So, you’re sitting there, scrolling through Max, wondering exactly when is The Last of Us on because the wait for Joel and Ellie feels like it's been a lifetime. It has. Since that brutal, polarizing finale in early 2023, fans have been hungry for any scrap of info regarding the return of HBO’s prestige apocalypse.
The short answer? You’re looking at a 2025 release window.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav and HBO chief Casey Bloys have been pretty consistent about that timeline during recent earnings calls. While an exact day and hour haven't been pinned to the calendar yet, production in British Columbia is moving full steam ahead. It’s a massive relief after the 2023 strikes essentially froze Hollywood in place for months. If you were hoping for a surprise 2024 drop, I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news. It isn't happening.
The Timeline We Actually Know
Production kicked off in February 2024 in the Vancouver area. Why Vancouver? Because Season 2 shifts the story significantly toward the Pacific Northwest. If you’ve played the games, you know exactly why the rainy, overgrown streets of Seattle are vital to the vibe of the second chapter.
Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey are back. That’s the big thing. There was some silly internet chatter a while back about whether Ramsey would be recast because of the time jump in the games, but showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann shut that down immediately. Bella is Ellie. Period.
Filming a show this scale takes time. A lot of it. We’re talking about massive practical sets, intricate prosthetic makeup for the Clickers and Shamblers, and the kind of high-level post-production that makes HBO "HBO." Most industry insiders, including reports from Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, suggest a premiere in the first half of 2025. Think Spring. Maybe even a repeat of that January slot that worked so well for the first season.
Why the Wait is So Long
It’s frustrating. I get it. But consider the logistics.
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Season 1 was a behemoth. Season 2 is aiming to be bigger. We aren't just following two people across a highway anymore. We’re entering a world of warring factions—the Washington Liberation Front (WLF) and the Seraphites (Scars). That requires more actors, more stunts, and a hell of a lot more coordination.
Also, Mazin is a perfectionist. He doesn't just "content farm." He spends months in the edit suite making sure every emotional beat lands. If you want the quality of "Long, Long Time" (the Bill and Frank episode), you have to give the creators space to breathe.
Who is Joining the Cast?
This is where things get really interesting for anyone asking when is The Last of Us on and who they'll see when it finally arrives. The casting news for Season 2 has been electric.
- Kaitlyn Dever as Abby: This was the casting heard 'round the world. Abby is a character that people... well, they have strong opinions about her. Dever is a powerhouse actress (go watch Dopesick or Unbelievable if you don't believe me).
- Young Mazino as Jesse: Fresh off his breakout role in Beef, Mazino brings a lot of likability to Jesse, a key member of the Jackson community.
- Isabela Merced as Dina: Ellie’s primary love interest. Their chemistry is going to be the emotional backbone of the upcoming episodes.
- Catherine O’Hara: Yes, the legend herself. Her role is still mostly under wraps, but having an Emmy winner of her caliber join the ensemble suggests some very heavy dramatic scenes are coming our way.
Is Season 2 Only Covering Part II?
Here is a nuance many people miss. Craig Mazin has explicitly stated that The Last of Us Part II (the game) is way too big to fit into a single season of television.
It’s a sprawling, non-linear story that messes with your perspective. To do it justice, they are likely splitting the second game into at least two seasons—Season 2 and Season 3. This means when is The Last of Us on becomes a recurring question for the next four or five years.
Honestly, it’s the right move. The second game is exhausting. It’s a meditation on violence and grief that needs room to fester. If they rushed through Abby and Ellie’s collision course in nine episodes, it would feel cheap. By stretching it out, we get more time to live in Jackson before everything goes to hell.
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What About the "Sunday Night" Slot?
HBO is a creature of habit. When the show does return, it will almost certainly reclaim its Sunday at 9:00 PM ET/PT slot. It’s the prestigious "water cooler" time.
In the streaming era, we’ve lost a lot of that "everyone watching at the same time" energy, but The Last of Us is one of the few shows that still commands it. It’s an event. When it’s on, Twitter (or X, or whatever we're calling it this week) becomes a minefield of spoilers and crying emojis.
If you’re watching on Max (formerly HBO Max), the episodes usually drop at the exact same time they air on the linear cable channel. So, 9:00 PM ET on the dot.
The Reality of the "Part II" Adaptation
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. If you know the story of the second game, you know it’s controversial. Some people hated it. Some people think it’s a masterpiece.
Mazin and Druckmann aren't afraid of that. They’ve hinted that while they will stay true to the "soul" of the game, they aren't afraid to change the "how." Just look at how they handled Bill and Frank in Season 1. They took a small note from the game and turned it into a 75-minute masterpiece of queer cinema.
Expect similar deviations in Season 2. We might get more backstory on the WLF's rise to power. We might spend more time seeing the daily life in Jackson. These additions make the eventual tragedies hit ten times harder.
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Preparing for the Premiere
Since we know when is The Last of Us on (broadly speaking), what should you do now?
First, if you haven't played the games, decide if you want to. Playing Part II will spoil the show, but it also provides a context that television just can't replicate. There is something about being the person pulling the trigger that changes your relationship with the characters.
Second, rewatch Season 1. Not just for the plot, but for the tiny details. The way Joel touches his watch. The way Ellie tries to act tough. Those mannerisms are going to be vital when we see how much these characters have changed (or haven't) in the years that pass between seasons.
Actionable Steps for Fans
If you want to stay ahead of the curve and ensure you don't miss the exact date when it's announced, follow these steps:
- Set a Google Alert: Use the phrase "The Last of Us Season 2 premiere date." You'll get an email the second a trade publication breaks the news.
- Monitor Max Socials: HBO’s marketing team usually starts dropping "Coming in 2025" teasers in late 2024 (around November or December). Keep an eye out for a sizzle reel during the finale of other big HBO shows like House of the Dragon.
- Ignore the "Leaked" TikToks: There are a ton of fan-made trailers out there using AI or footage from other Pedro Pascal movies. If it’s not on an official HBO channel, it’s fake.
- Prepare for the Physical Release: If you’re a collector, Season 1 had a great 4K Blu-ray release. Season 2 will likely follow suit, but not until months after the finale airs.
The wait is long, but for a story this impactful, it’s usually worth it. We are looking at a landmark moment in television history when those doors to Jackson finally open again in 2025.