The Last of Us TV series renewed for second season at HBO

The Last of Us TV series has been renewed for a second season. In a tweet, HBO confirmed the next chapter in its live-action adaptation of the acclaimed PlayStation video game, just two episodes into Season 1. The original game’s writer and now co-president of Naughty Dog responded to the tweet, saying the new the season will trace the events of the bloody and polarizing sequel, The Last of Us Part II. Craig Mazin – the series’ co-writer – previously hinted that a sequel adaptation was likely if enough people watched it, convincing the studio to lock down a new season.

While Disney+ Hotstar – India’s destination to watch The Last of Us series – didn’t provide details on viewership numbers, HBO did on an episode-by-episode basis. The second episode, adored by fans and critics, reached 5.7 million viewers on HBO and HBO Max in the US, which is a jump of 22% from the 4.7 million viewers it won for the pilot. According to HBO, the numbers mark “the strongest second-week viewership growth for an HBO Original drama series in network history.” Clearly, the studio loves the attention and has now launched a second season to continue Joel and Ellie’s arc. While there are no cast details yet, it’s likely that the current main cast members will reprise their roles in Season 2.

“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,” Mazin, executive producer and showrunner, The Last of Us said in a prepared statement. . “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.” The Last of Us, much like the original 2013 video game, follows the emotional journey of hardened survivor and smuggler Joel (Pedro Pascal), as he escorts teenage girl Ellie (Bella Ramsey) across the post- -apocalyptic, teeming with infected people. mutants, desperate survivors and a few cheeky fools. The series also stars Nick Offerman as greasy-haired ally Bill and Merle Dandridge as Marlene, the leader of the rebel group Fireflies. The latter also voiced the same character in the original game.

The Last of Us Season 2 will likely follow the story of The Last of Part II in a similar effect. Set five years after the events of the first part, the PS4 game followed two playable characters in a similar post-apocalyptic setting, whose lives intertwine to create some of the best revenge stories ever told in a video game. Although it was criticized on several sites due to certain narrative choices – avoiding details for spoilers – it became the best-selling PS4 exclusive, with over four million copies sold in its weekend. exit end. The title was also hugely honored at The Game Awards 2020, including the prestigious Game of the Year trophy.

It’s also possible that season two will end up being in two parts. Speaking to IGN last week, Mazin explained that The Last of Us Part 2’s story is “more than a season of television.” “He’s a big animal to take apart, you know? he says. “Because it’s a much bigger story, and it’s a more complicated story, I think it’s a great story.”

New episodes of The Last of Us air every Monday on Disney+ Hotstar, at 8:30 a.m. India.