"The Last of Us" Season 2 is my most anticipated TV show. I am a super fan of this game franchise and loved HBO's adaptation of the first game. However, I was skeptical about the second season for a while because "The Last of Us Part 2" is highly controversial.

I'm in the camp that believes "The Last of Us" Part 2 is a masterpiece, but there is an extremely vocal group of players who were tremendously disappointed with the 2020 sequel. I don't want to further fuel the social media firestorm that has been going on for four years now, but let's just say that many people have strong opinions about "The Last of Us Part 2" and are not afraid to shout them.

"The Last of Us" showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckman (the latter of whom also co-directed the two "Last of Us" films) have been working to placate disgruntled gamers and prevent the same toxic conversations from taking place on social media a second time. My concern was that they would make changes to the story structure and narrative in order to avoid the same damaging conversations on social media a second time.

However, the latest "The Last of Us" Season 2 leak seems to have assuaged my biggest fears, and it may be an indication that Mazin and Drakman are committed to adapting "The Last of Us Part 2" with the same accuracy and authenticity as the first film did on television. Perhaps it's a sign. And I am ready to put aside my current concerns and embrace the hype.

Before diving into the leaks, it makes sense to give a spoiler warning. Below, I will delve into spoilers that are likely to be major spoilers for "The Last of Us Part 2" video game and, by extension, "The Last of Us" Season 2 show. Please be warned.

According to industry insider Daniel Lichtman, Pedro Pascal, who plays stalwart survivor Joel Miller on "The Last of Us" show, has finished filming season 2.

This is particularly significant, as the show reportedly only began production in February of this year, suggesting that Pascal's role in the second season will be reduced compared to his leading role in the show's first collection of episodes.

Of course, anyone who has played the PS4 version of The Last of Us Part 2 (or the remastered PS5 version) will know that Joel is slaughtered at the beginning of the game, followed by his adopted daughter, Ellie, who hunts down the killer in the rain-drenched streets of Seattle, Washington, on a revenge You know that Joel is on a mission to hunt down the killer in the rainy streets of Seattle, Washington.

Joel is a lovable character, so his death was no small controversy. And Pedro Pascal's star is only growing, as he was recently cast as Reed Richards in the MCU's next film, Fantastic Four. That would be a mistake.

Fortunately, if Pascal is indeed already done with "The Last of Us Part 2," Joel will probably suffer the same fate as his video game counterpart on the show. While it would be horrifying to see that harrowing scene in live action when it is heartbreaking enough to see it digitally, it is absolutely essential to the story of Part 2 as a catalyst for Ellie to begin her self-destructive quest for revenge.

Note, however, that while we hope this new information is accurate, it is merely a rumor at this point. There has been no official announcement from Pascal or HBO that the actor has finished filming, so take this with a grain of salt for now.

Specific details on The Last of Us Season 2 are rather thin, but we do know that Bella Ramsey will return as Ellie and that Caitlin Dever will join the cast as Abby, a key character in The Last of Us Part 2. Naturally, there are still no details on a release date, but the show is expected to return sometime in 2025.