At the South by Southwest Film Festival (SXSW) this weekend, HBO released the much-awaited first official trailer for The Last of Us Season 2, offering fans a haunting glimpse of what’s in store for Ellie and Joel in this apocalyptic world. The ominous, foreboding preview provides a glimpse into the new threats they’ll encounter and the emotional struggles that lie ahead.
A Tense and Emotional Preview
The trailer does not waste any time establishing tone, with Ellie (Bella Ramsey) running out of a deserted building, her danger palpable as a stray dog lingers in the background. The unsettling images cut to a graveyard and then to Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie on a thick forest. An otherwise quiet moment between them is broken when Joel asks Ellie, “Are you okay? ” She answers, “Yeah,” but her expression says more than words can.
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The trailer also hints at intimate moments, like Joel with his nephew Benjamin in Jackson, Wyoming. These, however, soon give way to darker tones as Joel responds to his nephew’s naive question, “What’s outside?” with a dark, “Monsters.”
New Faces and Rising Tension
Season 2 includes new actors as characters played by Kaitlyn Dever, Young Mazino, Isabela Merced, and others. In spite of all these cast additions, Pascal and Ramsey have not left us and are reprising their old roles as Ellie and Joel, respectively. The return of Gabriel Luna as Tommy and Rutina Wesley as Maria can also be expected.
What to Expect
Becoming five years after Season 1, The Last of Us Season 2 continues to unfold the cruelest aspects of this post-apocalyptic world. With Joel and Ellie’s connection put to the test, the dangers outside Jackson grow even more sinister. The season releases on April 13, 2025, with seven episodes.
The first season won multiple Emmy Awards, and expectations for this follow-up are sky-high. The Last of Us remains a powerful adaptation of the iconic video game series.
