Episode 5 of HBO’s The Last of Us to Premiere Friday, Feb. 10 Due to Super Bowl LVII

HBO has made the decision to premiere the fifth episode of The Last of Us on Friday, February 10th to avoid overlap with Super Bowl LVII. For us in Canada, this means fans will be able to check out the upcoming episode on Crave a few days early.

HBO’s The Last of Us has been a mainstream success. With each episode, the series attracts a larger viewership. While specifics regarding last night’s episode are still unknown, Episode 3 saw a 12 percent increase in viewers up to 6.4 million. Thus, HBO intends to ensure it keeps the attention of its audience by not conflicting with Super Bowl LVII — the largest entertainment event of the year.

In a Tweet, the @InsideHBOMax account confirmed that the upcoming episode of The Last of Us will premiere on HBO Max and HBO On Demand on February 10th at 9 PM ET/ 6 PM PT. Additionally, a “linear premiere” will still be available at its regular slotted time on Sunday, February 12th at 9 PM ET/ 6 PM PT.

Episode five of the @HBO Original drama series @TheLastofUsHBO will premiere early on @HBOMax and HBO On Demand beginning on Friday, February 10 at 9 p.m. ET in advance of its HBO linear premiere on Sunday, February 12 at 9 p.m. ET: https://t.co/LhUsIob3ct

— Inside HBO Max (@InsideHBOMax) February 6, 2023

HBO’s The Last of Us is an adaptation of the critically acclaimed game from PlayStation Studios’ Naughty Dog. Currently, it’s on the cusp of the halfway mark through its season. Over the last four weeks, the series has played out relatively close to the original game, first released 10 years ago on PlayStation 3. The Last of Us stars Pedro Pascal as Joel Miller, a smuggler tasked with transporting a young Ellie, played by Bella Ramsey. The series also stars Gabriel Luna, Merle Dandridge, Nick Offerman, and Murray Bartlett. Additionally, Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson, the original voices of Joel and Ellie, are cast in the show as well.

The series was prominently filmed in Alberta, Canada. It’s projected that the filming brought in around $481 million to Alberta’s economy.

HBO’s The Last of Us has already been greenlit for a second season. However, it’s yet to be determined when the follow-up season will premiere.