After this year's successful debut of The Last of Us, audiences are eager to find out what will happen next in the story between Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey). According to Deadline, it might be a while before the characters return, as Francesca Orci, the Head of HBO Drama, stated during an interview that the second season of the video game adaptation is projected to be released in 2025. The executive also warned that the current Writers Guild Association strike could delay the debut of the new episodes even further, but that would only be realistic if the conflict about the fight for better wages went on for many months.
The new season of The Last of Us hasn't begun filming yet, as the episodes are still being written. Due to the current WGA strike, pre-production on the season has been halted. However, even if the strike went on for a couple of months, the release window is still wide enough to fit the series in 2025. As with other major HBO productions, filming an editing tend to take plenty of time, as around eight hours of content has to be prepared in order for the release of the episodes. The first season's finale left the characters in a very tense point of their relationship, setting the stage for what's to come.
In the acclaimed HBO series, Joel lives a normal life while raising his daughter, Sarah (Nico Parker). Everything would change when the Cordyceps virus began to affect the population, turning innocent people into hungry walkers. The initial evacuation provoked by the pandemic ended up in the death of Sarah, leaving Joel completely devastated. Years later, he would be given the mission to transport Ellie across the country, since her blood could be the answer to develop a cure for the virus. The pair would bond over the course of the journey, giving Joel a new reason to live.
Friends Don't Lie
It was difficult for Joel and Ellie to develop a friendship at first, due to the dangerous circumstances they found themselves in. There's not a lot of time for talking when you have to watch out for walkers all the time, added to other non.infected people who are hidden inside the abandoned cities. But after spending so much time together, Joel and Ellie learned how to trust each other, up until the point of the first season's finale. Joel lied to Ellie about why they had to leave the hospital, and it's only a matter of time before the girl finds out. It remains to be seen if they can talk their way through the situation, or if their friendship is over.
You can check out Collider's interview with Pedro Pascal below: