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

The excitement for the second season of *The Last of Us* is palpable even before its release. The most recent trailer for Season 2, unveiled during a SXSW panel, has shattered records by amassing over 158 million views across platforms within just three days, as reported by Warner Brothers Discovery. This achievement marks a new high for HBO and Max original programming, with the trailer surpassing previous show promos 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 anticipation for Season 2 is building as both new and returning fans eagerly await its premiere. Season 1 episodes have been averaging around 32 million cross-platform viewers domestically, a significant increase from the 8.2 million same-day viewers who tuned into the Season 1 finale in March 2023, as reported by Deadline. This surge in viewership, especially through rewatches, underscores the immense popularity and success of the series, making it one of HBO's standout shows in recent times.

The Last of Us Season 2 Character Posters

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Season 2 will feature a five-year time jump, continuing the journey of Joel and Ellie as they navigate a world that's even more perilous and unpredictable. The returning cast includes Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Gabriel Luna, and Rutina Wesley, joined by new talents such as Kaitlyn Dever, Isabella Merced, Catherine O’Hara, and Jeffrey Wright.

At the SXSW panel, showrunners Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin revealed that spores, which were absent in Season 1, will make a comeback. The trailer hints at this with a scene where Ellie, portrayed by Bella Ramsey, encounters an infected whose breath releases spores. Druckmann elaborated on the escalation of infected numbers and types, and the introduction of new infection vectors, stating, "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 return of spores, and Druckmann explained the narrative necessity behind their reintroduction: "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: Season 2 of *The Last of Us* premieres on April 13, 2025, on HBO and HBO Max.