Not a surprise, but certainly marking a victory for HBO: The Last of Us has been renewed for a second season.The apocalyptic drama starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey has been a smash hit out of the gate. The series scored 97 percent positive reviews among critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Its premiere episode earlier this month was HBO’s second-most-watched series debut in a decade and has since climbed to 22 million viewers across all platforms. Last Sunday’s second episode jumped 22 percent in the overnight ratings compared to the premiere across HBO and HBO Max.“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,” said executive producer Neil Druckmann. “The collaboration with Craig Mazin, our incredible cast and crew, and HBO exceeded my already high expectations. Now we have the absolute pleasure of being able to do it again with season two!”There’s no official word yet on the creative plan for season two, but in The Hollywood Reporter‘s recent cover story, showrunners Druckmann and Mazin hinted that the show wouldn’t waste time before delving into the storyline in The Last of Us Part II videogame (“I don’t like filler,” as Mazin put it).“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 said about the renewal. “The audience has given us the chance to continue, and as a fan of the characters and world Neil and Naughty Dog created, I couldn’t be more ready to dive back in.”The Last of Us stars Pascal and Ramsey as a smuggler transporting a teenager girl across a postapocalyptic landscape. It’s based on the 2013 PlayStation game from NaughtyDog.The renewal comes before Sunday’s upcoming third episode, which has been cited by critics as being a standout hour amid the season.
© 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC.