This article contains spoilers for the video game The Last of Us Part 2 and, as a result, potential spoilers for The Last of Us Season 2 and beyond.

The Last of Us Season 2 is nearly upon us, but let’s be honest: it likely won’t end up culminating in a very satisfying ending for viewers. The Last of Us is a very sacred story for gamers and is widely regarded as one of the best in gaming. The second game, The Last of Us Part 2, is much more divisive but still held highly by its fans. Despite this, it’s also a lot less straightforward than the first game. It’s extremely non-linear with lots of flashbacks that provide critical context to events in the narrative, but are only inserted into the story at specific times for maximum impact. Similarly, its structure is also designed to intentionally upset the player in some ways.

The first season of The Last of Us was likely a lot less of a challenge as the first game’s story is pretty straightforward. While there were changes made in the show, it is generally pretty faithful to the source material. The second game is much more complex and its story is structured in a way that largely only makes sense for a video game. That doesn’t mean it’s unadaptable whatsoever; it just requires a lot of very precise storytelling changes. For instance, it doesn’t really make sense for a TV show to divide itself the way The Last of Us Part 2 does. In a game, you can’t frequently cut back and forth between two different characters/stories without it being extremely disruptive and disorienting.

Although Ellie and Abby’s stories happen parallel to each other, they are extremely different from each other. One is a revenge quest, and the other is a story of a woman helping a pair of children escape from a cult, to put it simply. In a TV show, however, it is a bit easier to cut between the characters within the same episode. TV shows typically have A-plots and B-plots that allow you to jump in and out of multiple stories at any given time. At the time of writing, we don’t know exactly how showrunners Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin plan to structure the TV series, but it’s likely going to cause some annoyances for fans one way or another.

The biggest thing I keep thinking about is where The Last of Us Season 2 will choose to end its story. It’s a mere seven episodes, two fewer than the first season, which also had an hour-and-a-half-long pilot and a 75-minute episode centered around Bill and Frank. We already know Season 2 will not adapt the entirety of the second game and it’s been suggested The Last of Us will run for two more seasons, which will cover the rest of the sequel game. Some have speculated that the second season may choose to spend more time with Joel and, as a result, his confrontation with Abby will come much later than it does in the game. Personally, I don’t see that happening. The trailers and set photos have shown scenes set in Seattle, indicating Ellie and Dina set out on their adventure during this season.

No matter where The Last of Us Season 2 chooses to end itself, it’s going to leave viewers frustrated. There were two years between seasons one and two, and there will likely be a similar gap between two and three. If it concludes at Joel’s climactic moment, it will anger viewers to no end. That’s too brutal of a moment to leave people hanging on and would possibly turn fans away from returning in Season 3. If it wraps up before Ellie and Abby come face to face again, it will feel unfulfilling and abrupt. Based on the trailers, it seems like we will see all three days of Ellie’s time in Seattle as her showdown with Nora is teased, which is one of the last big things she does before fighting Abby.

The most likely spot for Season 2 to end is when Abby and Ellie come to blows at the theater. However, there’s still a discrepancy here. In the game, Ellie’s section ends on a cliffhanger where Abby shoots and kills Jesse and has Tommy at gunpoint. The story then essentially resets and shows Abby’s point of view since Ellie’s arrival in Seattle. Once again, ending it here is unfulfilling as the entire story builds to this moment. Telling viewers to wait a couple of years before they see how it resolves is just infuriating. It’s a moment that already caused a lot of annoyance in the game, and that was just because it delayed the resolution by a handful of hours.

Season 2 could also end after Ellie is beaten by Abby, but then that raises questions about how much story is left to tell in the following two seasons. Ellie spends some time on a farm with Dina, which doesn’t take up that much runtime in the game, and then sets out to kill Abby in California. That’s another episode or two at a minimum once again.

Perhaps the cliffhanger for Season 2 is Ellie finding out what Joel did in Season 1. It’s still not a great ending because it’s likely in a flashback, meaning we already know how it resolves. It’s a cliffhanger that we’ve already stopped hanging from within this very season.

Then again, maybe there’s a way to find a stopping point somewhere in Abby’s storyline. It’s hard to imagine that The Last of Us is going to split Ellie and Abby’s stories into two individual seasons, as that would mean one season would barely feature Ellie, if at all. So, if they tell both stories simultaneously, maybe there’s a point where both stories can thematically intersect that would be satisfying, but I don’t really have any idea where that would be based on the game.

No matter where The Last of Us Season 2 ends, it’s likely going to be on a hefty cliffhanger that will leave audiences in unbearable suspense. This isn’t to say the show will be bad or that the ending will be some disgrace, but it’s hard to imagine it pleasing people who don’t play the game as they’ll be waiting years to find out what comes next in a story that wasn’t initially designed for that kind of a break.

The only imaginable way this can work well is if Druckmann and Mazin take some dramatic turn with The Last of Us’ story, which isn’t totally out of the question. The duo took some notable liberties with Season 1, though the overarching story and ending were kept intact. Either way, it’s clear the creators have their work cut out for them with adapting this already incredibly challenging story.

The post There’s No Good Way to End The Last of Us Season 2, Is There? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

When it comes to horror television over the decades, fans have been spoiled with choices. All corners of television and streaming have featured a wealth of frightening shows, sometimes blending genres with classic chills and concepts to craft memorable productions that stand the test of time. Classics like Dark Shadows and The Outer Limits live alongside modern favorites like Ghosts and iZombie, offering a sampling for all viewers. It’s the perfect representation of the progressive openness of the horror genre, giving fans plenty to chew on and analyze through a lens of terror.

The top of the heap shouldn’t be much of a surprise by those standards. On Rotten Tomatoes, the all-time best in horror television doesn’t necessarily correlate to a high percentage on the Tomatometer or the audience score, as incorporates additional analysis to its rankings (“best of” lists, etc.), as well as editorial considerations like the longevity and/or impact of a series.

Check out the Top 10 Horror TV shows, according to Rotten Tomatoes.

The Last of Us

While it only has one season (Season 2 premieres on April 13th), The Last of Us is firmly at the top of the list. Holding a 96% critics score and 88% audience score, the adaptation of the Playstation video game series has been lauded for remaining true to the original plot while tweaking and changing where an interesting plot point can play around. Season 2 promises to keep this up, while moving onto plot additions first seen in the game’s sequel.

Stream The Last of Us on Max.

The Haunting of Hill House

Technically, this spot is reserved more for the works of Mike Flanagan, which started with Haunting of Hill House on Netflix. It had been fresh on Netflix at the time of RT’s original list, showing a 93% and 91% rating, respectively. Fall of the House of Usher was Flanagan’s latest series in 2023, landing a 90% critic score and an 80% fan score.

Stream The Haunting of Hill House on Netflix.

From

A newcomer series that originally began life as a YouTube Red project, From is a mysterious horror and science fiction series on MGM+. From premiered in February 2022 on Epix and quickly grabbed an audience among the network’s rebrand the following year. Across three seasons From has a 96% Rotten Tomatoes rating and a 79% audience rating.

The series deals with a U.S. town that traps those who enter it, as well as the current residents. Harold Perrineau from Lost stars as the “self-appointed sheriff” and mayor of the town, attempting to help them navigate the terrors in the woods and escape.

Stream From on MGM+.

American Horror Story

The long-running horror anthology from Ryan Murphy and the folks at FX wrapped up its twelfth season in 2024, setting up a potential final season to close out the extension the network gave the show in 2020. It was named the top show on the Rotten Tomatoes list in 2018, though it’s slid a few spots, looking at today’s statistics. It currently sits at 77% fresh after 12 seasons (the highest is AHS: 1984 at 88%), and 66% audience rating.

Stream American Horror Story on Hulu.

Stranger Things

The Netflix hit is still going strong on Rotten Tomatoes as it heads into its fifth and final season. There is no set release date outside of 2025, but Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos has teased what comes next for the franchise and promised the final season won’t leave a “dry eye” in the audience. Through four seasons Stranger Things has a 92% Rotten Tomatoes score and a 90% audience score.

Stranger Things 4 dropped in two parts, starting in May 2022 and continuing on July 1, 2022. The three-year wait between that season and the preceding third season didn’t diminish its impact, so expect similar with the final season.

Stream Stranger Things on Netflix.

The Walking Dead

While the original The Walking Dead is still on the list, the franchise continues to go strong and hold additional spots. The original series has been replaced by several spinoffs, such as The Ones Who Live, starring Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira as Rick and Michonne from the original show. This year will bring a second season of Dead City, the spinoff starring Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and Maggie (Lauren Cohan), as well as the next chapter in the Book of Daryl Dixon and Carol. With all that in play, this franchise is sure to continue holding court near the top of the list. Across 11 seasons the flagship series has a 79% Tomatometer score, with the highest being Season 5 at 90%.

Stream The Walking Dead on Netflix.

[RELATED: 10 Best Episodes of The Walking Dead]

Supernatural

The fifth entry on Rotten Tomatoes’ original list, Supernatural, has fallen well out of the top ten. An unsuccessful prequel series and a series finale five years ago would help explain this drop, but you can’t deny it still has popularity with fans and critics. The original CW hit series landed a 93% on the Tomatometer, while it holds a 73% audience rating.

Stream Supernatural on Netflix.

What We Do in the Shadows

Another series that recently aired its final episode, the television adaptation of the Taika Waititi mockumentary vampire film was a perfect mix of classic horror and absurdity. It didn’t make the original RT list due to its premiere coming a year later, but it has claimed a high spot after a six-season run on FX. It currently holds a 96% Tomato rating and a 92% audience rating, and should be at the top of your list for a binge watch.

Stream What We Do in the Shadows on Hulu.

Evil

The Paramount+ and CBS successor to series like The X-Files and Kolchak the Nightstalker, Evil seemed like a winner for the network in the long term. The show was canceled after its fourth season but has seemed to pick up some post-cancellation love after arriving on Netflix. The first three seasons are streaming there, while Season Four is a fixture on Paramount+, for now. Evil rocks a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an 85% Audience score.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

A top ten series for Rotten Tomatoes in 2018, Buffy has taken a few steps down after creator Joss Whedon was wrapped up in controversy. So while it isn’t as high in the latest list, it still has a firm hold on the audience. It holds an 85% fresh rating from RT critics, while users have given it a 92% approval number.

Stream Buffy the Vampire Slayer on Hulu.

The post These Are the 10 Best Horror TV Shows of All Time According to Rotten Tomatoes appeared first on ComicBook.com.

April is going to be a massive month for TV shows on HBO and Max. Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming service recently released the full lineup of titles joining its roster next month, and it’s easy to notice that the slate of incoming films is a bit lighter than usual. There are a lot of classic movies being added, but not a lot for fans of more recent cinema. That said, it’s TV that will be the focus of Max subscribers throughout April.

Next month will see the return of The Last of Us, one of the most popular shows on TV right now. Season 2 of the acclaimed series will debut on April 13th, and it will be joined on Sunday nights by the second season of The Rehearsal one week later. As if that wasn’t enough, the Emmy-winning comedy series Hacks is coming back for its fourth season in April.

You can check out the full list of Max’s April additions below!

April 1st

A Kind of Murder
A Stolen Life
Aftersun
All I See Is You
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked
April in Paris
Bad Santa
Bad Santa 2
Black Death
Brittany Murphy: An ID Mystery (ID)
Chopped After Hours, Seasons 1-3 (Food Network)
Chopped Junior, Food Network, Seasons 6 & 7 (Food Network)
Chopped Next Gen, Season 1 (Food Network)
Deception
Doubling Down with the Derricos, Seasons 1-3 (TLC)
Drinking Buddies
Edge of the City
Expedition Unknown, Season 1 (Discovery)
Friday
Friday After Next
Gold Rush: Parker’s Trail, Season 2 (Discovery)
House Hunters Ho Ho Home, Season 1 (HGTV)
House Hunters Renovation, Season 10 (HGTV)
I’ll See You in My Dreams
In This Our Life
It’s Love I’m After
Jezebel
Jimmy the Gent
Juarez
June Bride
Kid Galahad
Land of the Lost (2009)
Little Men
Logan
Lucky Me
Lullaby of Broadway
Marked Woman
Moonshiners: American Spirit (Discovery)
Moonshiners: Master Distiller, Season 3 (Discovery)
Moonshiners: Whiskey Business, Season 1 (Discovery)
Mr. Nobody
Mr. Nobody: Extended Director’s Cut
Mr. Skeffington
My Big Fat Fabulous Life, Seasons 6 – 9 (TLC)
My Dream is Yours
My Golden Days
Naked and Afraid, Season 14 (Discovery)
Next Friday
Nobody Walks
Now, Voyager
Old Acquaintance
On Moonlight Bay
Panama Hattie
Parachute Jumper
Payment on Demand
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Romance on the High Seas
Satan Met a Lady
Severance (2007)
Sixteen Candles
Special Agent
Stampede
Station West
Storm Warning
Suspicion
Tea for Two
That Certain Woman
The Biggest Little Farm
The Double
The Old Maid
The Prince
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex
The Star (1952)
The Terminator
The Tree of Life
The West Point Story
The Wild North
The Working Man
Three on a Match
Winter Meeting
Young Man with a Horn

April 2nd

Bateau Mouche: Sinking Justice, Season 1 (discovery+)
Ride of Your Life with Courtney Hansen, Season 2 (discovery+)

April 3nd

Fix My Frankenhouse, Season 2 (HGTV)
HOP, Season 1C (Max Original)

[RELATED: Everything Coming to Disney+ in April]

April 4th

Y2K (A24)

April 5th

HGTV Smart Home 2025 (HGTV)

April 6th

Iyanu, Season 1A (Cartoon Network)
Lazarus, Season 1 (Adult Swim)

April 7th

2073
Barney’s World, Season 1C

April 8th

90 Day Diaries, Season 6 (TLC)

April 9th

All Access PD: Grand Rapids, Season 1 (ID)

April 10th

Gremlins: The Wild Batch, Season 2B (Max Original)
Hacks, Season 4 (Max Original)

April 13th

The Last of Us, Season 2 (HBO Original)

April 15th

Rock The Block, Season 6 (HGTV)

April 16th

100 Day Dream Home, Season 6 (HGTV)
Fist Fight

April 17th

Cookie Monster’s Bake Sale: Block Party (Max Original)
Ghost Adventures, Season 29 (Discovery)

April 18th

Lu & The Bally Bunch, Season 1B (Cartoon Network)

April 19th

Bugs Bunny Builders, Season 2D (Cartoon Network)
Impractical Jokers, Season 11B (truTV)
Outback Opal Hunters, Season 7 (Discovery)
Sal Vulcano: Terrified

April 20th

The Rehearsal, Season 2 (HBO Original)

April 21st

Yellowstone Wardens, Season 6 (Animal Planet)

April 22nd

Love It or List It, Season 20 (HGTV)
Planet Earth III, Season 3 (discovery +)

April 24th

Life of the Party

April 25th

Babygirl (A24)

April 28th

24 in 24: Last Chef Standing, Season 2 (Food Network)
Evil Lives Here: The Killer Speaks, Season 2 (ID)
Filthy Fortunes, Season 1 (Discovery)

April 29th

Contraband: Seized at the Border, Season 6 (Discovery)

April 30th

Castle Impossible, Season 1 (HGTV)
Polyfamily, Season 1 (TLC)
Twitter: Breaking the Bird, Season 1 (CNN)

The post Everything Coming to Max in April 2025 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

With The Last of Us Season 2 starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey less than a month away, you can revisit the first season with a limited edition Steelbook of the 4K Blu-ray that features absolutely stellar artwork on the cover. It officially launched today, March 18th, and you can pick up a copy here on Amazon for $37.99 (25% off). The standard 4K Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD editions are also available via that link. Info on special features can be found below and, on a related note, make sure to check out this massive 3 for $30 4K Blu-ray deal while it lasts.

• NEW The Last of Us: Stranger Than Fiction – Series cast and filmmakers are joined by experts in survival, microbiology, and parasitology for a chilling discussion on the realities of the invasive fungus and subsequent apocalypse in The Last of Us.
• NEW Controllers Down: Adapting The Last of Us – Follow the journey of The Last of Us from console to screen as cast and filmmakers take us inside the process of expanding the world and breathing new life into the game’s beloved characters.
• NEW From Levels to Live Action – Discover how The Last of Us incorporated and expanded fan-favorite game moments in the series
• Getting to Know Me (4 Featurettes)
• The Last Debrief with Troy Baker (2 Featurettes)
• Inside the Episode (9 Featurettes)
• Is This A The Last of Us Line? (2 Featurettes)
• Optional English SDH, Spanish, and French s8ubtitles for the main feature

Synopsis: “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. Season one stars Pedro Pascal as Joel, Bella Ramsey as Ellie, 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. Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker also star.”

You can check out a trailer for The Last of Us Season 2 right here. It will begin streaming on Max on April 13th, 2025.

The post The Last Of Us Season 1 Steelbook 4K Blu-ray Is Shipping Now appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Last of Us Season 2 star Kaitlyn Dever shares her thoughts on the controversy surrounding her character, Abby. While at the 2025 SXSW Festival, the actress spoke with Screen Rant and opened up about the backlash video game The Last of Us Part II received when it was released back in June 2020. While acknowledging that it was difficult for her to not notice the intense reactions gamers had to Abby, Dever stressed that her focus was on working closely with Last of Us showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann to ensure her performance was as strong as it can be.

Warning: Spoilers for The Last of Us Part II follow

“Well, it’s hard not to see those things on the internet. It’s hard not to stop myself from looking at it every once in a while, especially going into this, for sure,” Dever said. “And I want to do this character justice and make the fans proud by bringing her to life in this kind of way. But my main focus was just the collaboration between Neil and Craig, and making sure I was really getting to the core of who she is and what drives her and her emotional state; her anger and her frustration and her grief and all of that. I wanted to make sure that that was what I was focusing most of my energy on.”

Early on in The Last of Us Part II, Abby kills Joel Miller. It’s established later in the game that she was the daughter of one of the Firefly doctors Joel murdered at the end of The Last of Us when he rescued Ellie, leading her on a quest for revenge. While The Last of Us Part II earned critical acclaim (including winning Game of the Year at the 2020 Game Awards), the title received immense backlash for its storytelling. Not only were players upset over Joel’s shocking death, there was also controversy over the fact Abby is the playable character in the game’s second half, forcing gamers to experience things from her perspective as she embarks on her own journey.

[RELATED – The Last of Us Season 2 Trailer Teases Ellie’s Quest for Revenge]

Isabela Merced, who plays Dina in The Last of Us Season 2, stated that during production, Dever needed extra security because “there are people that genuinely hate Abby.” Dever later debunked that claim.

