Good news! HBO’s The Last of Us is getting a second season. Which means Ellie and Joel’s journey is set to continue. Ellie is arguably the most iconic lesbian character in gaming history. She’s also the deadliest. And now we get to see the next chapter in her story.
The post-apocalyptic drama was a smash hit from episode one, drawing millions of views. And those numbers climbed every single week. Viewers around the world fell in love with Joel and Ellie on their desperate quest to make a cure for mankind. So renewing the show was a no-brainer for HBO, who gave season 2 the green light after only three episodes!
In the beginning some fans argued that Ellie should be recast if Part II is adapted for screen and even complained about the young actor’s looks. On forum posts that gave serious David vibes, creepy dudes complained that Bella Ramsey wasn’t hot enough to play a 14-year-old character. But Ramsey’s why the show is irresistibly good. That pure connection with Pedro Pascal makes the father-daughter bond between Joel and Ellie tug on our heartstrings.
Plus, Ramsey gave the performance of a lifetime. She brings Ellie’s playful innocence – and her violent streak – to life. After Episode 8, fans are sure she’ll clean house come awards season. And Ramsey definitely has the acting chops to take on such a meaty character arc.
Neil Druckmann – the creative force behind the whole franchise – is a huge fan of Ramsey’s performance. Addressing the controversy, he said: “The only way we would ever, ever consider re-casting Bella is if she said ‘I don’t want to work with you guys anymore.’ And even then, we’re not sure we would grant her that. We might still force her to come back to season two.”
Season 1 of The Last of Us was incredibly loyal to the source material. Characters, locations, and even lines from the original video game were identical. Having Druckmann at the helm helped make a faithful adaptation. And he’s set to continue as Executive Producer.
Druckmann is thrilled about getting the green light to continue: “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,” he said. “Now we have the absolute pleasure of being able to do it again with season two!”
No word yet on when filming will start. But familiar locations like Jackson – a miracle town with democracy, hot water, and no infected – will probably continue to be shot in Calgary, Alberta. But Part II takes us further west, to Seattle and Santa Barbara. We don’t yet know where these locations will be shot. But, based on the beauty of season 1, we can expect stunning cinematography.
With the original creative team sticking to the original story in season one, it’s very likely that season 2 will recreate The Last of Us Part II. But Druckmann has hinted at multiple seasons. The original game took around 15 hours to beat and filled an entire season. And Part II takes around double that time to complete, coming in at a colossal 30 hours. Which means a third season of The Last of Us is almost guaranteed!
There’s a lot of ground to cover. Season 1 ended with a shocking twist. Joel’s decision has terrible implications for the future of humanity – and Ellie herself. But his choice has consequences neither of them could have guessed. And Part II follows the aftermath. (I’m not saying any more – if you’re hellbent on spoilers, play the game. It’s amazing.)
