The buzz around the second season of *The Last of Us* is palpable, even before its premiere. The excitement reached a new peak with the release of the Season 2 trailer during a SXSW panel, which has shattered records with over 158 million views across platforms in just three days, as reported by Warner Brothers Discovery. This impressive figure marks a new high for HBO and Max original programming, surpassing previous promotional materials by an astounding 160%.
You can’t stop this.
— Max (@StreamOnMax) March 8, 2025
#TheLastOfUs returns April 13 on Max. pic.twitter.com/DH8UzAugIV
The show's popularity continues to soar as both new and returning fans eagerly await Season 2. Season 1 episodes are now averaging around 32 million cross-platform viewers domestically, a significant increase from the 8.2 million same-day viewers for the Season 1 finale in March 2023, according to Deadline. This surge in viewership underscores the immense anticipation and affection for the series, positioning it as one of HBO's most successful in recent years.
The Last of Us Season 2 Character Posters
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Season 2 will introduce a five-year time jump, delving deeper into the lives of Joel and Ellie as they navigate a more treacherous and unpredictable world, finding themselves at odds with each other. The returning cast includes Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Gabriel Luna, and Rutina Wesley, with new additions such as Kaitlyn Dever, Isabella Merced, Catherine O’Hara, and Jeffrey Wright.
At the SXSW panel, showrunners Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin shared exciting updates. Druckmann confirmed an "escalation of numbers and types of infected," along with a new vector for the spread of the infection. The trailer teased the return of spores, which were absent in Season 1, with a scene featuring Bella Ramsey's Ellie encountering an infected whose breath releases spores. Mazin confirmed the spores' return, emphasizing a dramatic reason behind their reintroduction in Season 2.
*The Last of Us* Season 2 is set to premiere on April 13, 2025, on HBO and HBO Max, promising fans an even more thrilling and emotionally charged journey.