While there will be some notable differences from the source material in The Last of Us Season 2 (see: Joe Pantoliano’s Eugene), the TV show isn’t going to change something as significant as Joel’s death. Considering how beloved Joel and Ellie’s dynamic is, viewers will undoubtedly have strong reactions whenever this tragedy transpires on the series. Hopefully, Dever won’t receive any death threats, which is what happened to Laura Bailey (who played Abby in the video game). It’s one thing for fans to hate a character because of their actions, it’s something else entirely for that hatred to extend to personal attacks. Fortunately, Dever appears to be in the right frame of mind as The Last of Us gears up for its return this April. She doesn’t have any control over viewer reactions, so she concentrated on what she could control: her performance. It’ll be interesting to see her interpretation of Abby and how it honors what came before.

While the overarching narrative beats involving Abby will probably stay the same, there will be some differences between the game and show versions. Dever’s iteration is not going to be as muscular as Abby was in the video game, a decision Druckmann and Mazin made since the story is being adapted into a different medium. On the show, the focus is more on the character drama as opposed to moment to moment action that carries a video game. Throughout her career, Dever has demonstrated the range and skill to portray a variety of characters, so she should have a compelling turn as the vengeful yet vulnerable Abby in The Last of Us.

The post Kaitlyn Dever Responds to TLOU Abby Backlash (& What to Expect from Her Take on the Character) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Sony and Naughty Dog made history when The Last of Us was released on June 14th, 2014. It quickly became one of the most acclaimed video games of all time, praised for its story. The pair followed this up with The Last of Us Part 2, and even partnered with HBO to create a television adaptation of The Last of Us starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey. Fans have eagerly awaiting The Last of Us Season 2, which has picked up the talented Kaitlyn Dever to play Abby, a major character added in The Last of Us Part 2. To celebrate the upcoming premiere, HBO has released a brand new poster for Season 2.

The Last of Us Season 2 releases on April 13th and continues the story of Joel and Ellie, Ellie becomes more of a focus this season, and the recently released poster, which you can see below, showcases this front and center.

RELATED: The Last of Us Confirms Major Part of the Games Finally Coming to HBO Series

While fans may be familiar with the plot of The Last of Us Part II, the second season of The Last of Us won’t necessarily follow it exactly. HBO already deviated from the games with the first season, so there is reason to suspect more changes for the second season.

One noticeable addition to the second season is the spores from Infected. The Last of Us Season 1 made a big change in removing spores in favor of tendrils. Many believed the change was made to allow stars in the show to keep their faces uncovered, but the change to spores brings a more game-accurate portrayal of the Infected.

Fans have also pointed out the change to Abby who was quite muscular in The Last of Part II but not in the TV show. Abby’s physique was explained in game as a way for her to deal with her trauma, representing both her physical and mental state. HBO has shown it can handle these kind of changes will staying true to the original story, but only time will tell how this deviation pays off.

There isn’t much time before The Last of Us Season 2 releases, HBO has already revealed a new major character, but it is unknown how their story will affect the series. The Last of Us Part II Remastered is also expected to be released on PC on April 3rd, giving those who haven’t experienced the second game time to enjoy it beforeThe Last of Us Season 2 airs.

The post The Last of Us Season 2 Reveals New Poster Ahead of Premiere appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A new character in The Last of Us Season 2 could be part of a significant story involving Joel. HBO’s critically acclaimed adaptation of the hit video game series largely sticks closely to the source material, featuring many of the same major plot beats gamers are familiar with. However, the show has made some notable deviations, such as the now-iconic Season 1 episode “Long, Long Time,” which fleshed out the characters Bill and Frank to heartbreaking effect. It appears that Season 2 is going to follow suit by adding context to another background character from The Last of Us universe: Eugene. Spoilers for The Last of Us Part II game follow!

Beloved character actor Joe Pantoliano is confirmed to play Eugene on The Last of Us Season 2, and his inclusion on the show is a major change from the games. While details about Eugene’s role in the show are being kept under wraps, marketing materials have seemingly presented enough evidence to predict how he fits into the story — and it could have something to do with Joel and Ellie’s dynamic.

Who Is Eugene in The Last of Us Part II?

Those who have played The Last of Us Part II (which serves as the basis for the show’s second season) would be forgiven if they didn’t immediately recognize the name Eugene. That’s because the character doesn’t have an actual physical role in the game’s main story. He is mentioned in dialogue between Ellie and Dina and only appears on-screen in photographs Ellie discovers in the game environment. One picture, attached to a letter from Eugene’s family, shows Eugene with his wife and child. Another depicts Eugene and Joel’s brother Tommy standing side by side during their time with the Fireflies.

Because Eugene isn’t seen in action during The Last of Us Part II (by the time of the game’s events, he had passed away at age 73 due to a stroke), what players learn about him is fairly limited. Dina was close with him, as the two frequently went on patrol routes together in Jackson. Ellie mentions Eugene was funny and was still sharp-witted in his old age. Eugene also seemingly had a drug habit; Ellie and Dina discover a basement where Eugene had grown copious amounts of marijuana during his lifetime.

[RELATED – The Last of Us Will End After 4 Seasons, HBO Expects]

So, for all intents and purposes, The Last of Us showrunners have a relatively blank slate to work with as they introduce Eugene to the fold. This is one of the more intriguing elements of the upcoming season, as even die-hard fans of the games are unsure what will transpire. The recently released Last of Us Season 2 trailer could give viewers some hints, however.

How Eugene Might Fit Into The Last of Us Season 2

Towards the end of The Last of Us Season 2 trailer, there is a brief look of Pantoliano as Eugene, with the actor sporting a facial expression that conveys concern and fear. That’s par for the course in a post-apocalyptic world infested with creatures like Clickers, but what’s interesting here is it looks like Eugene is about to be executed. In the one shot of Eugene, a blurry figure can be seen behind him. The trailer then immediately cuts to Joel aiming a rifle, seemingly hinting that he is going to shoot Eugene.

It’s possible this is just a classic case of misdirection in a trailer, but comments from Neil Druckmann suggest this theory might not be so far from the truth. When discussing Eugene’s expanded role in the show with Variety, Druckmann said, “The way this character comes in really gets to the heart of Joel and Ellie and their relationship,” all but confirming Eugene ties into the emotional core of The Last of Us. Eugene’s history with the Fireflies could come into play here.

In the harrowing Last of Us Season 1 finale, Joel kills a hospital full of Fireflies, preventing them from surgically removing Ellie’s brain so they could develop a cure for the cordyceps virus. Of course, Joel lies to Ellie about what happened, telling her that the doctors were unable to create a vaccine. This is a secret he doesn’t want getting out, and it’s possible that Eugene learned about what happened through his old Firefly contacts and confronts Joel about it. Looking to tie up loose ends, Joel may decide the best course of action is to kill Eugene.

Another possibility is that Eugene, an old accomplice of Tommy’s, was someone Joel trusted enough with the upsetting truth — only to be betrayed. Those who have played The Last of Us Part II know Ellie learns what Joel did, which causes her to have a falling out with Joel. The trailer heavily implies that this moment will be depicted in Season 2, as seen in Ellie’s “You swore!” line. In the game, Ellie uncovers the truth during a playable flashback sequence set in the hospital and then confronts Joel in a cutscene. With the story being adapted to a different medium, perhaps the manner in which Ellie learns about the hospital massacre has been changed.

Ellie could possibly learn about Joel’s disturbing actions via Eugene, who’s unable to live with himself keeping it a secret from her. Then, after his argument with Ellie, Joel feels compelled to kill Eugene in an act of vengeance. This wouldn’t be a far-fetched turn of events, keeping Druckmann’s comments about “the heart of Joel and Ellie and their relationship” in mind. Causing a rift between the two definitely taps into the heart of Joel and Ellie’s dynamic and give Eugene a significant part to play on the show.

The Last of Us Season 2 premieres April 13th on HBO.

The post The Last of Us Season 2’s New Character Could Tell a Major Joel Story appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Last of Us Season 2 is coming to HBO on April 13th, and when it arrives, the series will feature a world changed from the previous season. Viewers will see this in a number of ways, as the show will bring in elements that weren’t previously adapted from the video games. During a panel at SXSW, co-creators Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin both appeared onstage to talk about everything happening in the new season. The moderator asked Druckmann about how the threat has escalated from Season 1, and it was revealed that the infection will become airborne.

“There’s an escalation of numbers and types of infected. But also as you see in the trailer, an escalation of the vector of how this thing spreads. Season 1 we had this new thing that wasn’t in the game of like these tendrils that spread, and that was one form. And then this one shot you see in this trailer, there are things in the air,” said Druckmann.

Following the comments from Druckmann, Mazin jumped in to confirm that this escalation means that scattered spores will be appearing in the new season. Druckmann then elaborated that there’s “a dramatic reason of introducing it now.” It remains to be seen what form that drama will take, but it seems like a safe bet that someone will unexpectedly find themselves infected as a result of the spores, leading to a revelation for both the audience and the show’s cast. However, it’s also possible that Joel, Ellie, and the others will have already discovered this escalation in the time between the first and second seasons.

For those that haven’t played The Last of Us video games, spores are a manner of infection separate from the ones previously seen on the show. While humans can be infected by the Cordyceps through bites, they can also be infected by spores that are spread through the air when an infected dies. This element makes the Cordyceps infected a lot different from the standard zombies seen in horror media. It has been established in the games that Ellie cannot be infected through spores, but others aren’t quite so lucky.

RELATED: The Last of Us Season 2 to Include Cut Content from The Last of Us Part 2

There was already a lot of anticipation surrounding the new season of The Last of Us, but this new detail should excite a lot of fans of the PlayStation games. Adding scattered spores in Season 2 will certainly ramp up the tension and threat level from what was previously seen. While some fans might have been disappointed that this element didn’t appear in Season 1, it sounds like there’s a narrative reason behind the decision, which will also make things just a little more nerve-wracking for viewers.

Are you happy that spores will finally appear in HBO’s The Last of Us? How do you want to see this handled in the show? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

The post The Last of Us Confirms Major Part of the Games Finally Coming to HBO Series appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Update: The official version of the new trailer for The Last of Us Season 2 is now out and can be found below.

Original: The Last of Us season 2 is nearly here and a brand new leaked trailer has set the stage for what fans can expect. The Last of Us is one of the most acclaimed video game franchises out there thanks to its brutal, unflinching story and rich characters. The first game was showered in awards, amazing reviews, and commercial success, but its ending caused a lot of passionate debate over Joel’s actions, though few people seemed to be put off by the game thanks to its final moments. The Last of Us Part 2, however, is a different story, despite also being a critical darling and commercial juggernaut, its story is incredibly divisive and led to a lot of fury.

Of course, the success of the games and its cinematic nature made it ripe for a TV adaptation. HBO picked up the rights for The Last of Us and adapted the first game into a strong season of television. Now, The Last of Us season 2 is just weeks away and fans will have to prepare for a bumpy ride. The second season will begin to adapt the second game’s challenging story, which fans of the game know will lead to some fascinating episodes. It’s likely there will be some upset from those who haven’t played the game, resulting in a lot of juicy discourse. While some changes are expected to be made to The Last of Us season 2, it’s likely the big swings will remain in place as they are core to the story.

The Last of Us Season 2 Trailer Highlights Huge Action Scenes, Joel and Ellie’s Rift, and More

With all of that said, The Last of Us season 2 was accidentally released earlier than intended and quickly pulled down, but not before fans managed to save it. It’s expected to be officially released later this afternoon, but for now, you can see the leaked version below.

The new trailer highlights the drama of the upcoming season with Ellie’s new journey, more glimpses at Abby, the villain of The Last of Us Part 2, and much more. It’s going to be an action-packed season given Ellie is on a murderous rampage and Abby herself isn’t exactly a pacifist either. It also appears like Jackson may get attacked by infected, something that doesn’t exactly happen in the game, at least not in the way this trailer suggests. As of right now, we’re not quite sure how much of the second game will be in season 2. It looks like it could cover a lot of ground as we see some pivotal moments from later in Ellie’s story as well as key flashback scenes with Joel and Ellie.

However, it has been indicated that The Last of Us will likely be four seasons, with all of the remaining seasons adapting the rest of the second game. For those who haven’t played the game, that may sound like they’re really stretching this thing out, but it’s an incredibly long game. It’s about 25 hours long and has a very dense, multi-layered story, so it makes sense for HBO to do three seasons of about seven episodes to tell that story. As for whether there will be more seasons beyond that, it sounds unlikely at the moment. Franchise creator Neil Druckmann has cast doubt on a Last of Us Part 3 despite previously suggesting it was in the works.

Of course, he could be misleading fans given he is currently working on a different game, but it wouldn’t be surprising if Druckmann wants to be done with the series after spending about 15 years on this series. It’ll likely be even closer to 20 by the time the HBO show concludes. The Last of Us season 2 will include unseen moments from the game, meaning it’s possible the show could stretch itself in its final season beyond the end of the second game to tie things up in a more satisfying way. However, we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.

The post The Last of Us Season 2 Trailer Teases Ellie’s Quest for Revenge appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Actor Joe Pantoliano, who audiences might know from his roles in The Matrix, Memento, and more, has been confirmed to be part of the cast for The Last of Us Season 2. According to Variety, he will be playing Eugene, a character who is only referenced in the video game The Last of Us Part II. The outlet notes that showrunner Craig Mazin expressed interest in expanding Eugene’s role for the TV adaptation, drawing a comparison to what he did with Bill and Frank in the first season. The Last of Us co-creator Neil Druckmann was immediately onboard with the idea.

“I get excited when I see these opportunities,” Druckmann said. “I’m like, ‘Oh, I don’t know Eugene that well!’ The story we told [in the game] was somewhat superficial. The way this character comes in really gets to the heart of Joel and Ellie and their relationship.”

The Last of Us Season 2 is scheduled to premiere on HBO on Sunday, April 13th. The marketing campaign for the acclaimed show’s return is in full effect, as last month saw the release of a new trailer that highlighted how the creative team is planning to bring some of the game’s most iconic moments to life. It has been confirmed that The Last of Us Season 2 will consist of seven episodes.

[RELATED – If You Like The Last of Us, You Should Read This Comic]

Ahead of Season 2’s debut, HBO has teased their plans for the series moving forward. The network expects The Last of Us to end after four seasons; it’s believed that Season 2 will not adapt the entirety of the second game. Druckmann has indicated it’s not a guarantee that The Last of Us Part III will happen, which suggests any subsequent seasons of the TV show will be drawing from Part II.

Based on Mazin’s track record, the prospect of him expanding upon a minor Last of Us Part II character (one gamers didn’t even get to see) is exciting. The aforementioned Bill and Frank episode, “Long, Long Time” was arguably the most acclaimed of Season 1, with Nick Offerman winning an Emmy for his performance (he beat his co-star Murray Bartlett in the Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series category). It’ll be fascinating to see what Mazin is able to accomplish with Eugene and if it delivers similar results. In the game, players only learn little bits about the character’s life through a conversation between Ellie and Dina, so the showrunners are working with a relatively clean slate to take the story in a fresh direction. Knowing that Eugene’s role is somehow connected to the Joel/Ellie dynamic at the center of The Last of Us is intriguing, as it has the potential to add to the drama in a meaningful way.

Using the TV show as a playground to explore different threads of the Last of Us story is a great use of the medium. If the series was just a beat-for-beat recreation of the games, it would have been underwhelming and a wasted opportunity. This is another illustration of how Druckmann and Mazin are taking advantage of the TV format to craft an engaging narrative for newcomers and longtime fans alike. And Pantoliano should prove to be a seamless fit in the show’s cast. Over the course of his career, he’s played everything from villains to law enforcement officials, so he should have no trouble inhabiting whatever personality Eugene has.

The post The Last of Us Confirms a Matrix Star Will Appear as Surprising Game Character appeared first on ComicBook.com.

At long last, Season 2 of HBO’s The Last of Us finally has a release date. Earlier this year, HBO confirmed alongside a new trailer that The Last of Us would return to HBO and Max at some point in April 2025. And while fans already had a pretty good idea of when Season 2 would arrive given other HBO programming, this premiere date has now been verified.

Detailed in a new press release today, HBO announced that The Last of Us Season 2 will drop on Sunday, April 13th. New episodes are then expected to roll out on a weekly basis each Sunday until the completion of Season 2. While Season 1 lasted nine episodes in total, HBO has already confirmed that Season 2 will only end up being seven episodes.

“Five years after the events of the first season, Joel and Ellie are drawn into conflict with each other and a world even more dangerous and unpredictable than the one they left behind,” says HBO’s new description of The Last of Us Season 2.

Although Season 2 of The Last of Us will be a bit shorter than Season 1, it’s assumed that the show will be picked up for a third season in due time. Showrunner Craig Mazin has previously said that it would take multiple seasons to properly adapt The Last of Us Part II to TV given how much longer it is compared to the original game. While HBO hasn’t properly picked up The Last of Us Season 3 just yet, there’s a good chance that this confirmation will come about relatively soon after Season 2 airs.

Related: The Last of Us Will End After 4 Seasons, HBO Expects

The Last of Us Season 2 is set to once again feature Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey as Ellie alongside other returning cast members Gabriel Luna as Tommy and Rutina Wesley as Maria. New additions to Season 2 include Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, Isabela Merced as Dina, Young Mazino as Jesse, Ariela Barer as Mel, Tati Gabrielle as Nora, Spencer Lord as Owen, Danny Ramirez as Manny,, Jeffrey Wright as Isaac, and Catherine O’Hara in an unidentified guest role.

The post The Last of Us Season 2 Release Date Announced by HBO appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Yellowjackets has become one of television’s most compelling shows. The series follows the dual timeline story of a high school soccer team’s fight for survival after their plane crashes in the Canadian wilderness in 1996, as well as their present-day lives as adults haunted by the trauma of their nineteen-month ordeal. The show masterfully weaves together psychological horror, teen drama, and mystery as it explores how ordinary people adapt – or break – under extraordinary circumstances. With outstanding performances from both its younger cast and adult ensemble, Yellowjackets has earned critical acclaim and a devoted following obsessed with its unique blend of cannibalism, supernatural forces, and the dark truths that exist within seemingly normal people. However, the biggest problem with Yellowjackets is there are not enough episodes to keep fans busy in the long run.

For fans captivated by the Yellowjackets‘ intricate plotting and character development, the good news is that several series provide similarly engaging viewing experiences. While each brings its own unique perspective, these shows share that special ability to keep audiences theorizing and discussing long after the credits roll. Here’s our pick for the best shows to watch if you love Yellowjackets.

