"The Last of Us Season 2 Trailer Shatters HBO Records Prematurely"

The anticipation for the second season of The Last of Us is palpable, and its impact is already being felt across the entertainment landscape. The latest trailer for Season 2, unveiled during a SXSW panel, has shattered records by amassing over 158 million views across various platforms in just three days, as reported by Warner Brothers Discovery. This staggering figure marks a new high for HBO and Max original programming, surpassing previous promotional efforts for the show by an impressive "at least 160%."

You can’t stop this.

#TheLastOfUs returns April 13 on Max. pic.twitter.com/DH8UzAugIV

— Max (@StreamOnMax) March 8, 2025

The fervor surrounding The Last of Us continues to build as both new and returning fans eagerly await Season 2. The first season's episodes are currently averaging around 32 million cross-platform viewers domestically, a significant increase from the Season 1 finale's 8.2 million same-day viewers in March 2023, according to Deadline. This surge in viewership underscores the show's growing popularity and the audience's readiness for the next chapter, often revisiting earlier episodes in anticipation. With such robust numbers, The Last of Us stands out as one of HBO's most successful series in recent times, reflecting the immense excitement and affection it commands.

The Last of Us Season 2 Character Posters

3 Images

Season 2 will introduce a significant five-year time jump, delving deeper into the evolving relationship between Joel and Ellie as they navigate a world that has become even more perilous. 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 narrative.

During the SXSW panel, showrunners Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin revealed a notable change for the upcoming season: the return of spores, which were absent in Season 1. The trailer tantalizingly hints at this with a scene where Ellie, portrayed by Bella Ramsey, encounters an infected whose breath releases spores into the air. Druckmann elaborated on the escalation of the infected's presence and the new methods of transmission, saying, "Season 1, we had this new thing that wasn’t in the game of these tendrils that spread, and that was one form. And then one shot you see in this trailer, there are things in the air." Mazin confirmed the reintroduction of spores, emphasizing the dramatic necessity behind this choice, as Druckmann added, "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."

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