It’s become an HBO tradition for the season finale of one show to be accompanied by clips of future original series. Before The Penguin‘s season finale, that trend continued with an advance look at the shows coming to HBO and Max in the last two months of 2024 and all of 2025. The final show in the mix was naturally HBO’s hit video game adaptation, The Last of Us Season 2.
There’s not a lot to see, since the trailer doesn’t linger on The Last of Us for too long. But viewers do get a glimpse at the emotional gulf between Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) over the choices he made the save her life in Season 1. The camera does linger on Joel’s guitar, which he passes on to Ellie in the game. There’s also a quick look at Catherine O’Hara’s character, a therapist who was created for the show. She may be the only person whom Joel willingly shares the secret about his estrangement from Ellie.
The placement of The Last of Us Season 2 at the end of the video may mean it won’t arrive until late in 2025. The Last of Us co-director Neil Druckmann, who is prominently involved with the show, has stated that its adaptation of The Last of Us Part 2 will take multiple seasons. Druckmann has also teased the potential for The Last of Us Part 3.
HBO’s video teased the arrival of Dune: Prophecy later this month, as well as Creature Commandos in December. That animated series will mark the first chapter of the new DC Universe and build momentum towards next year’s Superman reboot movie. Additionally, the sizzle reel featured clips from Peacemaker Season 2, which will somehow also tie into the new DC U despite the previous season being set in the DC Extended Universe. Trying to reconcile that may cause our brains to bleed.
The rest of the new and returning shows, including The White Lotus, The Gilded Age, and The Righteous Gemstones, are also arriving on HBO in 2025.