Editor’s note: This post contains spoilers about Season 2 of “The Last of Us.”

“The Last of Us” Season 2 if off to a killer start and even Bella Ramsey wishes her character Ellie had another season of feeling joy.

“I wish we had another season of being, like, happy,” Ramsey told USA TODAY during a joint interview with co-star Pedro Pascal, who plays her surrogate father Joel.

“I want to reverse everything,” Pascal added. “I want to take it all back. Go back to Season 1 and just stroll through the apocalypse. Together.”

HBO’s Emmy-winning zombie sci-fi drama, which debuted in 2023, depicts a world where the mind-controlling parasitic fungi Cordyceps have taken over the human race and reshaped society at large.

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The first episode of Season 2 threw fans five years ahead of the first season’s events. The episode shows Joel and Ellie’s somewhat normal lives while living in the safe haven of Jackson, Wyoming. Yet the two clearly have unresolved tension, as Ellie still holds resentment for Joel’s actions last season and for lying to her face.

USA TODAY’s Kelly Lawler gave the season ★★½ out of four, writing: “It’s gory and gorgeous, viciously violent and vividly brought to life. It is the prestigious, mature series fans loved in Season 1. But it also feels like something is missing this time around.”

“It’s hard not to finish the seven-episode season without feeling somewhat dissatisfied, an itching in the back of your mind that something is missing,” she adds. “The new season saves big reveals and explanations for potential future installments at the expense of what fans are watching now. By the finale, which ends with a major cliffhanger, you’re left wanting more, but not necessarily more new episodes; you’ll wish the episodes you just watched had more meat on their bones.”

Here’s what to know about Season 2 of “The Last of Us,” including full episode schedule, cast and how to watch.

Review: ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 finds its horrors but loses the plot

When does the next episode of the ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 come out? Release date, time

The next episode of “The Last of Us” Season 2 will drop on Easter Sunday, i.e. April 20, at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on HBO and its streaming service Max.

New episodes will release every Sunday, with the season finale dropping on Sunday, May 25.

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‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 episode schedule

Season 2 of “The Last of Us” premiered on April 13 and will have 7 episodes. Here’s what the upcoming schedule looks like:

• Episode 2: Sunday, April 20
• Episode 3: Sunday, April 27
• Episode 4: Sunday, May 4
• Episode 5: Sunday, May 11
• Episode 6: Sunday, May 18
• Episode 7 (season finale): Sunday, May 25

How to watch ‘The Last of Us’

New episodes of “The Last of Us” will air on HBO and be available to stream weekly on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on Max. Season 1 of the series is also available to stream on Max.

Max subscription plans begin at $9.99 a month with ads while ad-free subscriptions cost $16.99 a month.

The highest tier, which is $20.99 a month, includes the ability to stream on four devices and offers 4K Ultra HD video quality and 100 downloads. HBO also offers bundles with Hulu and Disney+.

Watch ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 with Sling + Max

What is ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 about?

According to HBO’s logline, Season 2 takes place five years later and shows Joel and Ellie “drawn into conflict with each other and a world even more dangerous and unpredictable than the one they left behind.”

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‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 cast

Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey return to reprise their leading roles as Joel and Ellie in “The Last of Us” Season 2. The remaining Season 2 cast also includes the following:

• Gabriel Luna as Tommy Miller
• Rutina Wesley as Maria Miller
• Catherine O’Hara as Gail
• Kaitlyn Dever as Abby Anderson
• Isabela Merced as Dina
• Young Mazino as Jesse
• Ezra Benedict Agbonkhese as Benjamin
• Tati Gabrielle as Nora
• Ariela Barer as Mel
• Spencer Lord as Owen
• Danny Ramirez
• Jeffrey Wright

Watch the ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 trailer

Will there be a ‘The Last of Us’ Season 3?

Yes. Ahead of Season 2’s premiere, HBO announced “The Last of Us” would be returning for a third season.

However, it is unclear if Season 3 will be the show’s final season. Deadline reported that Druckmann and Mazin said they were previously contemplating making up to four seasons.

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Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.

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