HBO has renewed «The Last of Us» for Season 2 faster than a deadly fungus can spread.
The premium cabler has ordered a second season of the serial version of the PlayStation video game of the same name after only two episodes aired, with the third set to premiere this Sunday on HBO and HBO Max.
«I am honored, honoured, and frankly overwhelmed that so many people have tuned in and connected with our story of Joel and Ellie’s journey. The collaboration with Craig Mazin, our amazing cast and crew, and HBO exceeded my already lofty expectations. said executive producer Neil Druckmann, who was also the game’s writer and creative director. «Now we have the absolute pleasure of being able to do it again with season two! On behalf of everyone at Naughty Dog & PlayStation, thank you!
The decision to renew the series comes as no surprise, as it has been a hit with critics and audiences alike. Along with strong reviews to the tune of a 97% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the second episode reached 5.7 million viewers on HBO and HBO Max in the United States last Sunday. That’s a 22% jump from the 4.7 million who tuned in to the first episode, marking the strongest second-week viewership growth for any HBO drama series in network history. Additionally, HBO now says the first episode has reached 22 million viewers nationwide since its debut on January 15.
«I’m so grateful to Neil Druckmann and HBO for our partnership, and I’m even more grateful to the millions of people who have joined us on this journey,» said executive producer and showrunner Craig Mazin. «Audiences gave us the chance to keep going, and as a fan of the characters and world that Neil and Naughty Dog created, I couldn’t be more ready to dive back in.»
According to the official logline, the series «is set 20 years after the destruction of modern civilization. Joel (Pedro Pascal), a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie (Bella Ramsey), a 14-year-old girl, out of harm’s way. «an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts out as a small job quickly becomes a brutal and harrowing journey as they both must cross the United States and depend on each other for their survival.
In addition to Pascal and Ramsey, Season 1 also stars Gabriel Luna as Tommy, Anna Torv as Tess, Nico Parker as Sarah, Murray Bartlett as Frank, Nick Offerman as Bill, Melanie Lynskey as Kathleen, Storm Reid as Riley, Merle Dandridge in Marlene. , Jeffrey Pierce as Perry, Lamar Johnson as Henry, Keivonn Woodard as Sam, Graham Greene as Marlon, and Elaine Miles as Florence. Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker also star.
Mazin and Druckmann co-created the serial version of «The Last Of Us», with both serving as executive producers. Carolyn Strauss and Evan Wells, president of game development studio Naughty Dog, executive producers with Asad Qizilbash and Carter Swan of PlayStation Productions as well as Rose Lam. The series is a co-production between HBO and Sony Pictures Television. PlayStation Productions, Word Games, The Mighty Mint and Naughty Dog are producing.
«Craig and Neil, alongside EP Carolyn Strauss, and the rest of our phenomenal cast and crew, defined a genre with their masterful first season of ‘The Last of Us,'» said Francesca Orsi, VP executive of HBO Programming and responsible for HBO drama series and movies. «After pulling off that unforgettable first season, I can’t wait to see this team excel again in season two.»
VIP+ analysis: PlayStation’s plan for HBO’s ‘The Last of Us’