THE LAST OF US Season 2 Casts Isabela Merced as Dina

The Last of Us ended its first season on HBO with Joel and Ellie returning to the commune in Colorado. Sure, Joel might have doomed all mankind to save one young girl, but at least they have a place nice to live. For now. Fans of Naughty Dog’s popular video game franchise know new terrors and sadness await the pair in the years to come, and we’ll see all of it come to life when the hit series begins adapting the sequel game in its second season. What else can we expect from the show after a lengthy wait?

Paramount Pictures/Naughty Dog

Right now, the first new casting announcements for The Last of Us season two are being revealed. First, the series cast its live-action Abby, an incredibly important character in the events to come. Now, The Last of Us has revealed that it has cast Isabela Merced as Dina. Series creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann said of the casting, “Dina is warm, brilliant, wild, funny, moral, dangerous and instantly lovable… You can search forever for an actor who effortlessly embodies all of those things, or you can find Isabela Merced right away. We couldn’t be prouder to have her join our family.”

A character description for Dina shares that in the world of the HBO series, she is “a free-wheeling spirit whose devotion to Ellie will be tested by the brutality of the world they inhabit.” In The Last of Us Part II, Dina is a character that is closely entangled with that of Ellie’s. The pair even (spoilers) share a kiss. So we’re definitely excited to see her come to life in HBO’s The Last of Us season two.

Netflix/Naughty Dog

The Last of Us season two has also cast Beef‘s Young Mazino as Jess. Jess is also a character from The Last of Us Part II game. He is described, per Variety, as “a pillar of his community who puts everyone else’s needs before his own, sometimes at a terrible cost.” That sounds ominous. Generally speaking, from Jess’s role in The Last of Us Part II, we can assume he and Ellie will build a friendship.

Mazin and Druckmann said of this casting, “Young is one of those rare actors who is immediately undeniable the moment you see him. We’re so lucky to have him, and we can’t wait for the audience to see Young shine in our show.”

Here’s everything we know about The Last of Us‘ second season so far.

The Last of Us Season 2 PlotLiane Hentscher/HBO

HBO has not yet shared an official synopsis for The Last of Us season 2. We still have some idea what to expect. The franchise’s second video game will provide the source material for the TV series. Showrunner Craig Mazin has said the show will take more than one season to adapt the sequel game, but like with the television series’ first season they are not making a direct adaptation. Fans will once again see some major changes alongside some major moments and stories taken directly from the game. That might very well include a huge—though temporary—change for one character. (We won’t risk spoiling it for those who don’t know what that means.)

One thing that won’t change is the importance of The Last of Us Part II‘s Abby Anderson. She will debut during the second season and play a significant role in Ellie’s story. And like the video game sequel, the HBO series will also feature a time jump.

Behind the Scenes

The Last of Us‘ second season was in pre-production before the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes put the show on hold. The first episode had already been written at the time. With both unions finally getting fair deals, the show is now expected to begin filming in Vancouver in early 2024.

Co-creators, writers, and executive producers Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann are back for season two. Writers Halley Gross (The Last of Us Part II) and Bo Shim worked with Mazin and Druckmann on season two.

The series comes from Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions, Word Games, and Naughty Dog.

The Last of Us Season 2’s CastHBO

Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey will return as Joel and Ellie. Also expected back is Gabriel Luna. He plays Joel’s younger brother, Tommy. As is Rutina Wesley. She plays Tommy’s wife Maria.

Regarding new casting news, The Last of Us season two has cast Kaitlyn Dever as Abby. Abby is an important character from The Last of Us Part II game.

The Last of Us Season 2’s Release DateHBO

The Last of Us‘ second season wasn’t expected to premiere until the start of 2025 before the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Even with production delayed, HBO is still reportedly targeting a 2025 return for the show. However, there is not yet an official date in place.

Originally published on December 29, 2023.

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