The Last of Us Season 2: Everything we know

The Last of Us Season 2 continues Joel and Ellie's story while introducing key new characters like Abby.

Season 2 was confirmed by HBO after just two episodes of Season 1 had aired. The Last of Us Season 1 then went on to average 32m viewers per episode in the US and win eight Emmys.

Without spoiling the events of The Last of Us Part 2 video game, we've detailed everything we know about The Last of Us Season 2 below, which includes its release date window and cast list.

The Last of Us Season 2 release date

The Last of Us Season 2 is releasing in 2025. It was confirmed as part of a sizzle reel showcasing HBO's upcoming slate of shows and original series. Showrunner Craig Mazin confirmed production for series two will begin on 12th February, which explains why we're getting so much casting news right now.

The Last of Us Season 2 cast list

We'll add more when they're announced, but for now, here's the confirmed The Last of Us Season 2 cast list:

• Ellie - Bella Ramsey
• Joel - Pedro Pascal
• Abby - Kaitlyn Dever
• Jesse - Young Mazino
• Dina - Isabela Merced
• Manny - Danny Ramirez
• Nora - Tati Gabrielle
• Mel - Ariela Barer
• Owen - Spencer Lord
• Unknown character - Catherine O'Hara

We also expect Gabriel Luna and Rutina Wesley to return as Tommy and Maria, respectively, as we know that some of Season 2 takes place in the familiar town of Jackson.

Here's more details on some of the cast and characters:

Abby - Kaitlyn Dever

After much speculation, Kaitlyn Dever was finally confirmed to be playing Abby in The Last of Us Season 2 on 9th January 2024. Dever is well known for her role as Amy Antsler in Booksmart, but Uncharted fans may also recognise her as Cassie, Nate and Elena's daughter in Uncharted 4: A Thief's End.

Interestingly, Dever previously auditioned for the role of Ellie in The Last of Us' then film adaptation. However, by the time it came to actually starting production on the TV series, she had aged out of consideration.

For those not familiar with the events of the game, the official non-spoilery character description for Abby reads: "A skilled soldier whose black-and-white view of the world is challenged as she seeks vengeance for those she loved".

Jesse - Young Mazino

Young Mazino was confirmed to be playing Jesse on 10th January 2024. Mazino is well known for his role as Paul Cho in the Netflix series Beef.

"Young is one of those rare actors who is immediately undeniable the moment you see him," said Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, The Last of Us' co-creators. "We're so lucky to have him, and we can't wait for the audience to see Young shine in our show."

The spoiler-free character description for Jesse reads: "A pillar of his community who puts everyone else’s needs before his own, sometimes at terrible cost."

Dina - Isabela Merced

Isabela Merced was announced for the role of Dina on 11th January 2024. Merced has previously appeared in Transformers: The Last Knight and Dora and the Lost City of Gold, and is set to star as Anya Corazon in the upcoming Madame Web movie, and Hawkgirl in Superman: Legacy.

"Dina is warm, brilliant, wild, funny, moral, dangerous, and instantly lovable. You can search forever for an actor who effortlessly embodies all of those things, or you can find Isabela Merced right away," said Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann. "We couldn't be prouder to have her join our family."

Dina's official character description reads: "A free-wheeling spirit whose devotion to Ellie will be tested by the brutality of the world they inhabit."

Everything else we know about The Last of Us Season 2

Without spoiling the events of The Last of Us Part 2 video game, here's everything else we know about The Last of Us Season 2:

• The Last of Us Part 2's narrative will be spread across multiple seasons - While speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, co-creator and showrunner Craig Mazin revealed "What I can certainly confirm is that [The Last of Us: Part 2's narrative] does not fit into one season." He then went on to say "four seems like a good number" when asked how many seasons the show would likely need to tell all of its story. "You never know… it can end up being three or five. But four seems like a good number. Some seasons, because of the story we're telling, will need fewer episodes and some will need more."
• New and returning directors have been announced - Mark Mylod (Succession), Nina Lopez-Corrado (Perry Mason), Kate Herron (Loki), and Stephen Williams (Watchmen) are new to the director's chair in Season 2, while Peter Hoar, Craig Mazin, and Neil Druckmann return to direct at least one episode.
• There will be a lot more infected - Way back in March 2023, co-creators Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin responded to some criticism about the first season's somewhat reduced action compared to the game, promising "a lot more infected" in Season 2.
• Something from the Lost Levels bonus content in the Part 2 remaster is planned for Season 2 - In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Neil Druckmann revealed that "As a tease, I will say there is at least one element from a cut level that is planned [for] the show… I say that with the caveat that we haven’t started filming the show yet and all things are subject to change based on what we ultimately feel will be best for the show."
• A Bill and Frank spin-off series might have been pitched to HBO - Although not Season 2 news, a potential prequel mini series was apparently pitched to HBO. That's according to Bill actor Nick Offerman speaking backstage after his recent Emmy win. Offerman said "It certainly has been pitched. I think we pitched a whole mini-series of a prequel of their lives before they met each other". He then joked that "It could be a musical. We're not short on ideas. We'll just, we'll see what Craig [Mazin] and Neil [Druckmann] come up with." However, Mazin then commented shortly after than Offerman was joking about the whole thing, and that there will not be a Bill and Frank spin-off after all.

That's everything we know about The Last of Us Season 2 so far! We'll update this page with new information when it's available.