"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 at a SXSW panel, has shattered records by accumulating over 158 million views across various platforms within just three days. According to Warner Brothers Discovery, this achievement marks a new high for HBO and Max original programming, surpassing previous promotional content by at least 160%.

You can’t stop this.
#TheLastOfUs returns April 13 on Max. pic.twitter.com/DH8UzAugIV

— Max (@StreamOnMax) March 8, 2025

As anticipation builds, the show's popularity continues to soar. Season 1 episodes are averaging around 32 million cross-platform viewers domestically, a significant increase from the 8.2 million same-day viewers that tuned in for the Season 1 finale in March 2023, as reported by Deadline. This surge in viewership underscores the immense appeal and success of the series, positioning it as one of HBO's standout hits in recent years.

The Last of Us Season 2 Character Posters

3 Images

Season 2 will feature a significant five-year time jump, continuing to follow Joel and Ellie as they navigate an increasingly perilous and unpredictable world. The returning cast includes Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Gabriel Luna, and Rutina Wesley, with new additions such as Kaitlyn Dever, Isabella Merced, Catherine O’Hara, and Jeffrey Wright.

During 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 showing Ellie, portrayed by Bella Ramsey, encountering an infected whose breath releases spores. Druckmann elaborated on the escalation of infected types and the spread of the infection, 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 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 *The Last of Us* Season 2, set to air on April 13, 2025, on HBO and HBO Max.