'Y: The Last Man' — release date, cast, trailer and all you need to know

Y: The Last Man - image features Yorick Brown decked out in protective gear
(Image credit: Rafy Winterfeld/FX)

Y: The Last Man is a new DC comic book series coming very soon to FX on Hulu in the US and Disney+ in the UK!

In development since 2015, the series is a post-apocalyptic tale based on the  DC graphic novel series of the same name by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra. Like the comic book it's based on, the series follows amateur escape artist Yorick Brown and his pet Capuchin monkey, Ampersand, after the pair mysteriously survive a plague that has wiped out every living male mammal alive on Earth. 

Here's everything we know about Y: The Last Man so far...

Y: The Last Man release date

Y: The Last Man began airing exclusively on FX on Hulu on September 13. The first two episodes were made available to watch on launch.

In the UK, Y: The Last Man will air on Star on Disney+ on Wednesday, 22 September. Three episodes will be available when the show premieres.

In both regions, new episodes will drop weekly on their respective streaming platforms.

UPDATE (10/18): Y: The Last Man has been cancelled, but will look for a new home for a potential season 2. Season 1 will still continue on FX on Hulu and Disney Plus until its conclusion.

Y: The Last Man plot

As we've already mentioned, Y: The Last Man follows Yorick Brown and his monkey Ampersand as they attempt to survive in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by a mysterious plague that wiped out all living mammals with Y chromosomes. 

Yorick sets to out search for an answer as to why he's still alive. Along the way encounters the people left behind who are both struggling to process what happened and dealing with the pressure of rebuilding a new world.

With the gender binary essentially removed from society, the show aims to explore how social divisions based on wealth, social class, and race continue to persist in this post-apocalyptic landscape.

The original comic book was a 60-issue science fiction smash hit that ran from 2002 until 2008 and received three Eisner Awards as well as a nomination for the first Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story for Y: The Last Man, Volume 10. 

Showrunner Eliza Clark sums up Y: The Last Man as "a beautiful story about survival and [one that] examines interesting ideas about power." 

She added: "The comic book showed a world that is filled with mostly women but it's not necessarily a paradise. Now there’s more that can be explored within that. And these characters will change drastically. Yorick’s maleness is not what sets him apart in this world, it's his Y chromosome. The show is asking, 'What makes a human being?'"

Y: The Last Man - image shows Diane Lane as Jennifer Brown.

Diane Lane as US Senator Jennifer Brown. (Image credit: Rafy Winterfeld/FX)

Y: The Last Man cast

Ben Schnetzer (Warcraft) leads the cast as the titular last man, Yorick Brown. Talking about where we meet Yorick, Ben said: "This world is dealing with extraordinary circumstances but it’s grounded in reality. 

"There are things Yorick is unaware of but he discovers a lot about the world, post-event, as the audience does. But I don't know if anyone could say that he's a saviour, that's up for debate..."

Joining him are: Diane Lane (House of Cards) as Congresswoman Jennifer Brown, Ashley Romans (Shameless) as Agent 355, Olivia Thirlby (Dredd) as Hero Brown, Amber Tamblyn (House) as Kimberly Campbell Cunningham, Marin Ireland (Umbrella Academy) as Nora Brady, Diana Bang (Resident Alien) as Dr. Allison Mann, Elliot Fletcher (Shameless) as Sam Jordan and Juliana Canfield (Succession) as Beth Deville.

Talking about her experience filming the show, Diane Lane explained: "I found it intriguing and surprising and it made me think. There’s a lot looming over our heads. 

"It felt like filming a pandemic in a pandemic. It was a Russian doll of surrealism."

Is there a trailer? 

Yes! The official trailer gives us a grim glimpse at the moment the strange plague takes its toll on humanity.

Yorick's arrival then signals a huge change of pace, as the trailer pivots towards showcasing some of the chaos that has descended upon the new world. Life in this new world certainly looks dangerous...

Martin Shore
Staff Writer at WhatToWatch.com

Martin is a Staff Writer with WhatToWatch.com, where he produces a variety of articles focused on the latest and greatest films and TV shows. 

Some of his favorite shows are What We Do In The Shadows, Bridgerton, Gangs of London, The Witcher, Doctor Who, and Ghosts. When he’s not watching TV or at the movies, Martin’s probably still in front of a screen playing the latest video games, reading, or watching the NFL.