The Last of Us Season 2 Premiere Ratings Grow, Overtaking Season 1 Opener

HBO’s The Last of Us is spreading like a fungal infection. According to the network, more people tuned into Sunday’s “Future Days” season 2 premiere than the “When You’re Lost in the Darkness” series premiere in 2023. The first hour of the seven-episode season grew to an audience of 5.

3 million same-day viewers with its airings across HBO and Max, for a 13% increase from the season 1 premiere more than two years ago in January 2023. That episode, which introduced Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) as survivors of the fungal apocalypse, reached a same-day audience of 4.7 million.



The series premiere was at the time HBO’s second largest debut, behind only the Game of Thrones spinoff House of the Dragon, since Boardwalk Empire premiered on the network in 2010. “When You’re Lost in the Darkness” went on to amass another 5.3 million viewers over its first two days of availability on HBO and Max, rising to 18 million after a week and 22 million after 12 days.

By the time of the “Look for the Light” season finale aired March 12, ratings for the season opener totaled nearly 40 million views. RELATED: The Last of Us Season 2 Reviews Call HBO Series “Incomplete,” Still “The Best Game Adaptation Ever Made”Warner Bros. Discovery also reported streams for the nine-episode first season surged by 150% compared to the week before in the lead up to the April 13 season premiere.

When The Last of Us first aired its first season in 2023, episode 2 recorded 5.7 million viewers for a 22% increase in viewership — the largest-ever jump for an HBO Original drama series in the history of the network.Ratings continued to rise with episode 3, “Long, Long Time,” with the interlude tallying 6.

4 million viewers in its third week. HBO renewed The Last of Us for its second season that same week, and went on to deliver series high ratings with episode 4 (7.5 million) and then episode 8 (8.

1 million). Despite competition from the 2023 Oscars, the “Look for the Light” season finale drew a series high of 8.2 million.

HBO reported at the time that The Last of Us was averaging 30.4 million viewers over its first six episodes, and that the adaptation of the Naughty Dog video game franchise on PlayStation was the most-watched show in the history of HBO Max in both Europe and Latin America.The Last of Us Season 1 Weekly Premiere Viewership:Episode 1 – 4.

7 million (Jan. 15)Episode 2 – 5.7 million (Jan.

22)Episode 3 – 6.4 million (Jan. 29)Episode 4 – 7.

5 million (Feb. 5)Episode 5 – 11.6 million (Feb.

10-Feb. 12)**Early premiere, includes data from Friday to SundayEpisode 6 – 7.8 million (Feb.

19)Episode 7 – 7.7 million (Feb. 26)Episode 8 – 8.

1 million (March 5)Episode 9 – 8.2 million (March 12)Last week, HBO renewed The Last of Us for a third season from showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann. “It can’t be overemphasized how proud HBO is for the outstanding achievement we believe the second season of The Last of Us is,” Francesca Orsi, Executive Vice President, HBO Programming, Head of HBO Drama Series and Films, said in a statement.

“Craig, Neil, [executive producer] Carolyn [Strauss] and the entire executive producer team, cast and crew have delivered a masterful follow-up and we’re thrilled to carry the power of Craig and Neil’s storytelling into what we know will be an equally moving and extraordinary third season.”Added Mazin, who wrote and directed both the season 1 and season 2 premieres, “We approached season two with the goal of creating something we could be proud of. The end results have exceeded even our most ambitious goals, thanks to our continued collaboration with HBO and the impeccable work of our unparalleled cast and crew.

We look forward to continuing the story of The Last of Us with season three!”“To see The Last of Us brought to life so beautifully and faithfully has been a career highlight for me, and I am grateful for the fans’ enthusiastic and overwhelming support,” said Druckmann, co-creator of the hit video game franchise. “Much of that success is thanks to my partner in crime, Craig Mazin, our partnership with HBO, and our team at PlayStation Productions. On behalf of everyone at Naughty Dog, our cast, and crew, thank you so much for allowing us this opportunity.

We’re thrilled to bring you more of The Last of Us.” Here’s the logline: “Five years after the events of the first season, Joel and Ellie are drawn into conflict with each other and a world even more dangerous and unpredictable than the one they left behind.” Season 2 returning cast includes Pedro Pascal as Joel, Bella Ramsey as Ellie, Gabriel Luna as Tommy, and Rutina Wesley as Maria; new cast members include Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, Isabela Merced as Dina, Young Mazino as Jesse, Ariela Barer as Mel, Tati Gabrielle as Nora, Spencer Lord as Owen, Danny Ramirez as Manny, and Jeffrey Wright as Isaac, with Catherine O’Hara guest starring as Gail.

New episodes of The Last of Us season 2 premiere Sunday nights on HBO and Max. The post The Last of Us Season 2 Premiere Ratings Grow, Overtaking Season 1 Opener appeared first on ComicBook.com.

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