Credit: HBOHBO’s prestigious drama The Last Of Us recently got a hopeful Season 2 production update amid the ongoing Hollywood writers strike, hinting that a 2025 release date could still be in the cards—for now.
The Last Of Us, written and created by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, is based on Naughty Dog’s hit post-apocalyptic thriller game of the same name. Starring Pedro Pascal as jaded survivor Joel Miller, the story sees him smuggling the fiery Ellie (Bella Ramsey) across the country in hopes of finding a cure to the mutated Cordyceps variant that’s destroyed most of Earth’s population.
After wrapping up its nine-episode run on HBO Max in March, many fans were left wondering: what’s next for Joel and Ellie?
A second season has been confirmed since late January and will closely follow the video game sequel’s storyline. However, according to Deadline, it might be a while before the characters return to the small screen, as the network’s Head of Drama, Francesca Orci, stated during a recent interview that The Last Of Us Season 2 is projected to release in 2025.
The executive’s comments come on the heels of the current Writers Guild Association strike, which Orci warned could delay the arrival of the new episodes even further. However, this is very “worst case scenario” thinking, as that significant a postponement would only be realistic if the conflict went on for many months.
While its estimated release date may seem far off, Orci’s remarks about The Last Of Us Season 2 still being expected to arrive in 2025 are good news, considering the show has faced a number of setbacks due to the WGA strike.
Pre-production on the new season was halted earlier this month, casting doubts on its estimated release window. But even if the strike continues for a few months, the release window is still wide enough to fit the series in 2025. Plus, it’s rumored that casting for the new season is currently underway, meaning some movement is still taking place behind the scenes.
HBO is notorious for having lengthy productions, with filming and editing on their projects tending to take over a year. This isn’t surprising, considering the studio has to prepare around eight hours of content per season. The Last Of Us is probably months away from even beginning filming for Season 2, but still, that puts it well on track for a 2025 release as long as the WGA can negotiate a new contract in the coming months.
Fans of the show can rest assured knowing the new episodes are still being written. But until WGA members can strike a deal with major Hollywood studios for fair wages, an exact release date for The Last Of Us’ sophomore season remains in the air.
Are you looking forward to future episodes of The Last of Us? Let us know in the comments below.