We haven’t seen the last of HBO’s post-apocalyptic series The Last of Us.
The network has renewed the series for a second season, not that this should come as a surprise.
The Last of Us has posted HBO’s second-largest debut audience ever, only behind House of the Dragon. In the U.S., the first episode has already topped 22 million viewers, an increase of almost five times over its launch night audience.
The second episode attracted 5.7 million viewers in the U.S. on Sunday night, up over one million from the first episode. This is the biggest second-week audience growth for any HBO Original drama series in the network’s history.
“Craig and Neil, alongside EP Carolyn Strauss, and the rest of our phenomenal cast and crew, have defined a genre with their masterful debut season of ‘The Last of Us,’” said Francesca Orsi, Executive Vice President, HBO Programming, Head of HBO Drama Series and Films. “After pulling off this unforgettable first season, I can’t wait to watch this team outshine themselves again with season two.”
From co-creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, the series takes place 20 years after the destruction of contemporary civilization. A seasoned survivor named Joel is paid to transport a 14-year-old girl named Ellie out of a stifling quarantine zone. When they both have to travel across the United States and rely on one another for survival, what begins as a simple job quickly turns into a terrible and painful trip.
“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. The collaboration with Craig Mazin, our incredible cast & crew, and HBO exceeded my already high expectations,” said Druckmann. “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!”
“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,” said Mazin. “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.”