'The Last of Us' Season 2 First Look Photos Revealed

Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey are back as Joel and Ellie in The Last of Us Season 2 first-look photos. More than a year after Season 1 wrapped, and as fans count down to the 2025 Season 2 premiere date, HBO and Max chief Casey Bloys shared the first two images from the upcoming season during Warner Bros. Discovery's Upfront presentation in New York City on Wednesday.

The new photos give little away about the upcoming season and show Joel and Bella separately. In one photo, Joel appears to be outside at night, with another person's back turned towards the camera. It is unclear who the other character is. In Ramsey's image, Ellie can be seen holding a gun.

Pascal and Ramsey will be joined by returning cast members Gabriel Luna as Tommy and Rutina Wesley as Maria. Season 2 newcomers include Isabela Merced as Ellie's love interest Dina, Young Mazino as Ellie's friend Jesse, Ariela Barer as Mel, Tati Gabrielle as Nora, Spencer Lord as Owen, Danny Ramirez as Manny, and Catherine O'Hara in a guest-starring role. Kaitlyn Dever , meanwhile, is set to portray Abby .

Based on Naughty Dog's award-winning video game, The Last of Us is set 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed by a mass fungal infection caused by a mutation in the genus Cordyceps, turning humans into cannibalistic creatures. Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal, heartbreaking journey, as they both must traverse the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.

The Last of Us debuted to critical acclaim in January 2023, becoming the most-watched debut season of a series ever for HBO. The series went on to smash numerous records and currently holds a 96% critics score and 89% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes . HBO picked The Last of Us up for a second season shortly after its premiere, executive producer Neil Druckmann, who was also the writer and creative director of the game, saying at the time, "I'm humbled, honored, and frankly overwhelmed that so many people have tuned in and connected with our retelling of Joel and Ellie's journey."

The Last of Us is written and executive produced by Craig Mazin and Naughty Dog's Neil Druckmann. Carolyn Strauss, Jacqueline Lesko, Cecil O'Connor, Asad Qizilbash, Carter Swan, and Evan Wells also executive produce. The series is a co-production with Sony Pictures Television. Season 1 is available to stream on Max.