HBO’s The Last of Us gained massive support even before its release, with a critic’s score of 97% on Rotten Tomatoes. Even now, after only two episodes have aired, the series pulled in a viewership of 22 million viewers. This is no surprise after the success of the initial game, but this time around, gamers and non-gamers alike tuned in for the adaptation. Only two episodes of nine have aired as of now, yet already fans are pleased to hear a second season is now on the way.
The first season closely follows the events of the first game, in which Joel (Pedro Pascal) must accompany Ellie (Bella Ramsey) across an apocalyptic wasteland filled with infected killers and hardened survivors in hopes of discovering a cure for a deadly fungal virus.
Season Two Set to Follow Sequel Game
Both showrunner Craig Mazin and creator Neil Druckmann made it clear they want to stay true to the original story. In a cover story with The Hollywood Reporter, Mazin emphasized his disdain for “filler” while Druckmann clearly outlined they “have no plans to tell any stories beyond adapting the games.” With that in mind, those who played The Last of Us Part II know what is to come.
There will be no spoilers here, but many may be shocked at the creative direction. After the initial release, fans caused a huge stir, resulting in death threats to creators and long threads of discourse. Don’t be alarmed: despite this, the second game is a masterpiece because it encourages strong reactions and critical thinking. The response to the second season’s renewal has been almost entirely positive.
“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,” Druckmann said. “The collaboration with Craig Mazin, our incredible cast & crew, and HBO exceeded my already high expectations. 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!”
Watch The Last of Us on HBO Max at 9 P.M. ET. The upcoming episode three is expected to stray away slightly from the original content, though it received the most praise from prerelease watchers. The first episode also is now free to stream on YouTube.
Check out our thoughts on the premiere and other The Last of Us news.