Some exciting names have been added to the cast of The Last of Us in major supporting roles over the past week or so, but up until now, we hadn't heard anything about the new directors that have been enlisted for the second season of HBO's critically-acclaimed video game adaptation.
According to Jeff Sneider in the latest edition of his newsletter, Kate Herron, who directed every episode of the first season of Marvel Studios' Loki before deciding to step away from the Disney+ series, will helm at least one episode of The Last of Us season 2.
Herron has also directed episodes of Netflix's Sex Education and Daybreak, and written an episode of Doctor Who.
This news follows the recent announcements that Isabela Merced (Madame Web, Superman: Legacy) will play Ellie's love-interest Dina, Young Mazino (Beef) will play the heroic Jesse, and Kaitlyn Dever (Dopesick, No One Will Save You) has been cast as the season's deuteragonist (or antagonist, depending on your point of view), Abby Anderson.
There are quite a few key roles yet to be filled, including the likes of Owen, Mel, Yara and Lev, so expect more casting announcements over the next couple of weeks.
Bella Ramsey (Ellie) and Pedro Pascal (Joel) will reprise their lead roles.
The Last of Us is set 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed and centers on the relationship between Joel, a smuggler in this new world, and Ellie, a teenager who may be key to a cure for a deadly pandemic. Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle the 14-year-old girl out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal, heartbreaking journey as they traverse the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.
Season 1's cast also featured Gabriel Luna as Tommy, Anna Torv as Tess, Nico Parker as Sarah, Murray Bartlett as Frank, Nick Offerman as Bill, Melanie Lynskey as Kathleen, Storm Reid as Riley, Merle Dandridge as Marlene, Jeffrey Pierce as Perry, Lamar Johnson as Henry, Keivonn Woodard as Sam, Graham Greene as Marlon, Elaine Miles as Florence, Ashley Johnson as Anna, and Troy Baker as James.
Production on the second season is scheduled to begin next month in Vancouver, since a significant part of the story in The Last of Us Part II game is set in the Pacific Northwest.
The Last of Us is written and executive produced by Mazin and Druckmann. Carolyn Strauss, Evan Wells, Asad Qizilbash, Carter Swan, and Rose Lam also executive produce.
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