The Last of Us Season 2 Trailer Breaks HBO Records Nearly a Month Before It Begins

The anticipation for The Last of Us Season 2 is palpable, even before its premiere. The recently released trailer, unveiled at SXSW, has already amassed over 158 million views across platforms in just three days—a record for HBO and Max original programming, surpassing previous promotional views by at least 160%, according to Warner Brothers Discovery. This staggering viewership demonstrates the show's ever-growing popularity, attracting both existing fans and new viewers. While Season 1 episodes average around 32 million cross-platform viewers domestically (a significant increase from the 8.2 million same-day viewers for the Season 1 finale), this trailer's phenomenal reach underscores the series' immense success and the considerable excitement surrounding its return.

The Last of Us Season 2 Character Posters

Season 2 will feature a five-year time jump, depicting Joel and Ellie navigating a more perilous and unpredictable world, and a conflict brewing between them. Returning stars Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Gabriel Luna, and Rutina Wesley will be joined by new cast members including Kaitlyn Dever, Isabella Merced, Catherine O’Hara, and Jeffrey Wright.

At the SXSW panel, showrunners Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin confirmed the return of spores, a key element omitted from Season 1. The trailer hints at their reintroduction, showcasing Ellie witnessing an infected releasing spores. Druckmann explained an escalation in the number and types of infected, along with a change in the infection's spread: "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 spores' return, with Druckmann adding that their inclusion in Season 2 is driven by dramatic necessity.

The Last of Us Season 2 premieres April 13, 2025, on HBO and HBO Max.