The first episode clocked in at 22 million viewers on the domestic front. Episode two has amassed 5.7 million viewers so far. 

Here’s a synopsis for the series per WarnerMedia

The Last of Us takes place 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed. Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal and heartbreaking journey as they both must traverse the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.”

RELATED: 5 Characters From Star Wars: Rebels We Want To See in Live Action

Co-creator, showrunner and executive producer Craig Mazin had this to say regarding the show’s renewal: 

“I’m so grateful to Neil Druckmann and HBO for our partnership, and I’m even more grateful to the millions of people who have joined us on this journey. The audience has given us the chance to continue, and as a fan of the characters and world Neil and Naughty Dog created, I couldn’t be more ready to dive back in.”

Neil Druckmann, who co-created the series and is the showrunner and executive producer alongside Mazin, added his two cents. Druckmann is also the Naughty Dog co-president and creator/writer behind The Last of Us game franchise:

“I’m humbled, honored, and frankly overwhelmed that so many people have tuned in and connected with our retelling of Joel and Ellie’s journey. The collaboration with Craig Mazin, our incredible cast & crew, and HBO exceeded my already high expectations. Now we have the absolute pleasure of being able to do it again with season two! On behalf of everyone at Naughty Dog & PlayStation, thank you!”

RELATED: Take a Cross-Country Road Trip Inspired by Video Games

Besides Pascal as Joel and Ramsey as Ellie, Season 1 also stars Gabriel Luna as Tommy, Anna Torv as Tess, Nico Parker as Sarah, Murray Bartlett as Frank, Nick Offerman as Bill, Melanie Lynskey as Kathleen, Storm Reid as Riley, Merle Dandridge as Marlene, Jeffrey Pierce as Perry, Lamar Johnson as Henry, Keivonn Woodard as Sam, Graham Greene as Marlon and Elaine Miles as Florence. 

HBO has a massive hit on its hands and a compelling, faithful adaptation of a beloved game. Combine that with impactful performances in an immersive world, and you’ve got a winner. I can’t wait to watch the rest of Season 1 and see the continuation of this story play out in Season 2. 

New episodes of The Last of Us premiere on Sundays at 9 pm on HBO and HBO Max. 

What are your thoughts on the show’s renewal? Sound off in the comments below!

5 Mandalore-Inspired Questions We Need Answered in Season 3 of THE MANDALORIAN

Melody McCune
Follow me!