The Last Of Us Season 2: Release date, how to watch, cast and what to know about HBO drama

The Last Of Us season 2 is fast on the approach with the first episode premiering on 13 April in the US, and 14 April in the UK.

Despite not yet being publicly released, it's already peaked at 94 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes with a strong 88 per cent score on the Popcornmeter.

For those who haven't yet caught up on the show, it's inspired by the hit video game, also calledThe Last Of Us, and follows the story of Joel, a smuggler tasked with escorting a teenage girl, Ellie, across a post-apocalyptic United States in 2023 as they evade capture.

Who are they hiding from, we hear you ask? The pandemic-ravaged world has been taken over by a fungus called cordyceps (which yes, is a real thing), and the infection turns people into violent zombies.

Spooky.

None the less, it makes for a great TV show starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey in the leading roles, alongside the newly-cast Kaitlyn Dever. Schitt's Creek fans will also be thrilled to learn that Catherine O'Hara is joining the cast for season 2.

Here's what to know about The Last Of Us season 2...

How to watch The Last Of Us season 2

The Last Of Us Season 2: Release date, how to watch, cast and what to know about HBO drama The Last Of Us Season 2: Release date, how to watch, cast and what to know about HBO drama

If you're in the US, the first episode of The Last Of Us season 2 premieres on Sunday 13 April on HBO Max, where prices start at $9.99/month if you don't mind ads, going to $16.99/month for ad-free membership. If you're in the UK, it will fall on 14 April, where you can either watch live at 2am BST on Sky Atlantic, or catch up later on Now TV.

Who is in The Last Of Us season 2?

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Many of season 1's characters will return for season 2, including Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey as Joel and Ellie respectively.

Gabriel Luna will be back as Joel's brother, Tommy, and Rutina Wesley as Tommy's wife, Maria.

New additions to the cast include Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, the deuteragonist of the video game. Abby is a member of the militia group known as The Fireflies, and one of her parents was murdered by Joel in season 1. Will she be out for revenge?

It would appear Ellie also has a new love interest, as Isabela Merced will be stepping into the role of Dina for the next season.

Schitt's Creek favourite Catherine O'Hara will also be joining in a guest role as Jackson-based psychotherapist, Gail, who Joel will confide in. Her role is the only one that has specifically been created for the TV show.

Other newcomers include Jeffrey Wright as Isaac (who he also voiced in the game), leader of the Washington Liberation Front, Ariela Barer, Spencer Lord, Tati Gabrielle, and Danny Ramirez as Fireflies, and Young Mazino as Jesse, one of Ellie's friends.

What happens in The Last Of Us season 2?

HBO

While it would make most sense for The Last Of Us season 2 to coincide with The Last Of Us Part II game, it'll actually only cover a portion of it, and the sequel to the game is expected to stretch multiple seasons on TV.

“We don’t think that we’re going to be able to tell the story even within two seasons [2 and 3] because we’re taking our time and go down interesting pathways which we did a little bit in season 1 too,” Craig Mazin told Deadline last year.

“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”.

No spoilers about what could go down, but if you're a fan of the game, just know that the first episode is aptly named 'Future Days'.

The official synopsis reads: “After five years of peace following the events of the first season, Joel and Ellie’s collective past catches up to them, drawing them into conflict with each other and a world even more dangerous and unpredictable than the one they left behind”.

Is there a The Last Of Us season 3?

HBO

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