"The Last of Us Season 2 Trailer Shatters HBO Records Weeks Before Premiere"

The excitement for the second season of *The Last of Us* is palpable, even before its release. The latest trailer for Season 2, unveiled during a SXSW panel, has shattered records by amassing over 158 million views across various platforms within just three days, as reported by Warner Brothers Discovery. This achievement marks a new high for HBO and Max original programming, with the trailer surpassing previous promotional content by an impressive "at least 160%."

You can’t stop this.
#TheLastOfUs returns April 13 on Max. pic.twitter.com/DH8UzAugIV

— Max (@StreamOnMax) March 8, 2025

The show's popularity continues to soar as both new and returning fans eagerly await Season 2. The first season's episodes are now averaging "around 32 million cross-platform viewers" domestically, a significant increase from the 8.2 million same-day viewers for the Season 1 finale in March 2023, as reported by Deadline. This surge in viewership underscores the immense anticipation and rewatch enthusiasm for the series, cementing its status as one of HBO's most successful shows in recent years.

The Last of Us Season 2 Character Posters

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Season 2 will feature a five-year time jump, continuing the journey of Joel and Ellie as they navigate a world that's "even more dangerous and unpredictable." Returning stars Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Gabriel Luna, and Rutina Wesley will be joined by new cast members Kaitlyn Dever, Isabella Merced, Catherine O’Hara, and Jeffrey Wright, adding fresh dynamics to the narrative.

During the SXSW panel, showrunners Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin revealed the return of spores, which were absent in Season 1. The trailer hints at this with a scene showing Ellie, portrayed by Bella Ramsey, encountering an infected whose breath releases spores. Druckmann elaborated on the escalation of infected types and the spread of the infection, stating, "Season 1, we had this new thing that wasn’t in the game of these tendrils that spread, and that was one form. And then one shot you see in this trailer, there are things in the air." Mazin confirmed the spores' return, with Druckmann adding that their reintroduction was driven by dramatic necessity.

*The Last of Us* Season 2 is set to premiere on April 13, 2025, on HBO and HBO Max, promising an even more thrilling continuation of this beloved series.