The Last of Us HBO series release date and episode count confirmed

A recent leak regarding The Last of Us TV series has come true – the HBO show is coming to our screens in January 2023. Specifically, the adaptation of Naughty Dog’s PlayStation series will air on January 15 at 9:00 PM Eastern on HBO and HBO Max. In the UK, the series will air on NOW TV and Sky Atlantic from January 16. The first season will consist of nine episodes, released weekly, meaning the show will run until March.

Pedro Pascal will play Joel in the post-apocalyptic drama alongside Bella Ramsey’s Ellie. You can see the pair take inspiration from the game’s iconic PlayStation cover in the first poster below.

For the uninitiated, The Last of Us – as per the official logline – "takes place 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed. Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal and heartbreaking journey as they both must traverse the U.S. and depend on each other for survival."

The first trailer for The Last of Us was released back in September. The teaser offered a glimpse at the brutal, harsh world that Joel and Ellie have to journey through. A later HBO Max supercut also revealed more of the HBO series, including moments taken directly from the game.

The Last of Us is being brought to our television screens by Naughty Dog co-president Neil Druckmann and Chernobyl creator Craig Mazin, who previously hinted in an interview with the BBC that the game will expand on certain story elements instead of being a one to one adaptation.

"The changes that we're making are designed to fill things out and expand," Mazin said at the time. "Not to undo, but rather to enhance."

The Last of Us is premiering on HBO on January 15 and Sky Atlantic and NOW TV in the UK on January 16. For more on what else is coming your way, check out our guide to new TV shows.