The countdown to The Last of Us season 2 has officially begun. HBO has confirmed the release date of the second chapter and commemorated the announcement with three character posters (check them out below). 

Mark that date: the next season of the acclaimed video game adaptation will premiere on April 13th, with episodes airing weekly on HBO and streaming on Max. In Australia, the series airs on Binge and Foxtel Now.

Picking up five years after the events of the first season, Season 2 continues the journey of Joel and Ellie, once again played by Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey. The world remains just as dangerous, but the threats this time around are not just the infected or ruthless survivors—it’s the weight of the past and the choices made along the way. If the show stays faithful to the source material, fans of The Last of Us Part II will already know what’s coming… and audiences should brace themselves for one of the most emotional and intense storylines yet. As the tagline across all three posters reads: Every path has its price.

To celebrate the release date announcement, HBO has also unveiled new character posters featuring Joel, Ellie, and the much-discussed introduction of Abby, played by Kaitlyn Dever. Abby’s arrival marks a major turning point in the narrative. She’s not the only newcomer joining the cast—Isabela Merced will play Dina, Ellie’s love interest, Young Mazino takes on the role of Jesse, and Jeffrey Wright returns as Isaac, a character he originally voiced in the game.

The first season of The Last of Us was a hit for HBO, praised for its gripping performances and faithful adaptation of Naughty Dog’s beloved game. With Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann once again leading the charge, so hope is high that the second season will deliver another powerful, emotionally charged story. However, it won’t be adapting the full events of Part II just yet—reports suggest that the story will be told over multiple seasons, allowing for a deeper exploration of its complex themes. Of course, this means that the narrative may not play out the way some of us are expecting it to.

April 2025 can’t come soon enough.