The Last of Us Season 2: HBO Release Dates, Episode Schedule, and What to Expect
The Last of Us Season 2: Air Dates, Episode Guide, and New Directions for HBO's Hit
The Last of Us is coming back, and if you’ve been counting down the days, you aren’t alone. This time around, Season 2 lands on HBO starting April 13, 2025, right at 6 p.m. PT every Sunday. After breaking records and scooping up awards with its first season, HBO isn’t just bringing back the story you know – it’s set to push the boundaries even further, packaging the season into seven tightly packed episodes wrapping up on May 25, 2025.
Here’s how the schedule shakes out, so no need to mark your calendar every week in marker:
- Episode 1 — April 13, 2025
- Episode 2 — April 20, 2025
- Episode 3 — April 27, 2025
- Episode 4 — May 4, 2025
- Episode 5 — May 11, 2025
- Episode 6 — May 18, 2025
- Episode 7 — May 25, 2025
Season 2 won’t stretch quite as long as the debut season, clocking in at seven episodes instead of nine. But everyone behind the scenes promises there’s nothing cut down, just a more focused ride. HBO has bumped up the budget and expanded both the cast and the sets, aiming to go bigger and bolder. There’s a lot riding on adapting The Last of Us Part II — a game that stirred up intense emotions and conversations when it launched. The adaptation is expected to drill into the game’s weightier plots and push the characters into even tougher territory.
What’s Changing and What Fans Can Expect
If you know the original game or followed last season, you probably already sense things are about to get darker. The showrunners have teased that this new run will take its time unpacking the complicated choices that defined the game’s second chapter — and yes, that means big character moments, more moral gray zones, and some plot twists that’ll likely divide the fanbase (again).
Fans will notice a broader storytelling scope, with the writers promising more than just action and heartbreak. Expect stronger emotional punches, as characters reckon with loss, vengeance, and the search for hope in a ruined world. The cast is growing too, with returning standouts and new faces stepping into major roles. Without giving away spoilers, there’s buzz about deeper dives into backstories and previously unexplored perspectives from the game’s rich world.
HBO’s decision to keep episodes coming on a weekly pace — Sunday nights — is all about keeping the conversation rolling. Much like Season 1, expect Mondays to be full of theories, reactions, and maybe even a few arguments at the office or across group chats. The storytelling stakes are higher, but the Sunday ritual of tuning in with the rest of the world is still there, waiting to draw everyone back.