HBO’s ‘The Last of Us’ Now Has a Release Date

Starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, HBO’s upcoming series The Last of Us is one of television’s most hotly anticipated new shows—but when will we finally get to watch it? The Last of Us is just one of a baker’s dozen of video game-to-television adaptations, but with its beloved source material, star-studded cast, and high profile network, the show stands as one of the buzziest new releases in television—video game adaption or otherwise.

Based on the video game of the same name from Sony and Naughty Dog, The Last of Us takes place in a post-apocalyptic version of America, 20 years after any semblance of modern civilization was decimated. The game tells the story of Joel (set to be played in the HBO series by Pedro Pascal), a hardened smuggler who is tasked with escorting a 14-year-old girl, Ellie (Game of Thrones‘ Bella Ramsey) out of a quarantine zone.

Famous for its heartbreaking storylines and pulse-pounding gameplay, the HBO series will likely follow closely to the narrative of the original game—packing plenty of emotional gut punches and high-stakes action sequences along the way. In addition to Pascal and Ramsey, the series will also star Gabriel Luna (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) as Joel’s brother Tommy and Merle Dandridge as resistance fighter Marlene, a role she’s reprising from the original video game.

So, with the cast set in stone and an official first look still released by HBO, the biggest question on fans’ minds is, of course, “When will the series premiere?”

‘The Last of Us’ will premiere on HBO sometime in 2023

The good news is, for fans eager to see Joel and Ellie brought to life on the small screen, they won’t have to wait much longer—but the bad news is, we don’t yet have an exact release date for when The Last of Us hits HBO. HBO’s official website has yet to give a specific release date, simply marking the series as ‘coming soon,’ but that doesn’t mean we don’t have hints about when the show may premiere.

In a new interview with the Hollywood Reporter, HBO Chief Content Officer Casey Boys gave a ballpark answer when asked about a possible release date: “It’s closer to early 2023.” It should come as no surprise that 2022 is out of the running for a release date, considering the series has yet to receive a proper teaser or trailer.

Still, fans eager to see some of their favorite video game characters brought to life can rest easy knowing that such a well-respected franchise is in good hands. The series is written and executive produced by Chernobyl creator Craig Mazin, working in collaboration with Neil Druckmann, who helped produce The Last of Us video games.

What is the release date for The Last of Us on HBO?

Twitter user @TLOUMedia alleged that the release date could potentially be January 15, 2023. Following the rumor that The Last of Us would air in early 2023, IGN reported that the series was set to launch on the leaked date. The Last of Us Season One premieres on January 15, 2023.

Though it feels like 2023 can’t come soon enough, it seems like we’re due for a new teaser or trailer any day now—especially considering Pedro Pascal has given a few recent interviews regarding the upcoming series and his talent (or lack thereof) at video games. Until then, a single production still is the only taste we have of the hotly anticipated series, but there’s sure to be more content on the horizon.

(featured image: HBO)