Posted in: HBO, Max, TV | Tagged: the last of us

The Last of Season 2 Unleashes Cordyceps "Infection" Across Max

With HBO's Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey-starring The Last of Us Season 2 premiering this weekend, WBD's Max has been infected by cordyceps.

Here's the thing. We knew Warner Bros. Discovery was going to go all-in on promoting this weekend's return of HBO and Showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann's Pedro Pascal (Joel) and Bella Ramsey (Ellie)-starring The Last of Us for its second season – but unleashing a cordyceps infection across its Max streaming service?!? Based on the intel that we received late last night, that would appear to be the case. Reports are that the infection began at noon today, with some of the world's top scientists noting that it could be another 48 hours before they're able to contain it.

As the photographic evidence below shows, the infection is already beginning to impact essential areas of the streaming service. From the homepage background to the Max logo, you can see the changes beginning to take shape. In addition, signs of infection are showing up on the "Top 10 Series" and "Top 10 Movies" rails. Thankfully, viewers are still able to access a special themed lineup of The Last of Us programming even as the infection rages, including the official Season 2 trailer, a recap of the first season, the first season including American Sign Language, a "making of" featurette, and two special looks at Joel's and Ellie's respective journeys heading into the second season. We will keep you posted on the status of the infection throughout the weekend – now, here's a look at how things stand so far:

The Last of Us Season 2 Makes Changes But Part II "DNA Is In There"

Along with the news of some major additions to the hit HBO series' cast, Mazin and Druckmann spoke with Variety this past week on a wide range of topics related to the upcoming second season. One of those topics discussed related to the changes that Mazin and Druckmann made from the video game's "Part II" to bring things to live-action series life – like the addition of Catherine O'Hara as Joel's therapist, fleshing out a backstory on "Part II" character Eugene (set to be played by Joe Pantoliano), and going with a different physical take on Abby (Kaitlyn Dever), for example.

Though expectations were high for the first season, they're even more so as the series heads in "Part II" territory. So, how are Mazin and Druckmann feeling about the possibility of some toxic social media pushback on the changes that they made? Based on what they went through to get "Part II" finished and to get the first season of the HBO series onto small screens, it sounds like Druckmann is feeling confidently ready for it. "I love the changes that we've made," Druckmann shared. "It's a different version of that story, but its DNA is in there. Maybe more than excited, I'm really curious what their reaction will be."

In terms of the bigger picture, how long does the duo see the series running? "It feels like we've got one or two more seasons," Mazin added, reaffirming what he and Druckmann had shared previously about their take on "Part II" needing more than one season. "It's getting harder to make because every episode gets big. You don't want to wait four years for a 17-episode finish, or whatever it is."

With Season 2 set to hit HBO and Max screens starting this Sunday, Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey will be joined this season by Gabriel Luna as Tommy, Rutina Wesley as Maria, Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, Isabela Merced as Dina, Young Mazino as Jesse, Ariela Barer as Mel, Tati Gabrielle as Nora, Spencer Lord as Owen, Jeffrey Wright as Isaac, Danny Ramirez as Manny, and Catherine O'Hara as Joel's therapist. In addition, Joe Pantoliano, Alanna Ubach, Ben Ahlers, Hettienne Park, Robert John Burke, and Noah Lamanna have joined the cast.

Pantoliano is set to play Eugene, a character referenced in the video game but now set to be fully fleshed out during the second season of the live-action series. Burke is set to play Seth, who runs a bar in the Jackson, Wyoming, community where Ellie and Joel live following the events of the first season. Lamanna is set as Kat, who dated Ellie before the events of the second video game. As for new additions to the story's cast, Ubach has been tapped to play a character named Hanrahan, while Ahlers plays a character named Burton, and Park is set for a character named Elise.

Behind the camera, Mazin and Druckmann will be joined by Peter Hoar (S01E03: "Long, Long Time") are Mark Mylod (HBO's Succession), Nina Lopez-Corrado (HBO's Perry Mason), Stephen Williams (HBO's Watchmen) and Kate Herron (Loki). HBO's The Last of Us is written and executive-produced by Mazin and Druckmann. The series is a co-production with Sony Pictures Television and is also executive-produced by Carolyn Strauss, Jacqueline Lesko, Cecil O'Connor, Asad Qizilbash, Carter Swan, and Evan Wells. PlayStation Productions, Word Games, The Mighty Mint, and Naughty Dog serve as the production companies.

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