Lost

Lost is a groundbreaking drama series that aired on ABC from 2004 to 2010, running for six seasons and 121 episodes. The show follows the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 after their plane crashes on a mysterious island in the South Pacific. Led by spinal surgeon Jack Shephard (Matthew Fox), fugitive Kate Austen (Evangeline Lilly), and the enigmatic John Locke (Terry O’Quinn), the survivors must navigate not only their immediate survival needs but also the island’s many mysteries, including a smoke monster, a group of hostile inhabitants known as the Others, and a research organization called the DHARMA Initiative.

The series revolutionized television storytelling through its use of flashbacks and flashforwards, revealing crucial information about characters while maintaining its central mysteries. Each episode focused on a specific character’s story, both on the island and in their past or future, creating a rich tapestry of interconnected narratives. Like Yellowjackets, Lost excels at depicting how unexpected circumstances force people to confront their true nature, while its intricate mythology and careful attention to detail reward attentive viewers with satisfying payoffs to long-running plot threads.

The Wilds

The Wilds premiered on Amazon Prime Video in December 2020 and ran for two seasons, telling the story of eight teenage girls who become stranded on a deserted island after their plane crashes en route to a young women’s empowerment retreat. The series centers on characters like free-spirited Leah Rilke (Sarah Pidgeon), beauty queen Shelby Goodkind (Mia Healey), and quiet intellectual Nora Reid (Helena Howard), who must learn to survive while unaware they are actually subjects of a social experiment.

Like Yellowjackets, The Wilds excels at exploring the complex dynamics between teenage girls under extreme pressure, revealing both the strength of female friendships and the potential for manipulation and betrayal. Through flashbacks to the characters’ lives before the crash and flash-forwards to their interviews with supposed FBI agents, The Wilds builds tension while gradually revealing the true nature of their situation.

[RELATED: Yellowjackets: What Happened to the “Bonus” Season 2 Episode?]

The Last of Us

Based on the acclaimed video game franchise, The Last of Us premiered on HBO in 2023, quickly becoming one of the network’s most successful series. Set twenty years after a fungal pandemic has devastated civilization, the show follows hardened survivor Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal) as he escorts teenager Ellie Williams (Bella Ramsey) across the post-apocalyptic United States. Ellie’s immunity to the infection that turns humans into aggressive creatures may hold the key to humanity’s survival, which turns her into a walking target.

While its setting differs from Yellowjackets, the show shares its interest in how catastrophic events reshape human nature and morality. Through its masterful character work, The Last of Us explores themes of loss, survival guilt, and the lengths people will go to protect those they love. The series depicts how trauma affects both those who experienced it firsthand and the generation that follows, creating resonant parallels with Yellowjackets’ exploration of intergenerational damage.

The 100

Running for seven seasons on The CW from 2014 to 2020, The 100 takes place nearly a century after a nuclear apocalypse forces humanity’s survivors to flee to a space station called the Ark. The series begins as 100 juvenile delinquents are sent to Earth to test its habitability, led by the resourceful Clarke Griffin (Eliza Taylor) and rebellious Bellamy Blake (Bob Morley). What starts as a mission of survival becomes increasingly complex as they encounter other survivors and face increasingly difficult moral choices.

The show shares Yellowjackets’ interest in how isolation and survival pressure can transform young people, particularly in its exploration of how different groups develop their own societies and belief systems. Through characters like Clarke, who becomes known as Wanheda (Commander of Death), The 100 examines how leadership in crisis can elevate or destroy people, while its later seasons delve into themes of redemption, sacrifice, and the cyclical nature of violence.

Wreck

This British series, which premiered in 2022, follows nineteen-year-old Jamie Walsh (Oscar Kennedy) as he takes a job aboard the cruise ship Sacramentum to investigate his sister’s disappearance. With help from fellow crew member Vivian Lim (Thaddea Graham), Jamie uncovers a dark conspiracy involving murder, exploitation, and a mysterious figure in a duck costume who stalks the ship’s halls.

While Wreck takes a more overtly horror-comedy approach than Yellowjackets, it shares its skill at building tension within an isolated setting and exploring how power structures can enable abuse. The show also deserves praise for mixing genuine scares with sharp social commentary, using its confined setting to examine class dynamics, sexuality, and how institutions can protect predators. Its blend of genres and ability to balance multiple mystery threads while maintaining character development will feel familiar to Yellowjackets fans.

Dare Me

Dare Me, which aired on USA Network for one season in 2019-2020, is based on Megan Abbott’s acclaimed novel about the dark side of competitive cheerleading. The series follows best friends Addy Hanlon (Herizen Guardiola) and Beth Cassidy (Marlo Kelly) as their relationship is tested by the arrival of new cheer coach Colette French (Willa Fitzgerald). When a mysterious death rocks their small Midwestern town, the lines between loyalty, obsession, and murder begin to blur.

Through its exploration of toxic friendships and the physical demands of cheerleading, Dare Me creates an atmosphere where violence lurks beneath every practice routine and parking lot encounter. The show offers a uniquely feminine perspective on power dynamics, examining how teenage girls navigate complex social hierarchies and adult manipulation. Its noir-influenced cinematography transforms typical high school moments into scenes of mounting dread, while the complex relationship between Addy and Beth mirrors the intense bonds and betrayals seen in Yellowjackets.

Pretty Little Liars

Running for seven seasons on Freeform from 2010 to 2017, Pretty Little Liars follows four former best friends who reunite when they begin receiving threatening messages from a mysterious figure known as “A” one year after their clique leader vanished. The series centers on Aria Montgomery (Lucy Hale), Spencer Hastings (Troian Bellisario), Hanna Marin (Ashley Benson), and Emily Fields (Shay Mitchell) as they try to uncover the truth about their friend’s disappearance while protecting their own secrets.

While more focused on mystery than survival horror, Pretty Little Liars shares Yellowjackets’ talent for maintaining multiple timelines and exploring how past events continue to influence present relationships. The show creates an atmosphere of constant tension and paranoia, as the protagonists never know who they can trust. Its examination of female friendship under extreme pressure and ability to sustain complex mysteries across multiple seasons makes it a compelling watch for fans of Yellowjackets’ intricate plotting.

What’s your favorite show that is similar to Yellowjackets? Let us know in the comments!

The post 7 Shows to Watch If You Love Yellowjackets appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Last of Us TV show may only have a couple more seasons left in the tank before it concludes its story. The Last of Us is one of the most beloved video games ever made and a lot of that is thanks to its emotionally-charged story and beautifully written characters. The first game was showered in praise for its heart wrenching story of a father who lost his daughter at the beginning of a zombie-esque apocalypse and is forced to take a young girl across the country. As he begins to forge a relationship with her, she essentially becomes his surrogate child. However, he learns that she may posses a cure for the infection plaguing the world, but it would cost her life and it’s a price he’s unwilling to pay.

The ending of The Last of Us has sparked all kinds of discussions among fans for over a decade and the beloved TV series did the same thing as well. The Last of Us TV series was met with acclaim for faithfully adapting the game’s rich story, likely partially thanks to the fact it was written and produced by game creator Neil Druckmann. Now, all eyes are on the creative team for The Last of Us season 2. The second season will adapt the highly controversial game sequel, The Last of Us Part 2. While we won’t get into why it’s controversial here, fans will likely discover why that is early on and it’s going to cause intense discourse.

With that said, there are currently only two games in the series. The second game is quite dense and it’s expected that The Last of Us TV series will adapt it across multiple seasons. The second game is already split into two distinct halves plus a lengthy epilogue, so this is probably the correct decision to make so everything has a chance to breathe. With that said, it sounds like HBO already has an idea of when The Last of Us will end going into its second season.

The Last of Us Will Likely End With Season 4

Ahead of The Last of Us season 2’s April premiere, HBO EVP Francesca Orsi told Deadline that the network is expecting to do three more seasons of the show, ending it at season 4. This isn’t set in stone and it seems like HBO is willing to do more if needed, but as of right now, Orsi notes it’s looking like it will be a four season TV series.

“We don’t have a complete or final plan, but I think it’s looking like four seasons. I wouldn’t want to confirm that, but it’s looking like this season and then two more seasons after this and we’re done.”

Neil Druckmann has already confirmed The Last of Us Part 3 is in the works. However, it’s seemingly in the very early stages. Naughty Dog’s next game, Intergalactic, was just announced at The Game Awards in December. The team has been working on it since 2020 and the studio also canceled an online version of The Last of Us in 2023. With that said, it seems unlikely anyone has been working on The Last of Us Part 3 in any meaningful way in recent years. So, that means a third game is unlikely to be ready by the time HBO reaches the end of The Last of Us season 4.

Showrunner Craig Mazin has noted they don’t want to go beyond the games, so it’s hard to imagine they try to make up their own ending. After all, HBO already learned the hard way that’s not always a smart idea when it ended Game of Thrones. Of course, Druckmann is an instrumental piece of the show, so he could in theory tell the story of the third game in the TV series before the game is ready… but that would spoil the game. So, it’s pretty unlikely that would happen. As of right now, we’ll just have to see where HBO decides to take The Last of Us in its future seasons.

The post The Last of Us Will End After 4 Seasons, HBO Expects appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Last of Us star Kaitlyn Dever has debunked previous claims that were made about her own security during the production of Season 2. Last summer, fellow The Last of Us star Isabela Merced asserted that Dever needed extra security on the set of the show to potentially protect her from those who strongly hate her character. At the time, this claim some sense given that Dever’s character, Abby, has always been one to receive a fair amount of hatred since her appearance in The Last of Us Part II. Now, Dever has come forward and has made clear that these previous comments were not accurate.

Speaking to Variety, Dever said plainly that claims of her needing additional security during the production of The Last of Us Season 2 were “not true”. Dever stressed that she wasn’t the one to say this originally and as such felt the need to mention that this wasn’t something that happened while on set. Instead, she spoke about her process of learning to grapple with The Last of Us and its fandom, saying that she’s still getting used to being part of a project that is this massive.

“Well, firstly, I have to say, actually, that’s not true, and I didn’t ever personally say that,” Dever said. “I know that was said a while ago and it is not true.”

“But moving forward and being a part of such a big and very, very loved franchise, it is something that I haven’t ever done before, and I’m learning every day just how to move forward in this new world that is The Last of Us fandom,” she continued. “I think it is always hard stepping into that, especially because it’s already had its [first] season and I’m the newbie to the world. But I think that I’m almost treating it and approaching it like I do with everything, which is just wanting to come at it with authenticity and honesty and trying to be as organic as I can when approaching the role and bringing my own sort of energy to it, if that makes sense. I want to do the character justice, and I hope that people enjoy what I do with that.”

Related: The Last of Us Fans Not Happy About Controversial Season 2 Change

While it’s good to hear that Dever seemingly didn’t have anything to worry about while on the set of The Last of Us, it does prompt confusion about why Merced thought she required additional security. Whatever the case might be, hopefully those who might dislike Dever’s character in The Last of Us TV show won’t act as strongly or hatefully as many did when The Last of Us Part II launched in 2020.

The Last of Us Season 2 is set to finally return on HBO and Max in April 2025. A specific premiere date has yet to be shared by HBO, but there’s a good chance that we’ll learn more quite soon.

The post The Last of Us Star Debunks Worrisome Season 2 Rumor appeared first on ComicBook.com.

For fans who can’t get enough of Ellie’s heart-wrenching journey in HBO’s hit adaptation of The Last of Us, there’s a crucial chapter of her story you may have overlooked. While the show has done an incredible job of bringing Ellie’s story to life, there’s a key piece of the puzzle that many fans might not be aware of: The Last of Us: American Dreams. This four-issue comic series, released by Dark Horse in 2013, serves as a prequel to the video game’s Left Behind DLC and offers a deeper dive into Ellie’s formative years in a Boston quarantine zone. Written by Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann, the creative director behind the game, American Dreams is a must-read for anyone looking to fully immerse themselves in Ellie’s world and understand the events that shaped her into the resilient, fiercely loyal survivor we’ve come to know and love.

The Last of Us: American Dreams chronicles Ellie’s life before her fateful meeting with Joel. The story centers on Ellie’s budding friendship with Riley Abel, the girl who would later become her first love and a catalyst for her future. Fans of the show will remember Riley’s introduction in the bittersweet mall flashback from Season 1, Episode 7, but the comic offers a more expansive look at how these two survivors found solace in each other.

Originally, American Dreams was born from an abandoned concept originally meant to appear in the game. Ellie’s backstory was intended to be included as a playable sequence, but the idea was ultimately cut. Thankfully, the comic provided another outlet to explore Ellie’s history, with Druckmann ensuring it remained true to her essence. Faith Erin Hicks’ artwork brings the grim world to life, juxtaposing the innocence of youth against the brutality of post-apocalyptic existence.

Throughout the comic’s four issues, readers witness the key moments that shaped Ellie into the character we meet in the main story. From her daring escapades with Riley to her first encounter with the rebel group known as the Fireflies, American Dreams adds rich context to Ellie’s journey. Perhaps most crucially, it reveals how Ellie came to possess her trademark switchblade — a gift from her mother, Anna, delivered by none other than Marlene, the Fireflies’ leader.

These revelations not only flesh out Ellie’s backstory but also lend emotional weight to her relationships in the show. When Marlene tells Ellie in the series premiere that she knew her mother and made a promise to protect her, readers of the comic will understand the depth of that connection. Similarly, Riley’s tragic fate in Left Behind hits even harder with the knowledge of how much she influenced Ellie’s life.

At its core, The Last of Us is a story about found family and the lengths we go to protect the ones we love. American Dreams embraces those themes wholeheartedly, showing how Ellie and Riley forged an unbreakable bond in a world determined to tear them apart. Through their adventures and heartache, we see the seeds of determination that would later bloom in Ellie’s relationship with Joel.

While some tie-in comics feel disconnected from their source material, American Dreams benefits from Druckmann’s guiding hand. His involvement ensures that every character beat and narrative twist feels authentic to the world he co-created. Druckmann’s deep understanding of Ellie shines through, as he ensures that her character remains consistent throughout the comic’s narrative.

In a franchise known for its emotional gut punches, the story delivers its fair share of heartache. But it also offers hope in the form of two girls clinging to their humanity in a world gone mad. For fans of the show eager to immerse themselves further in Ellie’s tale, this comic is an essential companion piece.

Beyond its narrative merits, American Dreams also serves as a visual feast for fans of the franchise. Hicks’ art style, while initially unexpected for a story set in the gritty world of The Last of Us, perfectly captures the youthful energy and spirit of Ellie and Riley. The comic’s palette, which contrasts moments of vibrant color against the bleak, post-apocalyptic landscape, mirrors the girls’ resolve to find joy and connection amidst the chaos.

Moreover, American Dreams offers a tantalizing glimpse into the wider world of The Last of Us, fleshing out the power dynamics between the military, the Fireflies, and the survivors caught in between. By exploring the tensions within the Boston quarantine zone and the desperation that drives some to rebel, the comic provides a deeper understanding of the political and social landscape that shapes Ellie’s worldview.

For fans who find themselves yearning for more of Ellie’s story during the long wait for Season 2 of the HBO series, The Last of Us: American Dreams is the perfect way to fill that void. Not only does it offer a compelling narrative that stands on its own merits, but it also enriches the experience of watching the show, adding layers of meaning to every interaction and emotional beat.

As we await the continuation of Ellie and Joel’s harrowing journey on screen, there’s no better time to discover the untold chapters that set the stage for their unforgettable story. Pick up The Last of Us: American Dreams and prepare to fall in love with Ellie all over again — and to have your heart shattered in the process. In the end, that’s what makes The Last of Us such an enduring and powerful franchise — its ability to make us feel deeply, even in the darkest of times.

The post If You Like The Last of Us, You Should Read This Comic appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The showrunners of HBO’s The Last of Us have confirmed a huge change to one of the show’s biggest new characters, Abby. Played by Booksmart‘s Kaitlyn Dever, The Last of Us TV series is set to bring in the controversial character who made her debut in the second video game. We’ve seen clips and teases of Dever’s performance via trailers for the new season, but haven’t seen her too much in action just yet. However, the creator of The Last of Us has come forward to reveal why this version of Abby, while keeping her intact personality-wise, doesn’t look the same as gamers expected she would.

In an interview with EW for the upcoming second season, which launches in April, showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann opened up about the game’s version of the Abby character, played by Laura Bailey. Specifically, Druckmann decided to change Abby’s physique for the show, a stark contrast to her bulkier and taller appearance in the game. Druckmann’s reasoning was, “There’s not as much violent action moment to moment. It’s more about the drama. I’m not saying there’s no action here. It’s just, again, different priorities and how you approach it.”

Showrunner Craig Mazin adds, “I personally think that there is an amazing opportunity here to delve into someone who is perhaps physically more vulnerable than the Abby in the game, but whose spirit is stronger. And then the question is, ‘Where does her formidable nature come from and how does it manifest?’ That’s something that will be explored now and later.”

TV’s Version of Abby Will Be Different Than Her Counterpart in The Last of Us Part 2

RELATED: The Last of Us Showrunner Teases Season 3 and Beyond

As mentioned before, those who played The Last of Us Part 2 know Abby, outside of her controversial actions, as a muscular, tall, and brash individual. Yet, as we’ve seen throughout multiple adaptations, especially with The Last of Us, there isn’t a need to cast someone who looks just like the game’s counterpart. Abby’s physique did play a role in the game, as the character used her brute force in many situations, but, given the show’s openness to change, it’s clear they have a way they’ll go about addressing that.

“Kaitlyn has the spirit of the game in her,” Druckmann added. “What I always loved about the idea was that you are going to continually be challenged as you were in season 1. When you try to pick a hero, it’s tough because we’re human beings, we’re not heroes. For every heroic act, there’s someone who suffers on the other side who may see you reasonably as a villain. When you look at Kaitlyn, there’s just something in her eyes where, even no matter what she’s experiencing, you connect. It was important that we found somebody that we could connect to the way we connect to Bella.”

Dever, who is one of Hollywood’s most promising rising stars, has had a rather successful career as of late. From starring in the hit teen comedy Booksmart to the thrilling alien horror No One Will Save You, she even earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for her role as Betsy in Dopesick. Furthermore, Dever has worked with Neil Druckmann before, as she voiced Cassie Drake, Nathan and Elena’s daughter, in Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. In a true twist of fate, Dever was previously in the running for the role of Ellie back when The Last of Us was in development as a movie. Either way, no matter how Abby appears, she’ll no doubt bring a memorable performance, as her gaming counterpart delivered back in 2020.

The Last of Us Season 2 will be released in April 2025. The first season is available to stream on Max and watch on HBO’s TV channels. To keep up to date on all things The Last of Us, both for the TV show and the games, keep it here at ComicBook.

