When is the House of the Dragon season 2 release date? Game of Thrones is somehow back, and it’s actually really good again. Set two centuries before the War of the Five Kings and the coming of the Night King, the series takes us back to a Westeros ruled by the Targaryens.
During this time, the Targaryen family‘s power is at its peak, and none of the great houses can challenge them in playing the ‘Game of Thrones‘. Yet the weak King Viserys plants the seed of his family’s doom when he names his daughter Rhaenyra Targaryen heir over his son Aegon II.
During the first season of one of the best TV series in years, we saw the emergence of two factions, the Greens and the Blacks, both attempting to claim the Iron Throne. Viserys died, and a civil war broke out, but what does the future hold for one of TV’s best fantasy series? Here’s everything you need to know about the House of the Dragons season 2 release date.
House of the Dragon season 2 release date speculation
The House of the Dragon season 2 release date has not been confirmed, but a recent comment by HBO’s president of programming suggests the show will return in the summer months of 2024.
Production on House of the Dragon season 2 only recently began on April 11, 2023. We also now know that season two will consist of eight episodes, which is two fewer than we were given in season one.
Why the sudden trimming of fat? Well, it’s actually part of the grand plan for the series, which might help HBO decide on whether to greenlight a third season, too.
Don’t worry about the ongoing 2023 Writers Strike impacting the House of the Dragon release date, either. Apparently, the show’s release won’t be affected by the walkouts, although who knows how it will impact the quality?
House of the Dragon season 2 cast
The House of the Dragon season 2 cast will include Matt Smith, Emma D’Arcy, Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans, and all the other characters we met in the first series.
However, a few new faces will be joining the House of the Dragon cast, including Gayle Rankin (GLOW), Simon Russell Beale (Penny Dreadful), Freddie Fox (The Crown), and Abubakar Salim (Raised by Wolves).
The House of the Dragon season 2 cast list:
- Emma D’Arcy as Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen
- Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower
- Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen
- Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower
- Eve Best as Rhaenys Targaryen
- Gayle Rankin as Alys Rivers
- Simon Russell Beale as Ser Simon Strong
- Freddie Fox as Ser Gwayne Hightower
- Abubakar Salim as Alyn of Hull
- Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole
- Steve Toussaint as Corlys Velaryon
- Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria
- Matthew Needham as Larys Strong
- Tom Glynn-Carney as King Aegon II Targaryen
- Ewan Mitchell as Aemond Targaryen
- Harry Collett as Jacaerys Velaryon
- Phia Saban as Helaena Targaryen
- Freddie Fox as Ser Gwayne Hightower
- Abubakar Salim as Alyn of Hull
- Simon Russell Beale as Ser Simon Strong
- Gayle Rankin as Alys Rivers
Unfortunately, two actors who are unlikely to return are Paddy Considine and Elliot Grihault, who played the House of the Dragon characters King Viserys Targaryen and Prince Lucerys, respectively, as both those characters died at the end of season 1.
Game of Thrones has always been a bloodbath, and House of the Dragon season 1 was no different.
We also know plenty of new faces will be introduced, including the Starks, although there’s no casting news on who’ll be playing the lords of Winterfell just yet. There have also been reports that the TV series is casting the brutal mercenary duo Blood and Cheese. But what role will these characters play in the House of the Dragon season 2 plot?
House of the Dragon season 2 plot speculation
We know an awful lot about the House of the Dragon season 2 plot thanks to the book, Fire and Blood that inspired the TV series. The show will likely pick up where the first season left off with Rhaenyra’s eldest son Jacaerys off trying to gather support for his mum from the Starks in The North.
From there, we’ll see the Targaryen civil war really heat up as the Blacks and Greens rampage across the Riverlands as they battle to claim the Iron Throne. Writer Sara Hess has confirmed that the second season will adapt the story of Blood and Cheese, two assassins who cause chaos in the Red Keep.
We’re unsure quite how many seasons House of the Dragon will have, so it’s difficult to predict where the series will end, but if we were asked to guess, we think season 2 will end with Rhaenyra capturing King’s Landing and forcing Aegon to flee the Red Keep.
Is there a House of the Dragon season 2 trailer?
There is no House of the Dragon season 2 trailer yet, as we’re quite a long way from the series making it to our screens.
If you can’t wait, look above for a behind-the-scenes peek at the biggest moments from the first season’s finale episode.
Where can I watch House of the Dragon season 2?
You’ll be able to watch House of the Dragon season 2 on HBO Max in the US and NOW/Sky in the UK. For now, you can catch up on the show on those same streaming services.
How many episodes will there be in House of the Dragons season 2?
House of the Dragon season 2 will be eight episodes long, two fewer than we got in series 1. This decision was made so the show could pace itself properly, not because it’s ending anytime soon.
If you love House of the Dragon, then check out our list of the best Game of Thrones characters or take a look at our guide to some of the series’ greatest dragons like Balerion the Black Dread, Syrax, Meraxes, Vhagar, Vermithor, Arrax, Caraxes, Seasmoke, and Meleys.
Finally, we’ve done some digging to see whether we’ll ever see what happened after Daenerys died with our guide to a possible Game of Thrones season 9 release date, because you never know what HBO’s got cooking.
