Premiere - The Last of Us Season 2: Paris plunges into the apocalypse at the Grand Rex

By Mulder, Paris, Le grand Rex, 05 april 2025

Saturday, April 5, 2025 will remain a significant date for French fans of the series The Last of Us. That evening, the legendary Le Grand Rex cinema was transformed into a veritable theater of the end of the world to host the exceptional preview of the first episode of season 2. Organized by Max, this immersive screening offered a striking foretaste of a particularly anticipated sequel, just over a week before its official launch scheduled for April 13. Everything was designed to immerse spectators in the dark, brutal and emotionally intense world of this phenomenal series born from the video game universe imagined by Naughty Dog.

The atmosphere at the Grand Rex was surreal. From the moment they entered the cinema, guests left the comfort of the real world to enter a faithfully recreated post-apocalyptic universe. Cold lights, overgrown sets, dilapidated buildings, abandoned cars, security cordons and, above all, the oppressive presence of clappers that were more real than life. These emblematic creatures from the world of The Last of Us, embodied by performers made up with disturbing realism, wandered among the guests, moaning, clapping, and creating a feeling of palpable tension. It was not a simple screening, but a total immersion, a true emotional and sensory journey, where fiction contaminated reality.

The highlight of the evening was undoubtedly the appearance of some of the main cast of this new season. Isabela Merced (Dina), Gabriel Luna (Tommy) and Young Mazino (Jesse) graced the event with their presence. Interviewed on stage by the journalist Marie Palot, the three actors spoke with touching sincerity about their involvement in the series, their physical and mental preparations, and the emotional charge of their respective roles. The audience could feel their passion for the project and appreciate the intensity of the filming. They then took part in a spectacular photo shoot on the roof of the Grand Rex cinema, with the city of Paris as a backdrop - a moment suspended between real beauty and dramatic fiction.

The red carpet of the event was not to be outdone, worthy of a major Hollywood premiere. Many French personalities from the world of cinema, television and the media walked the steps: Camille Razat, Fleur Geffrier, Maxime Dereymez, Paul Deby, Zinédine Soualem, Enora Hope and Alex Goude. All under the flash of the photographers and the applause of the fans massed in front of the cinema. Alongside them, some sixty content creators and influencers popular on social networks, including Abrège Frère, Sundy Jule, Tonyczh and Jade Leboeuf, had also been invited to this great geek mass. Their presence testifies to the massive cultural impact of The Last of Us, which transcends generations and formats.

Aired for the first time that evening, the first episode of this second season confirms the artistic and narrative ambitions of the series. Taking place five years after the events of the first season, the story picks up with Joel and Ellie living in Jackson. But beneath the surface of apparent stability, deep tensions are building, particularly due to Joel's lie at the end of the previous season. This breaking point becomes the beating heart of this new plot, where each character will have to face their demons, their regrets, and the irreversible consequences of their choices. The introduction of Abby, played by Kaitlyn Dever, also begins a new part of the story, heralding a much more fragmented trajectory, rich in moral dilemmas and introspection.

The series doesn't just faithfully adapt the game The Last of Us Part II: it deploys all its emotional density, while taking the time to develop the secondary characters, enrich the narrative arcs, and create a more stifling atmosphere than ever. The direction, by Craig Mazin, Neil Druckmann and a new team of talented directors (Mark Mylod, Kate Herron, etc.), is characterized by an impressive aesthetic rigor. The cinematography by Ksenia Sereda constantly plays with the contrasts between the harsh light of survival and the psychological darkness of the protagonists. As for the music, Gustavo Santaolalla and David Fleming continue their sensitive compositional work, connecting the threads of the story with discreet but deeply striking sound themes.

Filmed between February and August 2024 in British Columbia, season 2 has a substantial budget, even larger than that of the first season. This translates into a notable increase in action scenes, beautifully choreographed intimate sequences, and the reintroduction of spores, absent from the previous season. The realism of the fungal infection and the evolution of the infected become central elements, both for the show and to feed the profound themes of the series: fear, physical and moral contamination, and the ability of each individual to remain human in the midst of collapse.

What is also impressive is the way in which this series, despite having originated from a video game, manages to rank among the greatest contemporary television works. It is not content with being a good adaptation: it redefines the standard of adaptations, placing emotion, the accuracy of the characters and the complexity of human relationships at the center of its narrative. With season 2, The Last of Us confirms that it is not just a genre series, but a powerful, intimate and universal drama.

This preview at the Grand Rex only served to heighten the audience's anticipation. Some left the theater in tears, others in shock, all aware of having witnessed a rare, intense moment that marks an evolution in the history of both the series and contemporary television. For one night, Paris was the global epicenter of a cultural phenomenon, where reality and fiction intertwined to remind us that, even in darkness, human emotion remains what connects us all.

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Synopsis : 
When the world as you know it no longer exists, when the line between good and evil becomes blurred, when death is a part of everyday life, how far would you go to survive? For Joel, survival is a daily concern that he manages in his own way. But when his path crosses that of Ellie, their journey through what remains of the United States will put their humanity and their will to survive to the test.

The Last of Us
Created by Craig Mazin, Neil Druckmann
Based on The Last of Us by Naughty Dog
Showrunners : Craig Mazin, Neil Druckmann
Written by Craig Mazinn, Neil Druckmann, Halley Gross
Starring  Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey
Theme music composer : Gustavo Santaolalla
Composers : Gustavo Santaolalla, David Fleming
Executive producers : Craig Mazin, Neil Druckmann, Carolyn Strauss, Rose Lam, Evan Wells, Carter Swank Asad Qizilbash, Jacqueline Lesko, Cecil O'Connor
Producers : Greg Spence, Cecil O'Connor
Cinematography : Ksenia Sereda, Eben Bolter, Christine A. Maier, Nadim Carlsen, Catherine Goldschmidt
Editors : Timothy A. Good, Mark Hartzell, Emily Mendez, Cindy Mollo
Production companies : The Mighty Mint, Word Games, PlayStation Productions, Naughty Dog, Sony Pictures Television Studios, Original release
Network : HBO
Release January 15, 2023 – present 
Running time : 43–81 minutes

Photos and video : André for Mulderville