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HBO’s The Last of Us may have a lot more in store for the future than we thought. When it comes to video game adaptations, the most successful has to be The Last of Us. The post-apocalyptic drama hit all the notes fans wanted it to and more, making it a hit with fans and non-fans alike. Even more so, critics adored the title, including here at ComicBook, and the show received eight Emmy wins with several Primetime Emmy nominations, including Best Drama. So, it’s no surprise that, when asked about the future, one of the showrunners had an interesting response.

In an exclusive interview with Entertainment Weekly for the upcoming second season, which arrives in April, showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann (who directed both of The Last of Us games) spoke on a yet-to-be-greenlit third season.  Mazin confirmed talks were being had, saying, “I think it’s pretty likely that our story will extend past a Season 3. How far past? I can’t say. And that’s not to say that there are not other stories that could be told, but this story is the one that Neil and I are telling.”

Neil chimed in afterward, stating, “We have a plan. We know what we need to do going forward, but we couldn’t tell you right now exactly how many episodes or how many seasons it would take to get there.” 

The Last of Us May Go Beyond a Season 2

[RELATED: The Last of Us Season 2 to Include Cut Content from The Last of Us Part 2]

While the first season of HBO’s apocalyptic road trip drama adapted the 2012 original, developed by Uncharted’s Naughty Dog, the new season will bring the sequel, The Last of Us Part 2, to life. However, the showrunners have been pretty adamant that the show won’t fully adapt the second game, at least not within this season. Druckmann confirmed to Entertainment Weekly that the show will only have seven episodes, compared to the first’s nine-episode run. Given that the original game took 15-16 hours to beat and Part 2 takes 24 hours, it does make sense to let it take its time rather than rush it or condense it down. 

What’s interesting still is the fact that there is more the team wants to go beyond The Last of Us Part 2, despite a third title not yet being fully announced (but hinted at). Even more so, while it could be in development, the PlayStation first-party studio is currently working on the recently-announced Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, which Neil Druckmann is serving as writer and director for. Neil mentioned in the interview that, even before Part 2 was finished, conversations about how they would adapt to it were being discussed. It could be the same for Part 3, though time will tell if it, or other seasons, are confirmed in the future.

The Last of Us Season 2 will be released in April 2025. The first season is available to stream on Max and watch on HBO’s TV channels. To keep up to date on all things The Last of Us, both for the TV show and the games, keep it here at ComicBook.

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The third entry in the biggest kaiju crossover still has plenty of mystery surrounding it. Following the success of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, the MonsterVerse has hit new heights of popularity. Alongside the titanic sequel, Legendary is also working on the next season of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters to Apple TV+’s roster, along with a yet unnamed spin-off series. As giant monster fans await the third entry in the fight featuring Godzilla and Kong, a new cast member has been added who will have a major role in the upcoming second season of The Last Of Us.

Kaityln Dever is no stranger to Hollywood, especially when it comes to the science fiction side of the aisle. Most recently, she starred in the critically acclaimed Hulu exclusive movie, No One Will Save You, in which she played a trouble protagonist in a film with little to no dialogue. On the flip side, she has had roles in projects including Last Man Standing, Next Goal Wins, and Dear Evan Hansen. In season two of The Last Of Us, Dever is set to take on the role of Abby, a controversial character in the video game sequel who skirted the line between hero and villain in the Naughty Dog series. While she might be fighting zombies and her fellow man in the MAX series, kaiju are a different story altogether.

[RELATED: Everything We Know About Godzilla x Kong 3, and What Happens After A New Empire]

Godzilla x Kong 3: What We Know So Far

While the first two Godzilla x Kong movies were a big success for Legendary Entertainment, director Adam Wingard departed the franchise. Stepping into Wingard’s shoes is director Grant Sputore, who has experience in the science fiction world thanks to his previous feature, I Am Mother. Sputore will be joined by screenplay writer Dave Callaham, who might be best known for his work on Shang-Chi And The Legend of The Ten Rings and Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse. At present, Dever is the only confirmed member of the cast but that’s soon to change as we move closer to the release date for the sequel in March 26th, 2027.

In terms of what the sequel’s story might be, that’s anyone’s guess at the moment. The New Empire ended with both Godzilla and Kong able to defeat the Skar King and Shimo, dark reflections of themselves. While the evil ape was killed, Shimo joined with Kong as the larger-than-life primate became the new ruler of the Hollow Earth with an army of giant apes under his command. While Godzilla didn’t receive an army, Godzilla x Kong 2 did give the King of The Monsters a massive power-up thanks to absorbing the energy from other kaiju.

Want to see what the future holds for the MonsterVerse? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for all the latest updates on Godzilla, Kong, and the other kaiju of the Hollow Earth and hit me up directly @EVComedy for all things comics and anime.

Via Deadline

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The premiere date for Season 2 of The Last of Us seems to have been discovered in advance of an official announcement from HBO. Roughly one week ago, HBO released a new trailer for The Last of Us Season 2 alongside confirmation that this next wave of episodes would begin rolling out in April. To this point, a more well-defined date within April has yet to be given, but some fans of the series think they’ve determined when Season 2 will begin.

Annotated by @TheLastofUsNews on X, it’s likely that The Last of Us Season 2 will premiere on Sunday, April 13th. The reason for this belief is due to one of HBO’s other shows that is soon set to air. Specifically, Season 3 of The White Lotus will return on February 16th and will run weekly until its conclusion on April 6th. With The White Lotus Season 3 having concluded on this date, it’s quite feasible that its time slot would be replaced by The Last of Us the week after.

Based on how HBO has operated historically, it would make a ton of sense for the network to slot in The Last of Us Season 2 on this April 13th date. For starters, The Last of Us is essentially guaranteed to air on Sundays as this is what HBO does with all of its biggest shows. With The White Lotus set to still be running on April 6th, this really only leaves three possible dates left in April for The Last of Us to premiere which would be the 13th, 20th, and 27th. To have TLOU Season 2 start its run on April 13th would ensure that HBO would have a seamless transition from one of its big shows to the next without any gaps in programming.

Related: The Last of Us Fans Turn on HBO TV Show Over “Terrible” Casting

If April 13th is indeed the date that HBO intends to start airing Season 2 of The Last of Us, we should find out in an official capacity soon enough. Until then, all we know for certain is that The Last of Us Season 2 will be considerably shorter than its first season and will only run for 7 episodes in total.

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Internet sentiment around The Last of Us HBO TV show seems to be souring ahead of the release of Season 2 in April. There are a few reasons that could be contributing to this. For one, the material it is adapting is contentious. The Last of Us Part 2 was notoriously controversial when it released. Another reason could perhaps be the fact that Naughty Dog has been sucked into the ongoing culture war in gaming since the reveal of Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet last month and the subsequent backlash. The primary reason seems to be the casting of the show though.

Bella Ramsey as protagonist Ellie has been a slightly contentious pick since it was revealed she was portraying the character, largely because she looks nothing like her video game counterpart. And ahead of Season 2, grumbling over this topic has grown and been highlighted as Season 2 castings have been revealed.

One Last of Us Season 2 casting that has highlighted the contentious Ellie casting has been Kaitlyn Dever, who is set to play Abby in Season 2. Abby herself is a very controversial character for the events of the second game, and PlayStation fans were quick to point out she is yet another odd pick based on the design of Abby in the second game. More than this, Dever’s involvement has frustrated fans even more about the Ellie casting, because Dever looks far more like Ellie than Ramsey.

The souring sentiment can best be seen in the replies of a new X post from popular page The Last of Us News, which has over 161,000 followers. The page recently shared a post featuring different characters in the show accompanied by “HBO is cooking.” Most of the replies — from fellow Last of Us fans — don’t seem to agree though.

“Why make the other characters look similar to their video game counterparts but make Ellie look so different,” reads one popular comment. “Ellie does not match at all, bad casting. The actress is a good actress, but not the right one for Ellie,” adds another fan.

A third comment adds: “Let me ask you this: How on earth did they manage to match every other character with the game but not Ellie.”

Other comments are even more harsh. “Cooking up dog****. Get them out of the kitchen,” adds one of the most-liked comments.

Of course, these takes don’t represents the overall Internet opinion on the HBO show, but they do represent what appears to be a bubbling displeasure. Whether this will be felt in the ratings for the second season, only time will tell.

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HBO’s The Last of Us show made a surprise appearance during Sony’s appearance at the CES 2025 event with a release window finally confirmed for Season 2. Among other adaptations and continuations of PlayStation games announced during the event, Sony announced that The Last of Us Season 2 will release in April 2025, a date which is likely much sooner than many people anticipated given that it was uncertain for awhile when, exactly, Season 2 would happen. No specific date during April was announced, but if The Last of Us Season 2 is released in the same way that Season 1 was, new episodes will drop weekly.

Alongside the release month announcement, a new teaser trailer for The Last of Us Season 2. You can check out that trailer below which offers us one of our first looks yet at Kaitlyn Dever taking on the role of Abby, a controversial character introduced in The Last of Us Part 2.

The Last of Us Season 2 wrapped filming in August 2024 with many characters from The Last of Us Part 2 already confirmed for various roles. With this first teaser trailer now revealed, more news and teasers should follow in the buildup to Season 2’s April release.

An episode count for Season 2 has not yet been announced, but the first season had nine episodes, so it’s likely that Season 2 will land somewhere around that number. However, The Last of Us creator Neil Druckmann previously suggested that the events of The Last of Us Part 2 would have to span more than one season in able to dutifully tell the story of the sequel game, so don’t expect Season 2 of HBO’s The Last of Us to tell the entire story either.

The Last of Us Season 2 will release on Max in April.

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The television landscape boasts an incredible lineup for 2025, with returning hits and exciting new series set to air over the next 12 months. Fans of TV will at last experience the long-awaited conclusion of Stranger Things; watch brand new shows from popular franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Game of Thrones; and view sophomore seasons of highly successful Star Wars and DC TV series. So many notable shows are coming to networks and streaming platforms in 2025, and more than 20 titles rank among our most anticipated.

Only Murders in the Building Season 5

Premiere Date: January 2

Where to Watch: Hulu

Only Murders in the Building returns at the start of 2025. Hulu’s murder mystery comedy series has won seven Emmys since its debut in 2021. In Only Murders in the Building season 5, the show’s main trio of Charles Haden-Savage (Steve Martin), Oliver Putnam (Martin Short), and Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez) will attempt to solve the murder of Lester (Teddy Coluca). Michael Cyril Creighton’s Howard, Jackie Hoffman’s Uma and Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s Detective Donna Williams are also expected to return.

Harley Quinn Season 5

Premiere Date: January 16

Where to Watch: Max

Harley Quinn will kick off its fifth season at the start of 2025. The DC animated series has been running since 2019 with Kaley Cuoco voicing the titular character. Season 5 was originally supposed to premiere toward the end of 2024, but was delayed to January 2025. The show’s upcoming episodes will see Harley and Poison Ivy (Lake Bell) relocate to Metropolis and Bane (James Adomian) begin a job at the Daily Planet. Other characters slated to feature in Harley Quinn season 5 include Superman (James Wolf), Lena Luthor (Aisha Tyler), and Brainiac (Stephen Fry).

Severance Season 2

Premiere Date: January 17

Where to Watch: Apple TV+

Three years after Severance‘s outstanding first season, the Apple TV+ show will premiere season 2. The suspenseful sci-fi drama, starring Adam Scott, Britt Lower, John Turturro, Tramell Tillman, Zach Cherry, Patricia Arquette, Christopher Walken, and more, revolves around a group of office employees whose memories between their work and personal lives. Severance season 2 will introduce Gwendoline Christie, Alia Shawkat, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Merritt Weaver, John Noble, Robby Benson, Bob Balaban, Sarah Bock, and Stefano Carannante to its cast.

[RELATED: Watch the First 8 Minutes of Severance Season 2]

The Night Agent Season 2

Premiere Date: January 23

Where to Watch: Netflix

Netflix’s The Night Agent will continue the story of Peter Sutherland (Gabriel Basso), as he embarks on a dangerous new mission outside of the United States. Luciane Buchanan will return as Rose Larkin in The Night Agent season 2, while Fola Evans-Akingbola will reprise her role as Chelsea Arrington. Joining the series are Brittany Snow, Arienne Mandi, Louis Herthum, Teddy Sears, Amanda Warren, Berto Colon, Michael Malarkey, Keon Alexander, Rob Heaps, and Navid Negahban.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man

Premiere Date: January 29

Where to Watch: Disney+

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man transports comic book fans to an alternate Spider-Man timeline separate from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The animated Disney+ series follows a version of Peter Parker who Is mentored by Norman Osborn instead of Tony Stark. The first trailer for Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man just released, and it showcases a fresh take on the famed superhero. Peter will be voiced by Hudson Thames in the show, while Colman Domingo will co-star as the voice of Norman. Eugene Byrd, Grace Song, Zeno Robinson, Hugh Dancy, and Charlie Cox are also part of the cast.

Cobra Kai Season 6, Part 2

Premiere Date: February 13

Where to Watch: Netflix

The last five episodes of Cobra Kai‘s final season will arrive on Netflix in February. The Karate Kid spinoff series has been running since 2018, picking up nine Emmy nominations along the way. Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Martin Kove, Xolo Maridueña, Jacob Bertrand, Mary Mouser, Tanner Buchanan, Peyton List, and more stars are slated to return in the final batch of Cobra Kai episodes.

Yellowjackets Season 3

Premiere Date: February 14

Where to Watch: Paramount+

Nearly two years after airing its second season, Yellowjackets will premiere season 3. The Emmy-nominated series chronicles the past and present journey of a high school girls’ soccer team who survives a plane crash in the wilderness. The cast of Yellowjackets season 3 includes the returns of Tawny Cypress as adult Taissa, Melanie Lynskey as adult Shauna, Christina Ricci as adult Misty, Jasmin Savoy Brown as young Taissa, Sophie Nélisse as young Shauna, Samantha Hanratty as young Misty, Simone Kessell as adult Lottie, Courtney Eaton as young Lottie, Lauren Ambrose as adult Van, Liv Hewson as young Van, Kevin Alves as young Travis, and Steven Kreuger as Coach Ben. Juliette Lewis will not appear in Yellowjackets season 3, as her character Natalie met her demise in season 2. Sophie Thatcher, who plays young Natalie, will return.

The White Lotus Season 3

Premiere Date: February 16

Where to Watch: Max

HBO and Max’s The White Lotus is finally back after a two-year hiatus. Having previously taken place in Hawaii and Italy in its first two seasons, the series will take viewers to Thailand with an almost entirely new group of characters. Natasha Rothwell will reprise her role as Belinda Lindsey, while Walton Goggins, Sarah Catherine Hook, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Sam Nivola, Aimee Lou Wood, Leslie Bibb, Michelle Monaghan, Carrie Coon, Jason Isaacs, Parker Posey, Scott Glenn, Charlotte Le Bon, Blackpink’s Lisa, Julian Kostov, Arnas Fedaravicius, Christian Friedel, Morgana O’Reilly, Shalini Peiris, Nicholas Duvernay, Dom Hetrakul, Tayme Thapthimthong, and Patravadi Medjudhon make up the newcomers. The White Lotus, created by Mike White, has racked up 15 Emmy wins thus far, and will undoubtedly be in contention again after season 3.

Reacher Season 3

Premiere Date: February 20

Where to Watch: Prime Video

Alan Ritchson’s Jack Reacher returns to carry out more justice in Prime Video’s Reacher season 3, premiering at the end of February. Based on Lee Child’s novels the show takes its main character, a former military policeman, through various trials and tribulations as he solves crime. Jack Reacher season 3 is based on the seventh book in the series, Persuader, as Jack’s next objective is to rescue an undercover DEA informant. Accompanying Ritchson in the new season are Marie Sten as Frances Neagley, Oliver Ritchers as Paulie, Anthony Michael Hall as Zachary Beck, Sonya Cassidy as Susan Duffy, Johnny Berchtold as Richard Beck, Brian Tee as Quinn, and Robert Montesinos as Guillermo Villanueva.

1923 Season 2

Premiere Date: February 23

Where to Watch: Paramount+

The Yellowstone prequel series 1923 is on the verge of releasing season 2. Starring Harrison Ford as Jacob Dutton and Helen Mirren as Cara Dutton, the show follows the Dutton family on their Montana ranch in the early 20th century. Now that Yellowstone has concluded, fans of the franchise can turn their full attention to 1923 in less than two months. Brandon Sklenar’s Spencer Dutton, Darren Mann’s Jack Dutton, Julia Schlaepfer’s Alexandra Dutton, Brian Geraghty’s Zane Davis, Aminah Nieves’ Teonna Rainwater, and Michelle Randolph’s Elizabeth Strafford are all expected to return in season 2.

Daredevil: Born Again

Premiere Date: March 4

Where to Watch: Disney+

Daredevil: Born Again will spotlight Charlie Cox’s lawyer by day and vigilante by night Matt Murdock. Following Netflix’s Daredevil series, which ran for three seasons from 2015 to 2018, the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen finally has a show in the MCU. Other characters from the Netflix series featuring in Disney+’s Daredevil: Born Again include Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk, Elden Henson’s Foggy Nelson, Deborah Ann Woll’s Karen Page, Wilson Bethel’s Benjamin Poindexter, and Jon Bernthal’s Punisher.

The Wheel of Time Season 3

Premiere Date: March 13

Where to Watch: Prime Video

The Wheel of Time season 3 is just a couple of months away. The high fantasy series based on the novels written by Robert Jordan aired its second season in 2023. Anchored by Rosamund Pike’s Moiraine Damodred, The Wheel of Time season 3 will adapt the fourth book, The Shadow Rising. Returning to the show alongside Pike are Daniel Henney’s Lan Mandragoran, Zöe Robins’ Nynaeve al’Meara, Joshua Stradowski’s Rand al’Thor, and many more. New cast members in season 3 include Olivia Williams, Luke Fetherston, Callum Kerr, Nuno Lopes, and Shohreh Aghdashloo.

The Studio

Premiere Date: March 26

Where to Watch: Apple TV+

The Studio is one of several new original TV shows coming to Apple TV+ in 2025. The comedy series was co-created by Seth Rogan, who also stars as a newly appointed movie studio head tasked with bringing about success while managing his unruly team of executives and dealing with corporate powers. The Studio also features Kathryn Hahn, Bryan Cranston, Chase Sui Wonders, Catherine O’Hara, Ike Barinholtz, Zac Efron, Paul Dano, and Usher.

