The anticipation for Season 2 is evident as the fanbase continues to grow. 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 back in March 2023, as reported by Deadline. This surge in viewership highlights the immense popularity of the series, positioning it as one of HBO\\'s most successful shows in recent years.

The Last of Us Season 2 Character Posters

Season 2 will introduce a five-year time jump, following Joel and Ellie into a world fraught with even more peril and unpredictability. The returning stars Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Gabriel Luna, and Rutina Wesley will be joined by new cast members Kaitlyn Dever, Isabella Merced, Catherine O’Hara, and Jeffrey Wright, enhancing the ensemble for this upcoming season.

During the SXSW panel, showrunners Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin revealed the return of spores, which were absent in Season 1. The trailer hints at this change by showing Ellie, portrayed by Bella Ramsey, encountering an infected whose breath emits the spores. Druckmann emphasized the escalation in both the quantity and variety of infected, as well as the new ways the infection spreads, stating, \\\"Season 1, we had this new thing that wasn’t in the game of these tendrils that spread, and that was one form. And then one shot you see in this trailer, there are things in the air.\\\"

Mazin confirmed the spores\\' comeback, and Druckmann explained the dramatic necessity for their reintroduction: \\\"The reason [we’re doing it now], I mean, we really wanted to figure it out, and again, everything has to be drama. There had to be a dramatic reason of introducing it now. And there is.\\\"

Mark your calendars for the premiere of *The Last of Us* Season 2, set for April 13, 2025, on HBO and HBO Max.

Home > News > "The Last of Us Season 2 Trailer Shatters HBO Records Prematurely"

"The Last of Us Season 2 Trailer Shatters HBO Records Prematurely"

Author : Gabriel

Apr 23,2025

The excitement for the second season of *The Last of Us* is palpable, even before its premiere. The latest trailer for Season 2, unveiled at a SXSW panel, has shattered records by amassing over 158 million views across various platforms within just three days, according to Warner Brothers Discovery. This milestone marks a new high for HBO and Max original programming, with the trailer outperforming previous promos for the show by an impressive 160%.

You can’t stop this.#TheLastOfUs returns April 13 on Max. pic.twitter.com/DH8UzAugIV
— Max (@StreamOnMax) March 8, 2025

The Last of Us Season 2 Character Posters

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During the SXSW panel, showrunners Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin revealed the return of spores, which were absent in Season 1. The trailer hints at this change by showing Ellie, portrayed by Bella Ramsey, encountering an infected whose breath emits the spores. Druckmann emphasized the escalation in both the quantity and variety of infected, as well as the new ways the infection spreads, stating, "Season 1, we had this new thing that wasn’t in the game of these tendrils that spread, and that was one form. And then one shot you see in this trailer, there are things in the air."

Mazin confirmed the spores' comeback, and Druckmann explained the dramatic necessity for their reintroduction: "The reason [we’re doing it now], I mean, we really wanted to figure it out, and again, everything has to be drama. There had to be a dramatic reason of introducing it now. And there is."

Mark your calendars for the premiere of *The Last of Us* Season 2, set for April 13, 2025, on HBO and HBO Max.