The Last of Us Season 2 Trailer Breaks HBO Records Nearly a Month Before It Begins

The anticipation for the second season of *The Last of Us* is palpable, even before its release. The excitement reached a fever pitch with the unveiling of the latest Season 2 trailer at a SXSW panel, which has since exploded across platforms, amassing over 158 million views in just three days. Warner Brothers Discovery reports this as a record-breaking achievement for HBO and Max original programming, surpassing previous promotional efforts by a staggering "at least 160%".

You can’t stop this.
#TheLastOfUs returns April 13 on Max. pic.twitter.com/DH8UzAugIV

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The show's popularity continues to soar as both new and returning fans eagerly await the next installment. Season 1 episodes are averaging around 32 million cross-platform viewers domestically, marking a significant increase from the finale's 8.2 million same-day viewers in March 2023, as reported by Deadline. This surge in viewership highlights the show's immense appeal and the audience's keen interest in revisiting the story ahead of Season 2. *The Last of Us* stands out as one of HBO's most successful series in recent years, with the fervor and adoration it has garnered being truly remarkable.

The Last of Us Season 2 Character Posters

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Season 2 of The Last of Us will feature a significant five-year time jump, delving deeper into the lives of Joel and Ellie as they navigate a world that's more treacherous than ever. The narrative will explore their evolving relationship amidst new dangers. Returning stars Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Gabriel Luna, and Rutina Wesley will be joined by new cast members Kaitlyn Dever, Isabella Merced, Catherine O’Hara, and Jeffrey Wright, adding fresh dynamics to the series.

At the SXSW panel, showrunners Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin made a significant announcement: "spores are back" in Season 2, after their absence in the first season. The trailer hinted at this development, showcasing a scene where Ellie, portrayed by Bella Ramsey, encounters an infected whose breath emits spores. Druckmann elaborated on the escalation in Season 2, stating, "There is 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." He further explained the introduction of a new infection method, different from the tendrils seen in Season 1, and teased the presence of airborne threats.

Mazin confirmed the return of spores, with Druckmann adding that their reintroduction was carefully considered to serve the drama of the narrative. "The reason [we’re doing it now], I mean, we really wanted to figure it out, and again, everything has to be drama. There had to be a dramatic reason of introducing it now. And there is," Druckmann explained.

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