Andor Season 2

Premiere Date: April 22

Where to Watch: Disney+

Andor‘s incredibly well-received first season aired in 2022, and season 2 is on it’s way soon. The Rogue One prequel series turns toward a full-scale rebellion in its second and final season, as Diego Luna’s Cassian Andor transforms from a hardened spy into a galactic hero. Returning characters include Adria Arjona’s Bix Caleen, Kyle Soller’s Syril Karn, Stellan Skarsgård’s Luthen Rael, Genevieve O’Reilly’s Mon Mothma, and Fiona Shaw’s Maarva Andor.

The Bear Season 4

Premiere Date: June

Where to Watch: Hulu

The Bear is set to premiere its fourth season in 2025, just one year after airing season 3. The Emmy-winning Hulu series centers on a band of restaurateurs who transform a Chicago sandwich shop into a fine dining establishment. Season 3 took time to delve into the main character’s backstories, and season 4 promises more flashbacks, as well as current events at the restaurant. Jeremy Allen White’s Carmen, Ayo Edebiri’s Sydney, Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s Richie, Liza Colón Zayas’ Tina, Lionel Boyce’s Marcus, Matty Matheson’s Neil, and Jamie Lee Curtis’ Donna will return in The Bear season 4.

Ironheart

Premiere Date: June 24

Where to Watch: Disney+

The second of the MCU’s trio of live-action shows in 2025 is none other than Ironheart, starring Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams almost three years after making her debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Ironheart takes place following the events of the aforementioned film. Anthony Ramos, Alden Ehrenreich, Zoe Terakes, Manny Montana, and Lyric Ross are also part of the cast.

Eyes of Wakanda

Premiere Date: August 6

Where to Watch: Disney+

Marvel will reintroduce viewers to the world of Black Panther with the animated miniseries Eyes of Wakanda, which will chronicle different Wakandan warriors thoughout history. Developed by Ryan Coogler, the show will consist of four episodes. Eyes of Wakanda‘s voice cast features Danai Gurira, Winnie Harlow, Cress Williams, Patricia Belcher, Larry Herron, Adam Gold, Lynn Whitfield, Jacques Colimon, Jona Xiao, Isaac Robinson-Smith, Gary Anthony Williams, Zeke Alton, Steve Toussaint, and Anika Noni Rose.

Marvel Zombies

Premiere Date: October 3

Where to Watch: Disney+

Based on the Marvel Comics series of the same title, Marvel Zombies takes place in an alternate universe in which MCU heroes have turned into zombies. Characters that will appear in the show include Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch, Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova, Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop, Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi, David Harbour’s Red Guardian, Iman Vellani’s Ms. Marvel, and Dominique Thorne’s Ironheart.

Wonder Man

Premiere Date: December

Where to Watch: Disney+

The MCU’s third and final live-action series of 2025 will arrive on Disney+ at the very end of the year. Wonder Man stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams, a Hollywood actor who auditions to play the lead character in a superhero TV show. Ben Kingsley will reprise his role as Trevor Slattery — who he last portrayed in 2021’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Wonder Man‘s cast also includes Ed Harris, Demetrius Grosse, Lauren Glazier, Byron Bowers, and Emmanuel McCord.

Stranger Things Season 5

Premiere Date: TBA

Where to Watch: Netflix

Stranger Things season 5 has been a long time coming. Netflix’s wildly popular horror series dropped its fourth season in 2022, leading to the release of its fifth and final chapter in 2025. While an exact release date has not been announced yet, it’s worth noting that three out of Stranger Things‘ four seasons aired during the summer months. Season 5 will bring back Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven, Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler, Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson, Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair, Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers, David Harbour as Jim Hopper, Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler, Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers, Joe Keery as Steve Harrington, Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield, and Noah Schnapp as Will Byers. Coming off their showdown with Vecna at the end of season 4, the group will look to solve the mystery of the Upside Down and defeat the supernatural forces attacking their hometown of Hawkins, Indiana once and for all.

The Last of Us Season 2

Premiere Date: TBA

Where to Watch: Max

Season 2 of HBO and Max’s The Last of Us will adapt the story of the hit survival horror video game The Last of Us Part II. Like the games, the TV series takes place after a zombie pandemic has ravaged civilization, prompting survivors to divide and protect themselves and their loved ones under strenuous circumstances. The main duo of Bella Ramsey’s Ellie Williams and Pedro Pascal’s Joel Miller will again exist at the forefront of The Last of Us in the second season, and they will be joined by some new faces. Isabela Merced is set to portray Ellie’s love interest Dina, while Kaitlyn Dever will play Abby Anderson. Other new castings include Tati Gabrielle as Nora, Young Mazino as Jesse, Danny Ramirez as Manny, Jeffrey Wright as Isaac, Spencer Lord as Owen, Finn McCager as Caleb, and Ariela Barer as Mel. Catherine O’Hara will also join The Last of Us season 2 in a role believed to be that of Joel’s therapist.

It: Welcome to Derry

Premiere Date: TBA

Where to Watch: Max

The It movies, based on the terrifying Stephen King novel, have given way to a new prequel series. It: Welcome to Derry will travel back to the 1960s in Derry, Maine and explore the origins of Pennywise the Clown. Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, Taylour Paige, James Remar, and Stephen Rider will star in Welcome to Derry, while Bill Skarsgård will reprise his role as Pennywise.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight

Premiere Date: TBA

Where to Watch: Max

Game of Thrones fans despairing over the long wait for House of the Dragon season 3 are in luck, as the franchise has a new spinoff coming to Max this year. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight adapts George R.R. Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas as part of his A Song of Ice and Fire book series. Peter Claffey will star as Ser Duncan the Tall aka Dunk, a hedge knight. Dexter Sol Ansell will play Prince Aegon Targaryen aka Egg, who is Dunk’s squire. The rest of the main cast consists of Finn Bennett as Prince Aerion “Brightflame” Targaryen, Bertie Carvel as Prince Baelor “Breakspear” Targaryen, Tanzyn Crawford as Tanselle, Daniel Ings as Ser Lyonel Baratheon, and Sam Spruell as Prince Maekar Targaryen.

For All Mankind Season 5

Premiere Date: TBA

Where to Watch: Apple TV+

For All Mankind will resume its alternate history narrative in 2025, immersing viewers in the 2010s following its near-decade-long time jump. Season 5 will likely focus on asteroid mining and the continued development of civilization on Mars. Returning characters include Joel Kinnaman’s Ed Baldwin, Cynthy Wu’s Kelly Baldwin, Coral Peña’s Aleida Rosales, Edi Gathegi’s Dev Ayessa, Toby Kebbell’s Miles Dale, Tyner Rushing’s Samantha Massey, Daniel Stern’s Eli Hobson, Svetlana Efremova’s Irina Morozova, and more. Joining the cast of For All Mankind in season 5 are Costa Ronin, Mireille Enos, Tyler Labine, Sean Kaufman, Ruby Cruz, Ines Asserson, and Barrett Carnahan.

Foundation Season 3

Premiere Date: TBA

Where to Watch: Apple TV+

Apple TV+’s array of impressive sci-fi shows wouldn’t be complete without Foundation. Inspired by Isaac Asimov’s novels, the series chronicles a vast sci-fi fantasy universe in which a genetic dynasty rules. Lee Pace’s Brother Day and Jared Harris’ Hari Seldon lead season 5’s recurring characters. Troy Kotsur, Alexander Siddig, Cherry Jones, Synnøve Karlsen, Cody Fern, Tómas Lemarquis, Yootha Wong-Loi-Sing, and Leo Bill will join Foundation season 3 as series regulars. Additionally, Pilou Asbæk will take over the role of Warlord aka the Mule, previously portrayed by Mikael Persbrandt.

Peacemaker Season 2

Premiere Date: TBA

Where to Watch: Max

DC is primed to have a big year in 2025, and Peacemaker figures in the comic book franchise’s exciting lineup. The Suicide Squad spinoff show’s sophomore season will continue the story of John Cena’s Peacemaker with Danielle Brooks’ Leota Adebayo, Steve Agee’s John Economos, Jennifer Holland’s Emilia Harcourt, and Freddie Stroma’s Vigilante also expected to appear. Written and directed by James Gunn, Peacemaker is poised to thrill fans again following its critically claimed first season in 2022.

The Sandman Season 2

Premiere Date: TBA

Where to Watch: Netflix

The Sandman will return to Netflix at some point in 2025. Starring Tom Sturridge as the popular DC Comics character Lord Morpheus aka Dream, the series follows its central figure as he seeks to reclaim his lost powerful materials after spending decades imprisoned in a glass bottle by a wizard. Among the returnees in season 2 are Kirby Howell-Baptiste’s Death, Gwendoline Christie’s Lucifer, and Vivienne Acheampong’s Lucienne. New castings include Laurence O’Fuarain as Thor, Freddie Fox as Loki, Clive Russell as Odin, Indya Moore as Wanda, Ruairi O’Connor as Orpheus, Steve Coogan as Barnabas, Ann Skelly as Nuala, Barry Sloane as Destruction, Adrian Lester as Destiny, Douglas Booth as Cluracan, Esme Creed-Miles as Delirium, and Jack Gleeson as Puck.

Be sure to check ComicBook for all your TV coverage!

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The release window for HBO’s The Last of Us Season 2 has been confirmed, as JB Perrette, the CEO and president of global streaming at Warner Bros. Discovery, shared that the show is set to return in the second quarter of 2025. Attending the Wells Fargo TMT Summit (via Deadline), Perrette provided updates on HBO’s upcoming programming, detailing how The Last of Us fits into the network’s schedule.

“Our biggest tentpoles started to come back in rotation this summer with House of The Dragon 2, then we go The White Lotus which will come in the first quarter in February,” Perrette said. “Then we go into The Last Of Us Season 2 in the second quarter, then we have a new Game of Thrones series [A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms], smaller scale series, that will come in over the summer.”

This lines up with what has previously been said about the Last of Us Season 2 release window. In November, HBO CEO Casey Bloys revealed the season was targeting a spring 2025 premiere. The second quarter of the year spans from April-June, so The Last of Us will likely return in one of those months. An exact release date has not been announced yet.

[Related: The Last of Us Season 2 Just Answered Its Biggest Question About Adapting the Game]

While The Last of Us Season 2 won’t come out for another handful of months, HBO has already started the marketing campaign. Back in September, it commemorated “The Last of Us Day” by releasing the first Season 2 trailer, offering viewers a tease of the drama and heartbreak they can expect when Joel and Ellie’s story continues. Notably, that initial trailer only reiterated 2025 as the release window, and now fans have a more specific time frame to circle on their calendars.

The Last of Us Season 2 not premiering until the spring makes sense given HBO’s schedule. The network has a busy 2025 planned with several high-profile series airing. Similar to how a movie studio will split up their major releases to give each one time to shine, HBO doesn’t want to have their shows be in direct competition with each other. The Last of Us Season 1 was universally acclaimed, securing 24 Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series. Undoubtedly, expectations will be very high for the second season, and HBO is hoping to replicate Season 1’s success. Letting The Last of Us dominate the zeitgeist in the spring before passing the baton to a Game of Thrones spinoff in the summer is a sound business decision.

The only thing left to find out is the release date. Interestingly, The Last of Us Part II video game was released on June 19, 2020, which falls into the second quarter window HBO is eyeing. It’s possible the network will celebrate the game’s fifth anniversary by having The Last of Us Season 2 premiere in June 2025. However, that could push it too close against A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which is targeting the summer. With that in mind, it might be more plausible for The Last of Us to be slotted in April or May, giving more separation between HBO’s tentpoles. But since the release window is fast approaching, an official release date for The Last of Us will likely be announced soon.

The post The Last Of Us Season 2 Release Window Confirmed by HBO (And It’s Soon) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

There’s no question that video games have made their impact on the entertainment industry. The Last of Us, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Fallout finally made their way into the movie and TV sectors and were met with praise from both gamers and critics alike. Now we’re seeing Tomb Raider on its third adaptation with Game of Thrones alum, Sophie Turner, taking over as Lara Croft.

With in mind, we have a list of games that should TV or movie adaptations – specifically looking at games that had some kind of movement within the industry, but have either been stalled or cancelled before becoming bigger IPs. Maybe they’ll do better as hit TV shows or films?

RELATED: Tomb Raider TV Series Casts Sophie Turner as Lara Croft

Heavy Rain

Nothing screams suspense (or Jason) quite like the action-adventure title Heavy Rain. The game follows four different characters (Ethan, Norman, Madison, Scott) whose lives are at the hands of the player’s decision. While that choice wouldn’t be in your hands as a TV show or film, it would be interesting to see how someone else pulls the strings to solving the mystery of the Origami Killer. Seeing how MAX has been taking on darker crime shows, a Heavy Rain miniseries would be an interesting way of exploring this world.

Killzone

Guerrilla Games’s Killzone is all but ready to be a TV franchise. Set in 2357, two human factions, the Vektans and the Helghast, are at war against each other – one protecting the land of Vekta and the other attempting to reclaim the land that once was theirs. The series would follow a higher ranking officer named Jan Templar and his team being sent to Vekta in the attempt to locate an individual with the knowledge of how to take down the Helghanian authoritarianist society. Think Band of Brothers in space, splashed with political drama.

Splinter Cell

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell has been begging for adaptation since it launched. Sam Fisher, a highly trained black-ops agent within the “Third Echelon,” must move amongst the shadows to take down his enemies, who are some of the worst scum on Earth. It may be too soon to mention this, considering the movie adaptation starring Tom Hardy is officially dead, but Splinter Cell would could easily make its name known within the espionage thriller genre. Think along the lines of Zero Dark Thirty but matched with a gritty undertone; plus, the lighting elements that are essential to the game could make for an distinctly different kind of visual display.

Ico

Movies like A Quiet Place have brought a unique level of immersion into theaters, and Ico could make for similar approach, given its minimalist design. The story follows a horned outcast named Ico, who comes across a captive girl that he plans to help escape from a castly, and the grasp of an evil Queen. Given the lack of dialogue, it could offer a unique challenge to learn more about the characters through their actions. Plus, the mountain and castle landscapes would be visually stunning. It would be franchise world-building at its best.

Infamous

With its present-day setting, a younger protagonist, and moral dilemmas about the use of power, the ways of telling stories in the Infamous universe are interesting to consider. The first title follows Cole MacGrath, who gained electricity-based powers after being caught in the center of an explosion in Empire City. How Cole goes about using his powers, whether for good or evil, is in his hands. The later entries deal with the same moral dilemmas but incorporate different powers and abilities – that sets the stage for an anthology-style superhero TV series that could makes the use of power its core theme.

Metro

Post-apocalyptic shows are becoming popular nowadays, so the Metro franchise would make itself feel right at home (wherever that home might be). This Russian series based on Dmitry Glukhovsky’s novel Metro 2033, imagines a nuclear war that devastates the Earth, while those who survive manage to hide in the Metro system, having to scavenge for whatever hasn’t been mutated by radiation. After being attacked by mutated creatures named the Dark Ones, Artyom must track those who attacked his station and traverse the city of Moscow to defeat them. It’s the kind of horror-based dystopian drama that HBO would love.

Metroid Prime

The Alien franchise has highlighted the fear of the unknown within space, but have you been able to fight those fears while wearing a suit of armor? Metroid Prime follows Samus Aran, a bounty hunter, as she battles space pirates and their biological experiments on the plant of Tallon IV. The game features a lot of exploration, as well as a ton of different fearsome alien enemies to face off against. And since Samus is rolling solo (in first-person POV) it would be a great showcase performance for an actress. With Marvel having mastered in-helmet face-capture performance with Iron Man, Metroid Prime could be one-part space exploration thriller, and one-part claustrophobia thriller, as we watch Samus’ iconic armor go through hell.

Shadow of the Colossus

If you thought Ico was interesting, look out for its spiritual successor, Shadow of the Colossus. Its holds the similar boy-meets-girl structure, with the addition of gigantic titan-like creatures that must be taken down through challenging battles. The game follows Wander as he seeks the power to revive a girl named Mono, which can only be done by destroying sixteen colossal monsters across an isolated and abandoned region. Gamers have wanted this adapted for the screen ever since it was released – and it’s the perfect kind of world for a studios like Amazon to turn into the next Fallout.

Jak and Daxter

Naughty Dog has the potential of bringing another one of its franchises to the big screen. The game deals with a mute teenager trying to help his friend Daxter transform back to human form. The Jak and Daxter series has a dystopian fantasy future setting that could play well with audiences young and old if adapted for the screen. The dynamic between Jak and Daxter would be fun to tackle and explore over time in a series, and we already know that Tom Holland is interested in being cast in the role of Jak, with rumblings that a movie could be on the horizon.

Portal

If the cake wasn’t a lie, we would all be eating this one up. Portal would be a great addition to the psychological horror genre and could either end up being made by an indie company or industry giant. The game follows Chell as they take on multiple puzzles within the Aperature Scienced Enrichment Center by using a portal gun. The fight between AI and humans within the game is an eerie one, given the amount of trust one must have with something that has a mind of its own.

Those are our picks for classic 2000s games that need TV or movie adaptation – any other suggestions?

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HBO has slimmed down the release window for The Last of Us Season 2 by a considerable margin. As Season 2 of The Last of Us was filmed throughout 2024, those in charge at HBO would only ever commit to the series returning at some point in 2025. As such, fans have continued to question whether or not the hit show would drop in the early months of 2025, or if it would instead be arriving a bit later in the year. Now, we seem to have an answer, and it’s good news for those who don’t want to keep waiting.

Speaking to members of the press today (via IGN), HBO boss Casey Bloys divulged that The Last of Us Season 2 will debut at some point in the spring of 2025. While it’s still not an exact release date, it gives eager fans a far more defined window compared to the entirety of 2025. Based on this timeframe, March seems to be a likely candidate in which Season 2 of The Last of Us would begin as it would then continue airing throughout April and potentially into May.

Related: The Last of Us Season 2 Just Answered Its Biggest Question About Adapting the Game

The biggest difference with Season 2 of The Last of Us compared to Season 1 is that it will be a bit shorter. While Season 1 lasted nine episodes, Season 2 is only going to run for seven episodes. Still, this shorter episode count for Season 2 is likely being accounted for due to how the source material, The Last of Us Part II, is being adapted. Previously, showrunner Craig Mazin said that it would likely take two full seasons to fully tell the story seen in The Last of Us Part II. As such, the episode counts for Seasons 2 and 3 are going to be a bit different to account for the amount of time needed to adapt the game.

That being said, it’s worth stressing that HBO has yet to officially renew The Last of Us for Season 3 just yet. While a renewal is all but guaranteed if Season 2 ends up being anywhere as close as successful as Season 1, HBO has remained dodgy about what the future will hold for TLOU.

