It's not exactly a spoiler to say that The Last of Us season 2 will adapt the events of The Last of Us Part II, though HBO is believed to have plans to tell the story across two seasons (the series would presumably end after that unless the idea is to continue Ellie's journey beyond the games).
Splitting the sequel in two makes sense given its ambitious scope and for fans, all eyes have been on who the series casts as Abigail "Abby" Anderson. The character remains incredibly divisive - for reasons we won't mention here - but the role needs a strong actress capable of exploring Abby's complexities in a story arc that's likely to see her go from antagonist to protagonist.
A member of the Fireflies broken by tragedy when Joel Miller killed her father, Abby later makes it her mission to avenge his demise. That brings her into conflict with some familiar faces and what happens next...well, it still hurts to think about.
After months of rumours, it's been confirmed today that Kaitlyn Dever has been cast as the divisive Firefly.
This version of the character is described as "a skilled soldier whose black-and-white view of the world is challenged as she seeks vengeance for those she loved."
The Last of Us co-creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann issued a statement saying, "Our casting process for season two has been identical to season one: we look for world-class actors who embody the souls of the characters in the source material. Nothing matters more than talent, and we’re thrilled to have an acclaimed performer like Kaitlyn join Pedro, Bella and the rest of our family."
Dever is a talented actress whose previous credits include TV shows like Justied, Unbelievable, and Dopesick. On the big screen, she's been seen in Booksmart, Next Goal Wins, and last year's horror hit No One Will Save You.
Last year, Mazin said, "The strike stopped us in our tracks. Things were in process. Look, Abby was the first role that we wanted to tackle. We’ve got a pretty good track record of making major cast announcements and people going, 'Really?' which will probably continue."
"So people may disagree, but I think we got it right so far and the audience seems to feel we got it right and the Academy seems to feel we got it right."
On the surface, Dever is a surprising pick as she's not quite as physically imposing as the video game Abby. However, that can easily change when she begins prepping to bring this character to life in live-action.
The Last of Us season 2 doesn't currently have a confirmed premiere date but is expected to return in 2025.