'Last of Us' Season 2 to premiere April 13

Feb. 19 (UPI) -- HBO announced the premiere date for The Last of Us Season 2 on Wednesday. The show returns April 13 at 9 p.m. EDT on HBO and streaming on Max.

The network confirmed an April premiere last month but announced the date Wednesday. Season 1 concluded March 12, 2023.

Season 2 picks up five years after the first season. Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey return as Joel and Ellie, survivors of a post-apocalyptic plague, with Gabriel Luna and Rutina Wesley also returning.

Kaitlyn Dever, Isabela Merced, Young Mazino, Airela Barer, Tati Gabrielle, Spencer Lord, Danny Ramirez, and Jeffrey Wright have joined the cast with Catherine O'Hara guest starring.

HBO renewed The Last of Us after only two episodes aired in January 2023. By October that year, an attraction was featured in Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights.

The Last of Us is based on the Playstation video game franchise by Naughty Dog. Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann adapted the games.