The Last of Us Season 2 will again be headlined by Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal again returning to play Ellie and Joel respectively. They’ll be joined by newcomers to the series that include Isabella Merced (Dina), Young Mazino (Jesse), Kaitlyn Dever (Abby), Jeffrey Wright (Isaac), and Catherine O’Hara.

The post The Last of Us Season 2 Release Narrowed by HBO appeared first on ComicBook.com.

After The Last of Us TV series was renewed for a second season at HBO it had gamers wondering how they would manage bringing The Last of Us Part II into live-action. The first season of the show was able to fit all of the first game into its nine episodes, but the scope of the 2020 sequel is much bigger by comparison as it has a non-linear narrative and multiple POVs. To mark the celebration of the annual “Outbreak Day,” HBO debuted the first full teaser trailer for The Last of Us season 2, and in the process have seemingly answered this major question. Spoilers for The Last of Us Part II video game will follow.

Central to The Last of Us Part II game’s narrative are two paths that players follow, playing as Ellie on her quest for revenge and playing as Abby, a new character that is navigating a different conflict in Seattle. Though the first hour of the game goes back and forth between the two characters, most of the game is playing from the perspective of Ellie. The Last of Us Part II has a crucial point about halfway through where the game stops and switches to Abby’s perspective, forcing players to take on the role of the character that has been the subject of Ellie’s bloodlust this entire time. To make things even more agonizing, a major boss fight while playing as Abby forces you to confront and attack Ellie herself. All that in mind, gamers have been wondering, how will The Last of Us season 2 handle the dual narrative and where in the story will it end?

Now, having all that context about the game, we can look to what was revealed in the trailer for season 2. Based on the footage presented we can surmise at least two things: 1. It appears that The Last of Us season 2 may only cover up to the events of “Seattle Day 1” as seen in The Last of Us Part II; 2. The TV series will bring in elements of Abby’s storyline to be told simultaneously with what is happening with Ellie. So even though some non-linear elements may still be present (Ellie confronting Joel on his porch is seen in the trailer and is like a dagger to the heart for players), it appears The Last of Us show will be unfolding the story as it happens for viewers rather than deliberately keeping them in the dark.

We can surmise this about The Last of US season 2 from two major shots in the trailer, the first showing Kaitlyn Dever’s Abby standing by a grave with a pendant on it (a clue that the new season will go into her backstory), but also we see Jeffrey Wright’s Isaac in a key moment. As those that player the game will know, Isaac isn’t introduced into The Last of Us Part II until much later, well after switching to Abby’s POV, so revealing not only his presence but showing him in THAT location at least implies a major chunk of Abby’s story will be told, and will seemingly be done alongside Ellie’s.

Yet another another major clue that the trailer revealed about how far The Last of Us season 2 will get into the plot of The Last of Us Part II is that there’s a substantial amount of footage which shows what Ellie and Dina get up to during the events of “Seattle Day 1.” This includes not only them in the record store, but moments of the pair running through the dilapidated subway system of Seattle. This sequence in The Last of Us Part II game coincides with the conclusion of the Seattle Day 1 section of Ellie’s side of the game, perhaps indicating that this is where the season will come to a close as it offers not only a firm end point but could set up even more interesting flashbacks for season 3.

A final element of The Last of Us season 2 that perhaps indicates this is how far the series will get into the events of The Last of Us Part II is something that’s actually not seen at all. Two major characters, Lev and Yara, are absent from the trailer, but to take it a step further, their casting hasn’t even been confirmed, announced, teased, or alluded to by HBO. This seems to point toward the pair not appearing in the events of The Last of Us season 2. Something to note however is that an unnamed Seraphite member is seen in the trailer, walking through the woods. Perhaps the series will be setting the stage for Lev and Yara’s arrival in the series in a potential season 3 of The Last of Us and instead will be using season 2 as a chance to really introduce the cult and its members to viewers.

HBO has already confirmed that The Last of Us season 2 will arrive in 2025, meaning that if viewers have to wait until season 2 for Lev and Yara they may not see them until 2027. The story of The Last of Us Part II game is dense, so there will need to be at least one moment (maybe two!) where the TV series has to decide that they’re going to wrap things up even as more story remains to be told. For The Last of Us season 2, at least, it seems like they’ve told viewers where that point is.

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HBO’s The Last of Us season 2 has revealed its first full trailer, and put a dagger into the hearts of gamers that played The Last of Us Part II. It’s not confirmed exactly when the series will return with more episodes, but we do know that The Last of Us will return in 2025. We also know that the next season of the series will only be partially adapting the events of the sequel video game, but if the wait is too much for you we’re going to dissect what happens in broad strokes. Full Spoilers for The Last of Us Part II video game will follow.

Released seven years after Naughty Dog’s original game, The Last of Us Part II picks up not too long after the events of the first game. Having returned to Jackson, Joel confesses to his brother Tommy what he did in Salt Lake City to the Fireflies, confiding the truth in him and swearing him to secrecy. For the bulk of The Last of Us Part II the plot is set about four years later, with a now 19-year-old Ellie having firmly established herself as a permanent member of the community in Jackson along with Joel. She has friends, romantic partners, and takes patrols to make sure their town is safe from infected.

Joel’s big moment in The Last of Us Part II

The primary driving incident of The Last of Us Part II however stems directly from the ending of The Last of Us. Introduced near the start of the game is a new character, Abby, who is clearly working with friends to reach Jackson. After being ambushed by infected, Abby is saved by Joel and Tommy, which is when the trap is largely sprung and this new character’s intentions are revealed. One of the many people Joel killed in The Last of Us‘ final minutes, perhaps the most important one, the doctor that was intending to operate on Ellie, had a daughter of his own…Abby. Now having found the killer of her father, Abby takes things into her own hands, and kills Joel. Through a matter of necessary narrative circumstance, Ellie happens to be present too and sees it all happen.

This becomes the big plot driver for the game, sending Ellie on another cross-country trip in search of revenge. After figuring out that Abby and her friends came from Seattle, Ellie and her new girlfriend Dina make the trip to the west coast in search of the people that wronged her. Their pursuit begins as a favor to Maria, as Tommy has already left before them with the same quest in mind, but as their journey continues Ellie’s thirst for vengeance begins to consume her. Ellie’s journey through Seattle sees her killing a lot of people, including many of the people that helped Abby get to Jackson, only for her eventual confrontation with Abby to trigger a twist in the game.

The Last of Us Part II’s surprise playable character

Right after Abby and Ellie finally meet, The Last of Us Part II flashes back to when Ellie first arrived in Seattle but has players actually play as Abby in the game and follow her journey in that same time frame. This eventually leads to the confrontation with Ellie and forces players to go up against Ellie in a boss fight. This, coupled with Joel’s death, made The Last of Us Part II incredibly controversial upon release to some fans of the series. While playing as Abby, players found themselves in a story not unlike Joel’s from the first game (complete with taking in a young character under their wing). As a result, those that perhaps had conflicted feelings about playing as Joel’s killer find themselves the subject of a lot of introspection; hopefully wondering why they had no problem playing as a tough-as-nails, no-nonsense killer in the first game but were uncomfortable with it in the second.

For the most part, The Last of Us Part II is told largely in a non-linear fashion. Elements of Ellie’s story, and even Abby’s, are peppered throughout the gameplay with the full picture not even fully visible until the conclusion. One of the biggest reveals, about halfway through the game, is that Joel and Ellie had become estranged after she returned to Salt Lake City and figured out he had lied to her at the end of the first The Last of Us. The final piece of the puzzle doesn’t happen until the end of the game, when Ellie relents on her quest to kill Abby and actually lets her live. Distraught and broken, Ellie recalls the last conversation she had with Joel, wherein they began to reconcile and she told him that she would forgive him, all of which happened the night before he was killed.

That’s the big story beats of The Last of Us Part II. We left out some details to help preserve some of the story because it is best experienced in some way or another; be it the game or the eventual episodes of the TV show. How will The Last of Us TV series handle all of this though? Luckily that’s for the show’s creators to decide, but one thing they’ve already indicated is that the storyline of The Last of Us Part II is perhaps too big for just one season of TV.

“I think that the amount of story that remains that we have not covered would be more than a season of television,” series co-creator Craig Mazin previously told io9 about future seasons. “So assuming we can keep going forward, the idea would be to do more than just one more season. But this isn’t the kind of show that is going to be seven seasons.”

The Last of Us Part II earned a lot of praise at the time of its release for how it combated with player perceptions and ideals, forcing you into new points of view to further challenge you. When it comes to the television series it will be interesting to not only see how they handle this in an entirely different storytelling medium, but what parts of the game’s story they will choose to alter, or even expand on.

It is worth noting though that the first season of The Last of Us TV series has already begun to plant seeds for the storyline of The Last of Us Part II. Elements of the city of Jackson were introduced in the TV show that weren’t actually seen in the game, and the tease of a couple of characters has also already happened. You can learn more about that below.

The post The Last Of Us Part II Plot Explained: What Happens in the Sequel? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Today should be a very exciting day for most PlayStation fans. There’s a lot of cool stuff happening today, including the release of the first trailer for The Last of Us Season 2. Unfortunately, it seems a lot of people just aren’t in the mood to celebrate. The trailer had some unfortunate timing, dropping shortly after a whole lot of people tried (and failed) to get the PlayStation 5 Pro Console – 30th Anniversary Limited Edition BundIe. Fans haven’t really had time to get over their frustrations, and they’re bringing them up in the replies to all of PlayStation’s posts on X/Twitter, including the one sharing the trailer for TLOU. 

“Thanks for screwing me on the website!!! There’s nothing better than waiting over an hour just to be kicked from PlayStation direct to then wait another hour just so I can get the damn remote,” writes one user. Meanwhile, another user shared a screenshot from eBay showing multiple bundles being resold for thousands of dollars more than their asking price. The situation has clearly made a lot of people upset, and it remains to be seen whether PlayStation will be able to rectify things in some way. It would be nice if the company made more of these bundles available so fans can get one without spending an arm and a leg, but it remains to be seen if that will actually happen. 

While several comments like this could be found throughout the replies to The Last of Us Season 2 trailer, it’s worth noting that they have become the minority. A lot more of the responses are from people excited about the show, with many fans sharing both enthusiasm and dread about seeing the events of The Last of Us Part II adapted. Many fans are making (not so subtle) references to the major death that happens in the game, while others are outright talking about it. If you aren’t aware of what happens in the game, you may want to steer clear of any comment sections on social media or YouTube related to the show until Season 2 drops! 

Are you still frustrated about how the 30th Anniversary Bundles were handled today? Have you been airing your frustrations on social media? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

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Earlier today, the first full-length trailer for The Last of Us Season 2 debuted as part of The Last of Us Day 2024 festivities, and it’s no surprise that Spin Master chose this moment to debut this Joel and Ellie action figure 2-pack, which is based on the characters from the PlayStation games. It’s a pretty fantastic set overall, with 19  accessories that include Joel’s revolver, shotgun, and machete, and Ellie’s bow, arrow, pistol, and switchblade.There are also multiple swappable hands and a backpack for both figures. 

Pre-orders for The Last of Us Season 2 figure set are available now here at Entertainment Earth and here on Amazon priced at $49.99. Note that U.S. shipping is free at Entertainment Earth on orders over $99, and there’s a flat $7.95 shipping fee on all orders below that threshold. All orders include a mint condition guarantee. 

In addition to the trailer and action figure set, Naughty Dog is celebrating The Last of Us Day 2024 with the release of The Last of Us Part I on PlayStation Plus. There will also be TLOU-themed Avatars, PlayStation Gear discounts, and PlayStation Stars challenges. As for Steam users, they can purchase new TLOU-themed animated stickers, avatars, and more via the Steam Points Shop.

HBO The Last of Us Season 2 Release Date

Despite the release of the trailer today, there isn’t a firm release date for The Last of Us Season 2 on Max, though it is expected to arrive at some point in 2025. However, they wrapped up filming in August, with the majority of filming taking place in Canada. With filming wrapped, The Last of Us can now concentrate on post-production.

“The way we approach it, we start at the beginning of the season, and we break the season, and we look at the game. Our goal is to tell the best story possible,” Last of Us creator Druckmann said. “And then our process is to just look at the content we have in the game and say, ‘OK, what are things that we both just overwhelmingly love and feel could be adapted as is?’ And we just put little check marks by those index cards to say, ‘OK, those things could just stay as is,’ and that becomes building blocks.”

Along with Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey returning as Joel and Ellie, respectively, the seven-episode second season of The Last of Us stars series newcomers Kaitlyn Dever (No One Will Save You) as the revenge-seeking Abby, Merced (Madame Web) as Dina, Young Mazino (Beef) as Jesse, Danny Ramirez (Captain America: Brave New World) as Manny, Ariela Barer (Runaways) as Mel, Tati Gabrielle (Uncharted) as Nora, Wright (The Batman) as Isaac Dixon, and two-time Emmy winner Catherine O’Hara as an as-yet-unrevealed original character.

The post The Last of Us Action Figures Launch With Season 2 Trailer appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The first full-length trailer for Season 2 of The Last of Us has been revealed. Throughout the first portion of 2024, The Last of Us Season 2 was in the process of filming. A little more than a month ago, production finally wrapped up which naturally led fans to wonder when a proper trailer for this new run of episodes would be unveiled. Now, to coincide with “The Last of Us Day”, our best look at Season 2 yet has now arrived. 

Clocking in around two minutes in length, this initial teaser for The Last of Us Season 2 highlights many scenes that those who have played The Last of Us Part II should be familiar with. Outside of showing off Joel and Ellie, the video also happens to highlight new characters in S2 such as Dina (Isabela Merced), Abby (Kaitlyn Dever), and an unknown character portrayed by Catherina O’Hara. The trailer then features backing music from Pearl Jam’s “Future Days”, which is a song that is integral to the plot of TLOU Part II. 

You can watch this trailer for Season 2 of The Last of Us right here: 

Outside of this new trailer, HBO has also shared three new posters for the next season of The Last of Us. Three character posters in total have been revealed with one dedicated to Ellie, Joel, and Abby respectively. Each poster features art from Greg Ruth and hints at some of the larger plotlines that will developer in the series moving forward. 

The only downside of this new trailer for The Last of Us Season 2 is that it remains without a firm release date. At the trailer’s conclusion, it only reiterates that Season 2 will arrive at some point in 2025. Based on previous production timelines for Season 1, it’s incredibly likely that Season 2 will begin airing during the first half of next year. Regardless of when it specifically releases, we should begin to learn more in the weeks and months ahead about The Last of Us Season 2 as promotion for the show will ramp up further. 

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The creator of The Last of Us says there’s a scene in Season 2 that he knows fans “will eat up.” Neil Druckmann created The Last of Us video game franchise, and is also one of the creatives behind the hit HBO adaption. It’s been a long, hard road for TV shows and movies that attempt to adapt video games into those mediums, but Druckmann and HBO found instant success with The Last of Us. Fans of the games may have an idea of what to expect in Season 2, but Druckmann teased how The Last of Us may have some tricks up its sleeves.

Neil Druckmann was a guest on Variety‘s Strictly Business podcast, where he spoke about the pleasure he’s gotten from hearing from fans of The Last of Us video game and TV show. He also went into what has him excited about Season 2, with one scene in particulary standing out.

“What I’ve really enjoyed now is sometimes there are these people that have watched the show and then went and played the game and talked about, what a cool experience,” Druckmann said. “The game sometimes hints at stuff that we just don’t have time to get into the show that the game can, and vice versa. If you experience both, they’re both richer for it. And I love hearing that experience from people. They tell me, like, ‘I watch the show and then I play the game, and I really like how different the Bill sequence is, and that gave me this other insight into him.’ And there’s stuff in this season that I’m really excited about — stuff that we hinted at — one scene in particular comes to mind that I think fans of the game will eat up, because it really kind of tells you a lot of backstory of this important character that there wasn’t really a way for us to even do that in the game.”

The Last of Us creator reveals how HBO collaboration works

Druckmann also discussed how he works with The Last of Us head writer and executive producer Craig Mazin to break each season down. Druckmann was such a fan of Mazin’s work on HBO’s Chernobyl that he sought him out and they had lunch together. What started as Druckmann expressing his admiration for the work Mazin did on Chernobyl quickly turned to a shared appreciation for The Last of Us.

“The way we approach it, we start at the beginning of the season, and we break the season, and we look at the game. Our goal is to tell the best story possible,” Druckmann said. “And then our process is to just look at the content we have in the game and say, ‘OK, what are things that we both just overwhelmingly love and feel could be adapted as is?’ And we just put little check marks by those index cards to say, ‘OK, those things could just stay as is,’ and that becomes building blocks.”

Along with Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey returning as Joel and Ellie, respectively, the seven-episode second season of The Last of Us stars series newcomers Kaitlyn Dever (No One Will Save You) as the revenge-seeking Abby, Merced (Madame Web) as Dina, Young Mazino (Beef) as Jesse, Danny Ramirez (Captain America: Brave New World) as Manny, Ariela Barer (Runaways) as Mel, Tati Gabrielle (Uncharted) as Nora, Wright (The Batman) as Isaac Dixon, and two-time Emmy winner Catherine O’Hara as an as-yet-unrevealed original character.

The post The Last of Us Season 2 Has One Scene Fans “Will Eat Up” appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Fans of The Last of Us will want to set time aside when their calendars flip to 2025. The first season of the HBO Original series concluded in March 2023, leaving fans to wait for the returns of Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey), and all the tension existing between the two following the season finale. While Joel succeeded in saving Ellie’s life from sacrifcing herself to find a cure for the zombie outbreak, Joel killed a lot of people and lied to Ellie about it. Season 2 of The Last of Us can’t come soon enough, but according to the person in charge of programming at HBO/Max, we may not be waiting too much longer.

Deadline spoke to Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO, HBO and Max Content, at a post-Emmy party, where Bloys gave some insight on when The Last of Us will return. When asked about the premiere dates for White Lotus and The Last of Us, Bloys replied, “Well, all I’ll say now, generally first half of the year, I expect them to be in the Emmy window.” The first half of 2025 would mean Season 2 of The Last of Us should debut before the end of May, with possibly six episodes out by then in order to be in the running for Emmy consideration.

Will The Last of Us Season 1 get any Emmy nominations in 2025?

With The Last of Us being absent in 2024, that means it wasn’t up for any Emmy nominations when the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards were awarded this weekend. However, if the new season of The Last of Us does come out in the early part of 2025, it will be eligble for noms, as well as House of the Dragon Season 2. This could give HBO some more firepower to add to its Emmy list, after shocking the industry with its win of the Outstanding Comedy Series Emmy with Hacks overtaking the heavy favorite, The Bear.

