HBO has confirmed that Pedro Pascal still has filming to do for The Last of Us Season 2, telling IGN that rumors suggesting otherwise are “not accurate.”
Rumors surrounding the star’s filming schedule originated from reliable insider Daniel Richtman, who shared the update on his Patreon page. His report said Pascal had wrapped shooting while stating that filming for the rest of the season wasn’t expected to conclude until August 2024.
It would be notable if the star was indeed already finished, especially considering that showrunner Craig Mazin previously said that production was set to begin on February 12, just a little over a month ago following strike-related delays. Responding to a query from IGN, however, HBO said that this isn't the case.
It makes sense to see some viewers of the HBO series raising their eyebrows at the rumors, as Pascal's Joel anchored Season 1 along with Bella Ramsey's Ellie. Many others, however, weren’t so shocked to hear that Pascal’s time on set was brief.
Spoilers for The Last of Us Part 2 and potential spoilers for The Last of Us Season 2 follow.
HBO’s The Last of Us follows closely in line with the PlayStation game that it is based on. Season 1 saw its fair share of narrative diversions, but for the most part, it’s an accurate retelling of developer Naughty Dog’s source material. Season 2 will continue to follow in the game’s footsteps by offering a live-action take on the divisive video game sequel, The Last of Us Part 2. Although Naughty Dog co-president Neil Druckmann has confirmed that some elements will be “radically” different from the game, it sounds like the next batch of episodes will largely deliver a story fans are familiar with.
That, of course, means Joel's future isn’t looking too bright (and this is your LAST SPOILER WARNING!). Everyone’s favorite gaming dad makes it about an hour or two into The Last of Us Part 2 before he is brutally beaten to death with a golf club by Abby. So, when rumors that Pascal was no longer needed for filming began to circulate, fans immediately began to fear the worst.
I wonder why Pedro Pascal got finished filming his role in TLOU2 while everybody else still filming? What’s going on? ?#IYKYK ?#Whoopsies#TheLastofUs pic.twitter.com/BYxA0oUby3— Jaydub (@JayDubcity16) March 26, 2024
PEDRO PASCAL IS DONE FILMING TLOU SEASON 2??!?!?!? pic.twitter.com/1OEGuelNLI— anna (@annamartlnez) March 25, 2024
Folks, you need to chill about Pedro Pascal wrapping filming for The Last of Us season 2 early. Maybe he just wanted to go play some golf.— Gary Alexander Stott ??????? (@GaryAStott) March 26, 2024
Pedro Pascal reporting in for The Last of Us Season 2. https://t.co/U13jHBa2gj pic.twitter.com/u6hjLrtKZy— Kami (@Okami13_) March 25, 2024
With all of that being said, we still wouldn't take HBO's update as an indication that Joel will somehow avoid his bloody demise in Season 2. For starters, Joel still appears throughout The Last of Us Part 2 in the form of flashbacks, so it wouldn't be surprising for Pascal's performance to carry on through Season 2 that way as well.
Additionally, Season 2’s cast includes Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, Danny Ramirez as Manny, Ariela Barer as Mel, Tati Gabrielle as Nora, and Spencer Lord as Owen. Each character is intimately woven into The Last of Us Part 2’s narrative, but none are quite as important to Joel’s demise as Abby. Dever’s character is the one who takes Joel’s life in-game, and there’s little evidence suggesting that she won’t do it again.
To no one’s surprise, those familiar with the video game sequel have taken to social media to hint, share memes, and pray that Joel somehow makes it to the other side…even if they’re likely wrong.
We’ll have a better idea of what to expect when The Last of Us Season 2 premieres sometime next year. For more on HBO's take on the beloved video game series, be sure to check out our Season 1 review. We gave the first batch of episodes a 9/10, saying, "HBO's The Last of Us is a stunning adaptation that should thrill newcomers and enrich those already familiar with Joel and Ellie's journey alike."
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.
Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.
