Every year, on September 26, fans of Naughty Dog’s games celebrate “The Last of Us Day,” as this was the day that the cordyceps virus kicked off the events of the first game. This year, HBO has decided to participate in the celebration by sharing the first teaser trailer for The Last of Us season 2 ahead of its debut on Max in 2025.
“After five years of peace following the events of the first season, Joel and Ellie’s collective past catches up to them,” reads the synopsis, “drawing them into conflict with each other and a world even more dangerous and unpredictable than the one they left behind.”
Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsay will reprise their roles as Joel and Ellie in the second season, while Gabriel Luna’s Tommy and Rutina Wesley’s Maria will return as well. Joining the cast for this season are 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 unannounced role.
If you’ve played The Last of Us Part II, many of the scenes in the trailer will look familiar, from Ellie playing guitar to the switchblade in the sink. It is unclear how far the show will get into the story of the second game, but it seems likely that writers Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann will leave plenty of runway for at least one more season.
That said, there will clearly be changes from the original game. O’Hara’s character, who doesn’t have a direct analog in the game (as far as I can tell), is the narrator of the trailer, suggesting she will play a significant role in the new season.
We’ll have to wait until next year when the show returns to find out.