Casey Bloys also gave a small tease for The Last of Us‘ upcoming season, stating, “I think everybody is going to love what [co-creator] Craig [Mazin] is doing.” 

HBO wraps filming on The Last of Us Season 2

The Last of Us wrapped up its filming of Season 2 in August, with the majority of filming taking place in Canada. With filming wrapped, The Last of Us can now concentrate on post-production.

Timothy Good, an editor for The Last of Us, informed fans on social media that Season 2 has now completed filming. Good posted a handful of images from a recent wrap party that was held to celebrate this milestone. The party didn’t only feature the production crew of TLOU, but the area in which it was held featured a ton of iconography tied to the series. As for Good, he implied that his work on Season 2 can now begin more directly as he begins to edit this new slate of episodes. 

Along with Pascal and Ramsey returning as Joel and Ellie, the seven-episode second season stars series newcomers Kaitlyn Dever (No One Will Save You) as the revenge-seeking Abby, Merced (Madame Web) as Dina, Young Mazino (Beef) as Jesse, Danny Ramirez (Captain America: Brave New World) as Manny, Ariela Barer (Runaways) as Mel, Tati Gabrielle (Uncharted) as Nora, Wright (The Batman) as Isaac Dixon, and two-time Emmy winner O’Hara as an as-yet-unrevealed original character.

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Alien: Romulus viewers have been drawing comparisons between the Alien movie’s protagonist, Rain, and Ellie from The Last of Us nonstop since the movie’s premiere, but as it turns out, there is an actual connection between the movie and game that’s been confirmed by the director. It doesn’t have anything to do with Cailee Spaeny’s character Rain and Ellie, however, and instead deals with Kay, the pregnant character in Alien: Romulus whose pregnancy becomes a core part of the movie. Alien: Romulus director Fede Alvarez confirmed this week that Kay’s character was in fact inspired by Dina from The Last of Us Part 2.

Alvarez discussed the connection over on X after one of many people asked him if he’d played The Last of Us. He confirmed that he had and said that he was actually playing The Last of Us Part 2 when writing Alien: Romulus. Upon seeing that Dina was pregnant in the game, he found inspiration for Kay.

“Fun fact: I was playing #TheLastOfUs2 while writing #AlienRomulus,” he said on X. “The story of a pregnant Dina made me think of having the character of Kay be pregnant too. Then I cast Isabella Merced to play Kay…. A year later she gets cast to play Dina on the HBO show…. True story.”

As Alvarez pointed out, the relationship here is even more uncanny than a normal inspiration for the character given that actress Isabella Merced played Kay in Alien: Romulus and has also been cast as Dina in the second season of HBO’s The Last of Us TV show. We haven’t seen Merced in the show yet since Season 2 has yet to be released, but we’ve heard plenty from her about her character’s relationship with Ellie as well as what it’s been like working on some of the tougher parts of Season 2. The next season has wrapped filming now, but it doesn’t have a release date yet.

As for Alien: Romulus, Alvarez has been revealing more and more details like these now that the movie’s out with people realizing that there are probably several things they didn’t pick up on during their first watch. There’s of course the question of whether or not we’ll see Rain in another Alien movie in the future, perhaps as a sequel to Alien: Romulus, but nothing’s been confirmed at this time.

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Production on Season 2 of HBO’s The Last of Us has now reached its end. Throughout the entirety of 2024, The Last of Us has been filming across various locations in Canada. Shooting on Season 2 was known to be drawing close to its conclusion based on previous schedules that had been leaked to the public. Now, though, it’s known that The Last of US Season 2 has officially wrapped, which now begins the post-production process. 

Posted on social media, Timothy Good, an editor for The Last of Us, informed fans that Season 2 has now completed filming. Good posted a handful of images from a recent wrap party that was held to celebrate this milestone. The party didn’t only feature the production crew of TLOU, but the area in which it was held featured a ton of iconography tied to the series. As for Good, he implied that his work on Season 2 can now begin more directly as he begins to edit this new slate of episodes. 

Even though The Last of Us Season 2 has finished the filming process, we still don’t know exactly when it will be debuting. Currently, HBO has only broadly confirmed that the acclaimed TV series is set to return at some point in 2025. A more defined window within the year has yet to be committed to, but based on timelines associated with Season 1, a release in the first half of 2025 seems very likely. 

If nothing else, though, Season 2 now being in the can suggests that a lengthier trailer for The Last of Us could come about relatively soon. Earlier this month, revealed the first footage from the second season of The Last of Us which featured just enough to get fans excited. Still, many have wondered when a full-length teaser for The Last of Us Season 2 will arrive. While no timelines have been given, we’re definitely inching closer to such a reveal. 

In the interim, PlayStation remastered The Last of Us Part II earlier in 2024 and released it for PlayStation 5. Season 2 (and beyond) of The Last of Us TV series is set to be based on the events of this game so if you haven’t played it for yourself yet, it’s readily available on PS5. 

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Joining the second season of HBO’s The Last of Us live-action series is Kaitlyn Dever stepping into the role of Abby Anderson, an antagonist to Joel and Ellie that has been hated since The Last of Us 2 released. Unfortunately for Dever, some people take this hatred to a level that raised concern on set, as was revealed by fellow cast member Isabela Merced who said that her co-star needed extra security on set because of people who “genuinely hate” her character. Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast per Variety, Merced said, “There’s so many strange people in this world because there are people that actually genuinely hate Abby, who is not a real person. Kaitlyn had to be extra secured by security when it came to the filming of this.”

Dever’s casting in the Season 2 of The Last of Us has faced fairly consistent backlash since its initial announcement, with gamers used to a specific appearance for the antagonist too often taking their concerns over Dever not being muscular enough for the role to a harmful level, hence the concerns on set that resulted in upped security for the cast newcomer. Combined with the fact that Abby is a character who has never really had very much of a fanbase or many “apologists” to begin with, it’s not hard to imagine being in this position could be difficult. 

“What confuses me is the showrunner and creator of the video game, they work together to make this, so if you like what the guy made and he’s making more of it, why are you mad? I’m too opinionated to be on Twitter. I see this stuff on Twitter, and it makes me want to go Cardi B on them,” Merced continued. “Kaitlyn is such a cool person who does not get phased by things. She really had her head in the right place, and also is going through a lot personally right now. It’s devastating to see, but also give her the damn Emmy, honestly. I’m so excited for people to see how incredibly well Bella and Kaitlyn did on this.”

Dever and Merced are both newcomers to Season 2, with other additions to the cast led by Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal including Ariela Barer, Catherine O’Hara, Danny Ramirez, Jeffrey Wright, Tati Gabrielle, Young Mazino, and Spencer Lord. The Last of Us season 2 will premiere in 2025.

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The Last of Us fans have a lot to look forward to in 2025, HBO and MAX debuted a new sizzle reel tonight revealing footage from upcoming shows that will arrive over the next year or so, including the next batch of episodes from The Last of Us. Though only a handful of shots from The Last of Us season 2 are revealed, among them is the first look at new cast member Kaitlyn Dever as Abby Anderson. Though a slew of set photos and videos have popped up online revealing The Last of Us season 2 characters, this marks the first time The Last of Us fans will have seen Abby Anderson in live-action.

Though only one screen for a split-second, the first footage of Kaitlyn Dever as Abby in The Last of Us season 2 is something fans of The Last of Us Part II video game will immediately recognize. Dever’s version of the character can be seen being pursued by infected, a horde of them pushing onto a fence and toppling it on top of her as she scrambles through the snow. This leads to a major moment in the video game itself which we won’t reveal, but it shows how much of the 2020 video game will make it onto the screen in the second season of HBO’s hit series. 

When news of Kaitlyn Dever’s casting as Abby in The Last of Us season 2 hit, it came with some surprise considering the major physical differences in Abby and Ellie in The Last of Us Part II video game. By contrast, the Booksmart and No One Will Save You star was previously a fan-favorite to play Ellie when the potential of a The Last of Us adaptation was first flirted with by Hollywood. One person that was very excited to see Dever take the role is voice actor and performer Laura Bailey, who voiced and provided the motion capture for Abby in The Last of Us Part II. 

“Huge congrats, Kaitlyn!,” Bailey posted on X back in January. “So excited to see Abby’s evolution in your performance! Let me know if you want a workout buddy. 💪”

Based on previous talk from The Last of Us creators about the TV series it seems very likely that Kaitlyn Dever will portray Abby not only in The Last of Us season 2 but in future seasons. It was previously confirmed that the second game is expected to be adapted into multiple seasons.

“Our focus is the two games,” Neil Druckmann previously told Deadline. “As Craig mentioned, there’s quite a bit of material there that we’re taking our time with, and we’re looking at each piece individually to make sure it’s got its own arc, its own journey that the characters go on, but there is a grander plan that ties all the seasons together.”

Season 2 of HBO’s The Last of Us has been confirmed to be just seven episodes, two shorter than season one’s nine episode total. The shorter episode count for the season will set the stage for potential seasons 3 and 4.

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“I can’t walk on the path of the right because I’m wrong,” a guitar-strumming Ellie sings in The Last of Us Part II video game. But in HBO’s The Last of Us season 2 — which just dropped its first footage (below) in a trailer for what’s still to come on the Max streaming service in 2024 and 2025 — it’s Joel (Pedro Pascal) who has done wrong. “Did you hurt her?” Catherine O’Hara’s unnamed character can be heard asking in the teaser, referring to Ellie (Bella Ramsey). “No,” a tearful Joel answers. “I saved her.”

The footage, which is featured alongside new looks at HBO Original Series The Penguin, The White Lotus, The Gilded Age, Dune: Prophecy, It: Welcome to Derry, and the Game of Thrones spinoff A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, also offers a glimpse at season 2 cast members Gabriel Luna, Isabela Merced, and Jeffrey Wright, who reprises his role from the game as Isaac Dixon.

Along with Pascal and Ramsey returning as Joel and Ellie, the seven-episode second season stars series newcomers Kaitlyn Dever (No One Will Save You) as the revenge-seeking Abby, Merced (Madame Web) as Dina, Young Mazino (Beef) as Jesse, Danny Ramirez (Captain America: Brave New World) as Manny, Ariela Barer (Runaways) as Mel, Tati Gabrielle (Uncharted) as Nora, Wright (The Batman) as Isaac Dixon, and two-time Emmy winner O’Hara as an as-yet-unrevealed original character.

The first season ended with (spoiler alert) Joel killingMarlene (Merle Dandridge) and the Fireflies to save thebitten-but-immune Ellie from a brain surgery she wouldn’t survive — aprocedure that could potentially cure the Cordyceps infection and end the fungal apocalypse. While en route to Jackson, Wyoming, Joel lied about what happened at the hospital to Ellie, who responded with: “Okay.”

“This also sets up the rest of their story in [The Last of Us Part II]. I think she sees that he’s lying,” Ashley Johnson, who voiced video game Ellie and played Ellie’s mother on the show, explained on the official Last of Us Podcast. “And the ‘okay’ is like,’Alright, we’re done. You’re not being truthful with me and I can’ttrust you.’ Like, ‘I love you, but this was one thing that my life wouldhave mattered and I could have maybe made a difference somehow. Andthat’s taken away from me now. Who I am now?'”

“‘I don’t knowthis person that I’ve gone on this journey with, that I care so muchabout, [who] is choosing to lie about something so huge,'” she continued. “And Ellie, herbulls–t detector is the best. She knows he’s lying.She feels it. She doesn’t know the extent of it. But somethings off. Soit’s like it’s not choosing to believe the lie, or it’s just like,’Okay, the rest of our relationship is gonna be a little different.'”

Craig Mazin again serves as showrunner with series co-creator Neil Druckmann on The Last of Us season 2, which airs in 2025 on HBO.

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When The Last of Us Season 2 debuts on HBO, audiences will be introduced to Dina, a major character that first appeared in The Last of Us Part II. When the game begins, Dina and Ellie are a couple and have built a life together. In Season 2, Dina will be played by actress Isabela Merced (Madame Web, Alien: Romulus). In a new interview with Total Film, Merced discussed her role in the new season, and what Dina brings to the series. While Merced was careful to avoid spoilers, she did seem to hint that Dina’s role will follow a similar path to what we saw in the PlayStation game. 

“[TLOU’s Dina is] sort of a light in Ellie’s life, in Ellie’s world. I think that’s the general consensus, because you look at the video game, too, and she is really the only one who actually gets sort of a decent ending,” Merced told Total Film. “Everyone else gets kind of screwed or dies!”

As Merced hints, The Last of Us Part II is a fairly dark game, and things don’t turn out great for the majority of the cast. The subject matter for the first game was already pretty grim, and developer Naughty Dog turned things up a notch for the sequel. That’s not too surprising given the fact that the games deal with what is (essentially) the end of the world. However, Merced believes that if she were in that position, she would handle things in a manner similar to Dina. 

“I love, more than anything, to be that light for the people in my life. And I like to make them laugh, and I like to make them understand themselves more,” Merced continued. “I just like to help in general. I think Dina’s very close to my own personality. I think we’re both very silly, and I think I would maybe handle the apocalypse in a similar way if I were in it.”

The cast in the first season of The Last of Us was highly-praised, and it will be interesting to see if new additions like Isabela Merced are just as well-received. Unfortunately, the new season does not have a release date just yet, so we don’t know when viewers will get a chance to see this take on Dina. 

Are you excited for the new season of The Last of Us? How do you feel about Isabela Merced playing Dina? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

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The Last of Us creator and director Neil Druckmann has announced that filming on his episode of Season 2 of the HBO series has now wrapped. For Season 1 of The Last of Us, it marked the first time that Druckmann had directed a TV episode after having previously only served as the director of various video games. For Season 2, Druckmann opted to once again step behind the camera and helm an episode of the series, which has now concluded. 

In a post on social media, Druckmann announced that he had completed his filming for Season 2 in Vancouver. While Season 2 as a whole hasn’t finished production just yet, Druckmann’s episode is now in the can. Based on info that is currently available, Druckmann seems to have directed Episode 6 of Season 2. That being said, this episode could fall elsewhere in the season if filming was done out of order. Given that Season 2 of The Last of Us is also going to be seven episodes in total, Druckmann’s completion of his own episode implies that filming on the next run of episodes is nearly done. 

“My time in Vancouver has come to an end,” Druckmann wrote on Instagram. “I’ve had a wonderful time collaborating with some incredibly talented and kind cast and crew. Can’t wait for y’all to see what we’re cooking! And thanks to production for the best parting gift ever. Easily my favorite watch in my collection!”

The watch in question that Druckmann is referring to happens to be a replica of the one that Joel wears in The Last of Us. Those who watched Season 1 are likely familiar with the watch and its importance to the character. For Druckmann to take home one of the watches that actor Pedro Pascal potentially wore while filming is definitely a cool keepsake for the director. 

At the time of this writing, HBO hasn’t announced an exact release date for Season 2 of The Last of Us. It’s known that the show is set to return on both HBO and Max at some point in 2025. Given that filming on Season 2 looks to be nearing its end, HBO could share more news about the show’s return to airwaves at some point in the coming weeks or months. 

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HBO’s The Last of Us will return for Season 2 in 2025 with the critically acclaimed series taking on story material from Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us Part II video game, but it may not be the only stories that end up being explored. Series creator Craig Mazin says that while the HBO series won’t go beyond the source material, it will explore “unseen stories” from within the context of the games.

“As a fan, I’m thrilled that there might be a third Last of Us game,” Mazin told Deadline. “As the co-creator of this television show, there’s no world where I would want our show to go beyond the source material that people have in the world. Our show as people know it on HBO is going to cover the material from the second game and then quite a bit of material that is relevant to that story but, as I said, wanders down interesting new paths, unseen stories that were told within the context of that games’ material.”

Mazin didn’t elaborate on what those “unseen stories” entailed, but Neil Druckmann, who is not only the head of Naughty Dog but also the co-creator of the television series, echoed Mazin’s sentiments, saying that there is a “grander plan” that ties all of the seasons of The Last of Us together.

“Our focus is the two games,” Druckmann said. “As Craig mentioned, there’s quite a bit of material there that we’re taking our time with, and we’re looking at each piece individually to make sure it’s got its own arc, its own journey that the characters go on, but there is a grander plan that ties all the seasons together.”

The Last of Us Could Run For Up to Four Seasons

As for the seasons of The Last of Us that the “grander plan” ties together, Mazin also revealed that the series could last for up to four seasons as the creative team is taking its time in exploring The Last of Us Part II — though future seasons will also be dependent upon viewers tuning in.

“We don’t think that we’re going to be able to tell the story even within two seasons because we’re taking our time and going down interesting pathways which we did a little bit in Season 1, too,” Mazin explained. “We feel like it’s almost assuredly going to be the case that — as long as people keep watching and we can keep making more television — Season 3 will be significantly larger. And indeed, the story may require Season 4.”

Additionally, Season 2 will have a shorter episode count than fans might expect, but that is because the writers followed “natural breakpoints” in the game when crafting the show’s narrative. As a result, Season 2 will have just seven episodes.

“The story material that we got from Part II of the game is way more than the story material that was in the first game, so part of what we had to do from the start was figure out how to tell that story across seasons,” Mazin said. “When you do that, you look for natural breakpoints, and as we laid it out, this season, the natural breakpoint felt like it came after seven episodes.”

The Last of Us Season 2 is expected in 2025.

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The first season of The Last of Us on HBO received a ton of praise for how well the series adapted the iconic Naughty Dog video game. Season 2, which is currently in the works, will obviously be adapting the second game in the series, but don’t expect that entire game to be crammed into just a handful of TV episodes. According to creator Craig Mazin, HBO’s The Last of Us could last up to four seasons as the creative team takes its time exploring the story of The Last of Us Part II.

“We don’t think that we’re going to be able to tell the story even within two seasons because we’re taking our time and going down interesting pathways which we did a little bit in Season 1 too,” Mazin told Deadline. “We feel like it’s almost assuredly going to be the case that – as long as people keep watching and we can keep making more television – Season 3 will be significantly larger. And indeed, the story may require Season 4.”

During the same interview, Mazin went on to double down on the idea that The Last of Us would last longer than three seasons. He hinted that there will be so much story left after Season 2 concludes that there’s almost no way just a third installment would be enough.

“One thing is absolutely for sure, I don’t see how we could tell the story that remains after Season 2 is complete in one more season,” he explained.

The Last of Us Season 2 Episode Count

Part of the reason for those additional seasons is the fact that the second installment of HBO’s The Last of Us will have less episodes than the acclaimed first season. According to Mazin, the writers followed “natural breakpoints” in the game, and that led them to include just seven episodes in Season 2.

