HBO has finally released The Last of Us Season 2 trailer, giving fans a deeper look into the next chapter of Joel and Ellie’s journey. The new footage expands upon the brief teaser shown last year, offering glimpses of new characters, heightened tension, and a world that feels even more dangerous.
Bella Ramsey, who plays Ellie, spoke at the South by Southwest Film Festival about the evolving dynamic between her character and Joel (Pedro Pascal), hinting at the emotional weight of the upcoming season. “They’re not best of friends,” she admitted, referencing the moment in the trailer where Ellie pointedly tells Joel, “You swore.” This line calls back to the Season 1 finale, where Joel lies to Ellie about the Fireflies. The trailer makes it clear that this deception will be a major point of conflict in Season 2.
Co-showrunner Craig Mazin also emphasized that “escalation” is a key theme, with the infected evolving in new and terrifying ways. “It’s not just about having more infected – it’s about making them feel meaningful to the story,” he said. Fans can also expect expanded locations, including a deeper look into the community of Jackson, where Joel and Ellie have settled.
New characters, including Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, Isabela Merced as Dina, and Young Mazino as Jesse, are briefly shown in the footage. The series, which won eight Emmys for its first season, returns on April 13 with a shorter but reportedly intense seven-episode run.
Check out the trailer below:
The Abby Casting Controversy
Despite the excitement surrounding the trailer, a familiar cloud of negativity has resurfaced within the The Last of Us community – this time aimed at Kaitlyn Dever’s casting as Abby.
If you’ve been around since The Last of Us Part II launched, you’ll remember that Abby’s character was met with an extreme level of online toxicity, with some fans taking their anger to absurd levels – including harassing Laura Bailey, who voiced Abby in the game, and her family. Now, HBO has reportedly taken extra security measures to protect Dever from potential backlash over a fictional character.
Just let that sink in for a second: a fictional character has led to real-life security concerns.
Let’s be real for a second – nobody batted an eye when Pedro Pascal, who looks nothing like Joel, was cast in the role. Why? Because he nailed the character. But now, people are up in arms because Dever’s Abby isn’t a 1:1 replica of her video game counterpart. It’s ridiculous.
Look, love the character or hate her, this level of vitriol is absurd. At the end of the day, it’s a TV adaptation, and the performance is what matters most. If Dever captures Abby’s essence – and let’s be honest, her track record suggests she will – then that should be the only thing that counts.
The people who claim to love this franchise but resort to harassment? They were never real fans.
At the end of the day, The Last of Us is a story about pain, revenge, and the choices we make in a broken world. But the real world isn’t broken like this – not everything has to be a war. So, let’s all take a deep breath and remember: it’s just a show. No need for pitchforks.
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