'House of the Dragon' Season 2 Trailer, Release Date and Everything to Know

HBO is expanding its its flagship fantasy series Game of Thrones into a full-fledged franchise, starting with Targaryen-focused prequel series House of the Dragon, which became an instant hit when it premiered in 2022. (It will eventually be joined by another prequel, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight.) Here's everything we know so far (or feel comfortable speculating) about House of the Dragon Season 2, including an exciting first trailer.

House of the Dragon Season 2 release date

TLDR: House of the Dragon Season 2 is expected in "early summer" 2024.

THE DETAILS: Per Variety and actor Steve Toussaint, HotD Season 2 recently wrapped filming and is entering post-production. House of the Dragon wasn't subject to the writers' strike or the ongoing actors' union walkout. Episodes for House of the Dragon Season 2 were already written prior to the Writers Guild of America strike, while House of the Dragon's actors are under contract with the UK entertainment guild Equity, not the American union SAG-AFTRA. Even SAG-AFTRA members were instructed to go to work on the production, which is based in the United Kingdom and is thus subject to different labor rules.

At a November 2023 press event, HBO boss Casey Bloys announced that the second part of the series will premiere in the early part of the summer in 2024. (At this same press event, it was confirmed that another Game of Thrones spinoff, The Hedge Knight (an adaptation of Martin's the Tales of Dunk and Egg novel, would start production around HotD's release in 2024.)

House of the Dragon Season 2 episodes

TLDR: House of the Dragon Season 2 will consist of eight episodes.

THE DETAILS: This is two fewer episodes than Season 1. According to Deadline, Season 2 was originally intended to have 10 episodes, but showrunner Ryan Condal and executive producer George R.R. Martin rearranged some of the story while planning out the show's three-or-four-season arc, with the end result being a shorter order for Season 2. Reportedly, a major battle is getting pushed to Season 3.

House of the Dragon Season 2 cast

TLDR: Familiar faces from House of the Dragon Season 1 will return for Season 2 — but viewers will recall that not everyone survived the ample bloodshed. Meanwhile, Ryan Condal, House of the Dragon's co-creator, confirmed during a panel this past March that five more dragons will soar in Season 2 (which means that they'll need five more dragonriders).

THE DETAILS: While a few new House of the Dragon cast members have already been announced for Season 2, actors for some of the source material's more exciting and impactful characters — like dragonrider Nettles, who becomes Prince Daemon Targaryen's mentee and eventually his secret lover, Mushroom the court fool who knew that the pen would wind up being mightier than the sword, and the villainous duo Blood and Cheese — have yet to be revealed.

Main cast list

Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen, the unpredictable uncle/husband of Rhaenyra.
Emma D'Arcy as Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, who claims the Iron Throne because her father Viserys named her his successor.
Rhys Ifans as Ser Otto Hightower, the scheming Hand of the King who wants to install his family on the Iron Throne.
Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon, "The Sea Snake," head of one of Westeros' most powerful families and husband of Rhaenys.
Eve Best as Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, who was passed over for the Iron Throne decades ago in favor of her younger, male cousin Viserys.
Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria, a brothel keeper who was previously involved with Daemon and knows a lot of secrets.
Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole, a knight who became bitter after being spurned by his former lover Rhaenyra and is now allied with Alicent.
Olivia Cooke as Queen Alicent Hightower, Viserys' widow, Rhaenyra's former best friend, and the power behind her eldest son Aegon II, who currently sits on the Iron Throne.
Matthew Needham as Lord Larys Strong, Alicent's most trusted confidante, who is not at all trustworthy.
Tom Glynn-Carney as King Aegon II Targaryen, wicked son of Viserys and Alicent and half-brother of Rhaenyra, who is the king but doesn't really want to be.
Ewan Mitchell as Prince Aemond Targaryen, second son of Alicent and Viserys, a terrifying warrior who resented Rhaenyra's son Lucerys for slashing out his eye — but he didn't mean for his dragon to kill his cousin and start a civil war.
Harry Collett as Prince Jacaerys "Jace" Velaryon, Rhaenyra's firstborn son.
Phia Saban as Queen Helaena Targaryen, Viserys and Alicent's peculiar daughter and sister-wife to Aegon.
Bethany Antonia as Lady Baela Targaryen, Daemon's elder daughter.
Phoebe Campbell as Lady Rhaena Targaryen, Daemon's younger daughter.
Gayle Rankin as Alys Rivers, a healer and resident of Harrenhal.
Simon Russell Beale as Ser Simon Strong, governor of Harrenhal and great-uncle of Larys Strong.
Freddie Fox as Ser Gwayne Hightower, son of Otto and brother of Alicent.
Abubakar Salim as Alyn of Hull, a sailor in the Sea Snake's fleet.

