"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 latest trailer, unveiled during a SXSW panel, has already amassed a staggering 158 million views across various platforms within just three days, according to Warner Brothers Discovery. This marks a record-breaking achievement for HBO and Max original programming, surpassing previous promotional content by an impressive 160%.

You can’t stop this.

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

— Max (@StreamOnMax) March 8, 2025

The fervor for the show continues to grow, with both new and returning fans eagerly anticipating Season 2. Season 1 episodes are averaging approximately 32 million cross-platform viewers domestically, a significant increase from the 8.2 million same-day viewers the finale attracted in March 2023, as reported by Deadline. This surge in viewership indicates not only the show's immense popularity but also the audience's keen interest in revisiting the story ahead of the new season. *The Last of Us* has undoubtedly become one of HBO's most successful series in recent years, with its growing anticipation and widespread acclaim.

The Last of Us Season 2 Character Posters

3 Images

Season 2 will introduce 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, with notable new additions 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 are back" after their absence in Season 1. The trailer offers a glimpse of Ellie, portrayed by Bella Ramsey, encountering an infected whose breath emits the spores. Druckmann highlighted the increased presence and variety of infected 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 elaborated on the introduction of new elements, such as the tendrils seen in Season 1, and now the spores visible in the trailer.

Mazin confirmed the return of spores, and Druckmann emphasized the dramatic necessity of their reintroduction, saying, "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 for introducing it now. And there is."

*The Last of Us* Season 2 is set to premiere on April 13, 2025, on HBO and HBO Max, promising an enthralling continuation of this beloved series.