“The story material that we got from Part II of the game is way more than the story material that was in the first game, so part of what we had to do from the start was figure out how to tell that story across seasons,” Mazin said. “When you do that, you look for natural breakpoints, and as we laid it out, this season, the natural breakpoint felt like it came after seven episodes.”

The Last of Us Season 2 is currently in the works at HBO, but the new episodes do not yet have a release date. The premium network’s next big title arrives very soon, though, with House of the Dragon.

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You haven’t seen the last of Pedro Pascal’s Joel and Bella Ramsey’s Ellie, but you’ll be seeing a little less of them when The Last of Us returns in 2025. Season 2 of the HBO drama will consist of seven episodes, according to Deadline. That’s shorter than the nine-episode first season that aired in early 2023, but series co-creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann have teased a “quite big” season 2 episode, as well as a potential third and fourth season of the post-apocalyptic drama based on the Naughty Dog video game.

“The story material that we got from Part II of the game is way morethan the story material that was in the first game, so part of what wehad to do from the start was figure out how to tell that story acrossseasons,” Mazin told Deadline. “When you do that, you look for naturalbreakpoints, and as we laid it out, this season, the [natural] breakpointfelt like it came after seven episodes.”

The first season adapted material from 2013’s The Last of Us, as well as the Last of Us: Left Behind DLC, which revealed how Ellie discovered she’s immune to the Cordyceps brain infection. The Last of Us Part II is even bigger, spanning a time jump, multiple new characters, and another cross-country trek.

“We don’t think that we’re going to be able to tell the story evenwithin two seasons [2 and 3] because we’re taking our time and go downinteresting pathways which we did a little bit in season 1 too,” Mazin said. “We feel like it’s almost assuredly going to be the case that — aslong as people keep watching and we can keep making more television — season 3 will be significantly larger. And indeed, the story may require season 4.”

He added: “One thing is absolutely for sure, I don’t see how we could tell thestory that remains after season 2 is complete in one more season.”

Along with Pascal and Ramsey, Gabriel Luna is reprising his role as Joel’s brother, Tommy. New additions to the second season cast include Kaitlyn Dever (No One Will Save You) as the revenge-seeking Abby, Isabela Merced (Madame Web) as Dina, Young Mazino (Beef) as Jesse, Danny Ramirez (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) as Manny, Ariela Barer (Runaways) as Mel, Tati Gabrielle (Uncharted) as Nora, Jeffrey Wright (The Batman) as Isaac Dixon, and Catherine O’Hara (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice) in an undisclosed role. 

Mazin, Druckmann, and Peter Hoar will once again direct episodes of season 2, which previously added Kate Herron (Loki), Stephen Williams (Watchmen), Nina Lopez-Corrado (Perry Mason) to its stable of directors. The Last of Us season 2 will air sometime in 2025 on HBO and Max.

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The Last of Us Season 2 will feature Jeffrey Wright as Isaac, an announcement shared on Friday confirmed. Wright will play Isaac, the leader of the Washington Liberation Front which was a prominent faction in The Last of Us Part 2 that we’ve already seen featured in some of the images that have surfaced online ahead of Season 2’s release. The Last of Us Season 2 still does not yet have a release date, and we haven’t seen the live-action show’s version of Isaac yet, but thankfully, it’s not difficult to imagine what Wright’s portrayal of the character will look like.

That’s because Wright has already played Isaac once given that he voiced the character in The Last of Us Part 2. Isaac was a ruthless leader of the WLF faction in The Last of Us Part 2 despite coming across as softspoken at times, and after applauding his performance as Isaac, many wondered if Wright would return in the Max series to reprise his role. Wright himself entertained those ideas in the past which further led to speculation that he would indeed play the character with the MAX confirming the news via socials on Friday.

As the leader of WLF, Isaac was one of several antagonists in The Last of Us Part 2 not only against Ellie and her company but also against Abby, too, a character who herself was long part of WLF. Protective of his WLF soldiers and others in his community, Wright was particularly violent and distrusting towards the Seraphite faction which served as the primary adversary of WLF in Seattle.

This also isn’t the first time that Wright has been part of an HBO (now Max) series. He was previously on Boardwalk Empire as Valentin Narcisse, though many will likely recognize him more recently from his role as one of Westworld‘s protagonists, Bernard Lowe. In the comics sphere, he also played The Watcher in Marvel’s What If…? as well as Jim Gordan in The Batman.

Wright joins other new cast members coming on for Season 2 including Kaitlyn Dever as Abby and Isabela Merced as Ellie’s love interest, Dina. Manny, Mel, Nora, and Owen, each of them being major characters in the WLF faction as well, have all also been cast for Season 2 already.

The Last of Us Season 2 does not yet have a release date.

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When it comes to apocalyptic series, few anime series hit as hard as Heavenly Delusion. The series launched its anime back in April 2023, and the sci-fi drama was quick to earn rave reviews. Now, the director behind Heavenly Delusion is speaking up on the series, and it turns out The Last of Us was a huge inspiration for the anime.

Recently, Hirotaka Mori appeared at ACEN and spoke to fans about his career in anime. It was there the artist was asked about Heavenly Delusion, and More admitted The Last of Us was a major inspiration. In fact, the director got himself the art book for The Last of Us, and he requested the anime’s art style draw inspiration from the video game series.

Of course, Heavenly Delusion has spun out its own life beyond The Last of Us. After making its anime debuting 2023, Masakazu Ishiguro’s hit manga has become a popular read. After all, it scratches all the right places for a post-apocalyptic adventure. Heavenly Delusion tells the story of two characters, Maru and Kiruko, as they explore the outside world 15 years after a global catastrophe.

As for The Last of Us, well – the franchise hardly needs introduction these days. The franchise began in 2013 with a titular video game under Naughty Dog, and its found-family tale became an instant hit. With two games under thumb, The Last of Us resurfaced in 2023 with help from HBO as its live-action TV series went live. The show, which stars Pedro Pascal, became an award-winning hit with viewers. A second season is now in production, so all in all, Heavenly Delusion picked the right series to glean inspiration from.

If you are not familiar with Heavenly Delusion, you can find the Production I.G. anime on Hulu. So for more info on the series, you can read its official synopsis below:

“Within the safety of the walls, youths are raised in a nursery-style setting by robots. While life there may appear stale on the surface, the children are full of potential and curiosity. In many ways it is like a slice of heaven. The outside world is a hell-scape. It is almost entirely void of anything mechanical and is now inhabited by bizarre, yet powerful super-natural beings. Maru, with the aid of Kiruko, is out there crisscrossing what was once Tokyo for heaven. But after searching for so long, maybe heaven is more of an untenable dream than a potential reality.”

Do you see the comparison with The Last of Us? Let us know what you think over on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

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Ahead of Season 2 of The Last of Us, Max revealed this week new images from the show featuring Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie. The preview of Joel shows a character who’s clearly been aged by both time and his journey with Ellie while Ellie’s new appearance shows a more confident version of the character after what transpired in Season 1. Season 2 of The Last of Us still doesn’t yet have a release date beyond it being out some time in 2025, but these previews will hopefully lead into more looks at the next season.

We don’t yet have an overview for Season 2, though anyone who’s played The Last of Us Part 2 will know what’s coming as well as what might be going on in these new photos Max shared. For Joel’s new image that can be seen below, for example, we see him in an area with string lights behind him which suggests that the interaction he’s having takes place in the town of Jackson where the second game starts with a celebration. As those who played The Last of Us Part 2 will recall. Joel and Ellie shared tense moments in the town during the opening scenes of the game which alluded to the rift forming between the two after their travels.

New The Last of Us Season 2 Images

Integral to this celebration featuring Joel and Ellie that’ll inevitably be shown towards the start of Season 2 is another character, Dina. Dina was introduced in The Last of Us Part 2 as a love interest for Ellie. She’ll be played by Isabella Merced with new photos of those two shared recently as well amid talks from Merced about how impactful the chemistry between the stars will be during their portrayal of Ellie and Dina.

The new look at Ellie is not quite as easy to decipher as Joel’s. Ellie’s pretty much never without a weapon in The Last of Us Part 2, and given that the game takes place in Wyoming and in Seattle, her apparel could fit any of the moments in the game that take place in the colder seasons. 

The Last of Us Season 2 is scheduled to release at some point in 2025 on Max. Based on past comments from the showrunners, it’s unlikely that Season 2 will encapsulate all of The Last of Us Part 2, so expect Season 3 to tackle that game as well.

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While The Last of Us Season 2 isn’t scheduled to premiere on HBO until sometime in 2025, the production has been working on set since February. That hasn’t been a constant filming period. The production for The Last of Us Season 2 has been a little stop-and-start as the team has needed to wait for various things to line up correctly. Over the weekend, a new round of shooting was taking place and several new photos have emerged giving fans their first look at what Bella Ramsey and Isabela Merced will look like as Ellie and Dina respectively.

First Look at Ellie and Dina in The Last of Us Season 2

The new images were shared on Twitter by the fan account The Last of Us News. They have two shots of Ramesy as Ellie on set, showing off her updated hairstyle. In these images, it’s not a perfect recreation of the game, but it’s a similar pulled-back style that could easily morph into what fans are used to once the action starts up. In any case, it’s clearly more pulled back than it was in Season 1, which could be one way the production is showing the character maturing. 

Meanwhile, the image of Merced shows her in Dina’s costume. She has that same pale red shirt that Dina wears in the game, but she’s wearing a more stylish New Balance jacket. Dina’s jacket in The Last of Us Part 2 is a leather jacket that looks much more worn than this costume. That said, it’s possible she’s only wearing this jacket for this scene and will switch it out for something more rugged when she heads to Seattle.

Of course, it’s worth noting that the show doesn’t need to perfectly nail the look of the characters. As long as they match the vibe, it should work well. After all, the crew has more than proven itself with The Last of Us Season 1. If Dina’s wearing something more sporty than she does in the game, it won’t really matter.

The Last of Us Season 2 Release Date

Currently, HBO has given a firm release date for The Last of Us Season 2. We know that it’s coming in 2025, but they haven’t narrowed the window any further. Season 1 kicked off in January 2023, so we might see Season 2 launch early next year. For now, we’ll have to wait until HBO makes an official announcement.

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The Last of Us season 2 has been spotted filming in Vancouver in multiple separate locations, as can be seen in set photos and posted Filming Notices shared by Vancouver film shoots account on X, @yvrshootstweets. According to the posts, Vancouver’s Oceanic Plaza is being transformed into the post-apocalyptic Seattle from The Last of Us Part 2. One specific location shown during shoots is Weston’s Pharmacy, where Bella Ramsey was seen on horseback on Saturday, May 11th.

In addition to the photos and notices shared by @yvrshootstweets, another X user @jeronandor shared photos of two set props being transported off Highway 1, noted to be specifically near the Grandview exit though as pointed out by @yvrshootstweets in the replies, this doesn’t really indicate where these two particular pieces of season 2 are headed. The larger of the two, a news van, does indicate what set it will be part of (or perhaps already was part of, as it’s possible the van is headed back to the main studio after already being used) – the KMAB 13 News Station.

This particular TV station is featured as a location in The Last of Us Part 2 that Ellie and Dina search during their hunt for Abby Anderson in Seattle. KMAB 13 was used as an outpost by the Washington Liberation Front (WLF), and the news station could prove to be a fairly dark set in the live-action series. In the game, the WLF was attacked in the station by the Seraphites, who killed the WLF members there, including Leah, whose belongings Ellie searches in order to try to find information about Abby’s whereabouts. You can check out all of the set photos on @yvrshootstweets, linked above. 

Just last week audiences who are patiently waiting for The Last of Us season 2 were treated to a new look at the WLF in additional set photos from a variety of sources. There’s also been plenty of additional excitement building carried out by various members of the cast and crew as filming is underway on new episodes, including Dina actress Isabela Merced who thinks there’s a particular scene that is going to flood social media when it airs.

There’s no concrete premiere date for The Last of Us season 2 just yet, but leaker Daniel Richtman (@DanielRPK) recently claimed the window is less than a year from now, either March or April of 2025. Of course, this is a leak and should still be taken lightly, as nothing is official until there’s an announcement from HBO. 

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Ahmed Best is known for playing Jar Jar Binks and Kelleran Beq in the Star Wars universe, but that’s not the only franchise the actor is involved in. Best also lent his voice to some popular video games, including The Last of Us Part II and Fallout 76. Both The Last of Us and Fallout have made the successful transition to television. The Last of Us is currently in production on its second season for HBO, and Fallout was recently renewed for a second season by Amazon’s Prime Video. ComicBook recently had the chance to chat with Best at the grand opening of Bricks and Minifigs in Pasadena, California. In addition to talking about Star Wars, we also brought up Best’s connection to the games, and wondered if he was interested in being a part of those shows. 

“Nobody called me,” Best revealed when asked about potentially making a cameo on either series. “I mean, I’ll play anything. Last of Us II and Fallout were both very, very fun. And the people who do those games are just wonderful and build universes that are just fantastic. So I mean, I just wanted to make a cameo in either one of those ’cause I’m in the game. But I don’t know, whatever they have out there in the world in either of those universes, I’m down.”

What Is Popup Con? 

We spoke to Best at Popup Con, a cool event he started a few years ago, and he explained how it came to be.

“So Popup Con actually started before the pandemic,” Best shared. “I always wanted to do something primarily to look at small niche businesses. When it came to entertainment stuff, I grew up in comic book stores all my life. I grew up in toy stores all my life … And I always loved the cultures that were around it. Every time I would go to a comic book store when I was a kid, it’d be all the same people … You’d have all of these people who were so passionate, not just about what was in the store, but the store itself. It’s something that I always really loved. And when big box stores came in, that kind of disappeared.”

“The big conventions are cool, but sometimes it gets a little much,” Best explained. “Sometimes it’s very difficult to have the stamina to do all of them, and sometimes it gets kind of transactional, more transactional than I like. I kind of like the fact that you get to talk to people. I like the fact that you get to know people and you get a little bit of time. So I was like, ‘Well, what if there was a con that would just pop up in these very niche mom-and-pop stores?’ Especially things like comic book stores or video stores or Lego stores or toy stores, and it would be the people affiliated with the store, but you can also spend a little bit more time with people coming through, and that’s when Popup Con comes.”

Stay tuned for more updates about Star Wars, The Last of Us, Fallout, and more…

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The first season of HBO’s The Last of Us managed to captivate audiences, including those familiar with the original PlayStation games, as well as those new to the franchise. It seems that the next season will have a lot for viewers to talk about as well. In a new interview with Buzzfeed, actress Isabela Merced talked about playing Dina in the new season, and her character’s relationship with Ellie (played by Bella Ramsey). While Merced didn’t go into a lot of detail about the new season, she did hint at a sequence that a lot of people are going to be talking about. 

“It’s really, really exciting. There’s a scene in particular that I think is going to be on everyone’s Twitter feed,” Merced told Buzzfeed. 

What Scene is Merced Talking About?

There are a lot of powerful scenes from The Last of Us Part II that could fit that description. The game is something of a rollercoaster, and fans are still debating some of the twists and turns nearly four years later. Those that played the PS4 game might have some idea what Merced is talking about, but it’s hard to say for certain. We simply don’t know how closely the new season will adapt the source material, or even where it will come to an end; it’s been confirmed that the events of the game will play out across at least two seasons. 

Presumably, Merced is talking about a scene with her and Ellie, and not that one major scene from the game that resulted in harassment and death threats. One possibility is the scene between Dina and Ellie at the Greenplace Supermarket. Images of that location leaked online earlier this year, so it’s a safe bet things could play out in a manner similar to the game. Of course, the scene she mentions could be something from a cut level, as well. In a 2023 statement to EW, The Last of Us creator Neil Druckmann teased that the show will feature “one element from a cut level,” though Druckmann did note that could change before filming finished. For now, fans are just going to have to speculate about what we can expect in Season 2. 

When Will The Last of Us Season 2 Release?

It could be a long time before we know what Merced is talking about, as The Last of Us Season 2 won’t be releasing until sometime in 2025. Rumors have suggested that we might not see new episodes until March or April that year, but nothing has been confirmed by HBO at this time. It’s likely we could learn a lot more over the next few months, particularly as convention season approaches. It’s been a long wait for fans of the series, but if the finished product matches the quality of the first season, it should prove worth it. 

Are you excited to check out the next season of The Last of Us? What are you hoping to see from the show? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

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The second season of The Last of Us went into production earlier this year, and fans have seen some very small glimpses of the production. The folks involved with the series are being understandably tight-lipped about the new episodes, but some have shared their excitement for the upcoming season. One such person is Ann Foley, the show’s costume designer. ComicBook recently had the chance to chat with Foley about her work on The Spiderwick Chronicles, and we asked how far she was into The Last of Us process. 

“It’s blurred behind me,” Foley teased of her background during the Zoom call, indicating that she was in the middle of working on the series. “Oh my God, yes,” she added when asked if she was excited for Season 2. “This is great. I am so honored to be part of the show. I was a huge fan of Season One, even before I interviewed for this job. So I couldn’t be happier to be part of it. It’s a spectacular team. It’s a gorgeous show with a wonderful cast. I’m just so happy to be here.” 

We went on to ask Foley if there were any unsung heroes of the Spiderwick production, and she ended up shouting out her crew from the new Roku series in addition to The Last of Us.

“Well, I mean it actually applies to both shows,” she began. “It applies to all shows, but my workroom, who builds the costumes, the breakdown team who does all of the aging and the dying. For example, in Spiderwick, Lucinda’s peony dress, that was handmade. Every single one of the petals on that dress was cut from a piece of silk. It was then hand pressed into an old-fashioned flower petal press, and then hand-painted, and then hand sewn on.”

“So it took about six weeks and it was a stunningly beautiful dress, and the team just really knocked it out of the park. And the same even with Thimbletack, and his costume, and my workroom, making all of those tiny little shorts that he wears with the tiny little tunic, his little hat. I mean, it’s actually kind of difficult to make those small clothes and to make them in a way that doesn’t look … terrible.”

“They did such a beautiful job,” she continued. “And actually, Jared’s hoodie was custom-made in the shop, too. You would never know. So yeah, that’s the beauty of the team. And I’m only as good as my team, and thank God I had an amazing team on Spiderwick. I have a lot of them here with me on The Last of Us, and everyone from the assistant costume designers to the set costumers.”

“I always say it doesn’t matter what I do, it’s like it lives and dies once it goes to set,” Foley explained. “So the set costumers have to take care of it. They have to make sure it stays exactly the way that it’s meant to stay and what the design intent was. So yeah, I had a really wonderful team. Awesome. To be perfectly honest.”

The Spiderwick Chronicles is now streaming on The Roku Channel. Stay tuned for updates about The Last of Us. 

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