House of the Dragon Season 2 creative team

TLDR: Co-showrunner Miguel Sapochnik, who also directed episodes of Game of Thrones and House, won't be returning for House of the Dragon Season 2, leaving Ryan Condal as the sole showrunner.

THE DETAILS: Sapochnik's statement to the press announcing his departure from the Thrones universe alluded to both professional and personal reasons for exiting the popular prequel:

Working within the Thrones universe for the past few years has been an honor and a privilege, especially spending the last two with the amazing cast and crew of House of the Dragon. I am so proud of what we accomplished with season one and overjoyed by the enthusiastic reaction of our viewers. It was incredibly tough to decide to move on, but I know that it is the right choice for me, personally and professionally. As I do so, though, I am deeply comforted to know that Alan will be joining the series. He’s someone I’ve known and respected for a long time, and I believe this precious series could not be in safer hands. I am so glad to remain a part of the HBO and House of the Dragon family and, of course, I wish Ryan and his team success and all the best with season two and beyond. - Sapochnik

Per Puck, the reason why coming back for House of the Dragon Season 2 wasn't the best choice for Sapochnik personally was because he wanted his wife, Alexis Raben, to be hired as a producer, but HBO reportedly felt she did not have enough experience — and thus, even with the help of a mediator, a standoff ensued that left Sapochnik dissatisfied, ultimately leading him to leave the show.

Condal is still working closely with creator and Thrones mastermind George R.R. Martin, just as he and Sapochnik did for Season 1, and another Game of Thrones alum, Alan Taylor, has joined the creative leadership team as an executive producer and will direct multiple episodes of Season 2.

House of the Dragon Season 2 plot

TLDR: Spoiler alert, but... Season 1 of House of the Dragon ends with the death of Viserys I Targaryen (Paddy Considine), the dispute over the Iron Throne between half-siblings Rhaenyra and Aegon II Targaryen intensifying, and the cousinly parricide of Lucerys Targaryen and the beheading of his dragon, Arrax. So, what comes next in HotD Season 2? War.

THE DETAILS: Although it is unclear whether or not House of the Dragon Season 2 will be entirely focused on the main events of the Dance of the Dragons — the vicious, two-year civil war of succession between Aegon II and Rhaenyra that leads to heartbreaks for both sides — Season 2 will almost certainly feature the lead-up to the Dance of the Dragons, starting with the Blacks' (the faction loyal to Rhaenyra) enlistment of Blood and Cheese following Prince Lucerys' death to sneak into the Red Keep and torment the Greens (the faction loyal to Alicent). Other potential spoilers for HotD Season 2 can be found in the source material, author and executive producer George R.R. Martin's novel Fire & Blood and the novella The Princess and the Queen.

House of the Dragon Season 2 poster

THE DETAILS: HBO released the first posters for House of the Dragon Season 2, reminding everyone that it will be war between the two Targaryen queens: Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) and Alicent (Olivia Cooke).

House of the Dragon season 2 character posters — 'House of the Dragon' season 2 character postersHBO (2)

House of the Dragon Season 2 trailer

THE DETAILS: The first official Season 2 teaser trailer dropped on Dec. 2, and includes an ominous pronouncement from Rhaenys Targaryen. "There is no war so hateful to the gods as a war between kin. And no war so bloody as a war between dragons," the wise Queen Who Never Was warns.

House of the Dragon Season 2 filming locations

TLDR: Olé! Like its predecessor, much of HotD Seasons 1 and 2 was filmed in Spain for those medieval-time shots of King's Landing, but the dark fantasy series' prequel's story is expanding, and so too is its global reach.

THE DETAILS: Principal photography for the sophomore season of House of the Dragon commenced on April 11, 2023, at Warner Bros. Studios in Watford, England, in the entertainment conglomerate's new virtual production stage (for all those cool scenes with the ginormous titular winged beasts). Filming also occurred in Cáceres and Trujillo (Spain) and on the Welsh coast for scenes of Dragonstone (the waterlogged ancestral home of the Valyrians).

Where to watch House of the Dragon

THE DETAILS: HBO is the home of the Game of Thrones franchise, including House of the Dragon, so you can expect to find new House of the Dragon Season 2 episodes broadcast weekly on HBO's channels, as well as available on-demand on the streaming service Max.

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