‘The Last of Us’ season 2 trailer teases heartbreak – Warning: Emotional devastation ahead

HBO has just dropped the official trailer for The Last of Us season 2, and it contains some of the most emotionally heartbreaking moments from the second game. Long-time fans are now convinced the upcoming run won’t pull any punches when it comes to some of the grittier things we’re going to be seeing this season.

The footage starts with familiar scenes in the forest, probably hinting at Ellie and Joel’s little trip to the larger Wyoming landscape, which is a favorite flashback sequence from the game. We then see several shots of Jackson in snow. As game fans will tell you, The Last of Us Part II starts in winter, so this could be from the very first episode.

If nothing else, the trailer shows the producers are remaining completely faithful to the game, though considering how gut-wrenching the story in The Last of Us Part II is, we’re not sure if that’s a good thing. Many frames from the trailer are a direct recreation of their game counterpart, including this party scene taking place in Jackson and featuring Ellie and her new love interest, Dina. Dina will be portrayed by Isabela Merced in the live-action adaptation.

From game to show. #TheLastofUs pic.twitter.com/EkKtXh8uy4

— The Last of Us Source (@TLOUSource) March 8, 2025

I’m so glad that The Last of Us isn’t cutting out the party scene, as it was a huge piece of the game’s marketing campaign. Even that over-the-shoulder shot of Ellie taking everything in is a one-on-one recreation of that scene in the game. This gameplay trailer from 2018 shows the scene in full, and you can check it out since there are no spoilers involved.

The similarities don’t end there. You could probably draw a chronological timeline for each episode based on this trailer alone. The Last of Us Part II is one of the most acclaimed games in history, and one of the reasons for that universal acclaim was its visual storytelling; rich, unflinching, gritty, and relentless. It seems like the showrunners are re-creating that exact vibe for season 2, which is just as well; why fix something that isn’t broken?

oh, THIS ellie and nora scene in the last of us trailer. WE ARE IN IT IN IT pic.twitter.com/QoYWOUxI1W

— Nora Dominick (@noradominick) March 8, 2025

The Last of Us premiered in 2023 to overwhelming critical acclaim and went on to bag eight Emmys. The story takes place in the aftermath of a global pandemic, with much of the population decimated and the civilization in complete ruins. Pedro Pascal plays Joel Miller, a rugged smuggler who takes on a mission to get Ellie Williams (portrayed by Bella Ramsey) across the United States wasteland and to a group of revolutionary fighters called the Fireflies.

The first season ended with Joel and Ellie finding Jackson and deciding to build a life there, but the story is far from over. While Jackson is a far cry from what you’d call an idyllic home in the pre-apocalyptic world, it gives plenty of breathing room to the story and allows for the introduction of several new cast members, including Isabela Merced as Dina, Young Mazino as Jesse, Tati Gabrielle as Nora, Spencer Lord as Owen, Ariela Barer as Mel, Danny Ramirez as Manny, and Jeffrey Wright as Isaac, the enigmatic leader of the Washington Liberation Front.

Kaitlyn Dever is also joining the cast as Abigail “Abby” Anderson, a lead character in season 2 and arguably the rest of the story, which, according to the showrunners, is expected to run for two more seasons after this one.

The Last of Us season 2 premieres April 13 on HBO Max