‘House Of The Dragon’ Season 2 Premiere Date Announced Officially

Over a year has passed since the conclusion of the debut season of HBO’s House of the Dragon, which somewhat met the lofty standards set by Game of Thrones. While not as sprawling as its predecessor, House of the Dragon still provided ample suspense in laying the groundwork for the upcoming conflict known as the Dance of the Dragons: the epic civil war between Targaryen heirs Rhaenyra and her half-brother Aegon II.

With all the pieces now arranged — and with the first casualties of the war felt in the Season 1 finale — pandemonium is on the brink in Season 2. The burning question remains: when will those new episodes grace HBO screens? Here’s what we currently understand about the forthcoming season, set to commence filming shortly.

Anticipated Return Date for House of the Dragon

During the HBO press showcase on November 2, CEO Casey Bloys unveiled that House of the Dragon shall recommence in “early summer” 2024. As of December 2, when the network released the initial teaser, the estimated timing still points to some period in summer 2024.

Season 2 Episode Count of House of the Dragon

A spokesperson from HBO recently verified that the forthcoming season will feature merely eight episodes, a reduction from Season 1’s 10 installments. As detailed by Deadline, while the initial plan was for another 10-episode season, it was modified to eight due to “narrative-driven” considerations, pushing certain story arcs and a pivotal battle into an as-yet-unannounced Season 3, expected in due course.

Projected Seasons for House of the Dragon

Per the same Deadline article from March 28, the original plan for House of the Dragon encompassed three to four seasons; however, the current inclination leans towards extending it to four seasons.

House of the Dragon Season 2 Trailer Status

On December 2, HBO unveiled the inaugural teaser for Season 2, brimming with fire, blood, and foreboding declarations.

Halt in Production During WGA and SAG-AFTRA Strikes for House of the Dragon?

Progress Update: Conclusion of Season 1

Situated two centuries before Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon chronicles the Targaryen dynasty, the dragon-riding rulers of Westeros. The clash for dominance following King Viserys’ (Paddy Considine) demise had just ignited come Season 1’s conclusion. Alicent (Olivia Cooke) instated her son Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney), one of Viserys I’s (Paddy Considine) successors, on the throne, foiling the planned ascension of Viserys’ elder daughter Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy). Rhaenyra and her uncle/husband Daemon (Matt Smith) retreated to Dragonstone to strategize their next move in this war between the Blacks (Rhaenyra and her supporters) and the Greens (led by the Hightowers and their allies, named after their banner’s hue).

Rhaenyra’s initial strategic move involved dispatching her son, Luke, to Storm’s End to solidify their alliance with the Baratheons. Unfortunately, Alicent had already dispatched her ruthless son, Aemond (Ewan Mitchell), leading to an aerial skirmish on dragonback where Aemond and his gargantuan dragon, Vhagar, vanquished Luke and his dragon. How Rhaenyra retaliates shall set the stage for Season 2.

Introduction of New Figures and Cast Members

In the upcoming season, viewers shall meet Ser Simon Strong, steward of Harrenal following the tragic demise of his nephew Lord Lyonel Strong and grand-nephew Ser Harwin Strong in the castle during Season 1. Ser Simon’s dynamic with his surviving grand-nephew, Lord Larys Strong, promises intrigue, particularly considering Larys orchestrated the castle’s fiery fate. Tony-winning actor Simon Russell Beale steps into the role of Ser Simon, known for his theatrical prowess and appearances in TV series like Penny Dreadful and films like The Death of Stalin.

Joining the cast is Gayle Rankin (GLOW) portraying Alys Rivers, a denizen of Harrenhal who, in the novel Fire and Blood, emerges as a significant figure aligned with the Greens in the Targaryen conflict.

Ser Gwayne Hightower, Queen Alicent’s sibling, will be introduced in Season 2. British actor Freddie Fox, recognized for his roles as Spider Webb on Slow Horses and King Hugo on The Great, takes on the role.

Abubakar Salim (Raised by Wolves) joins the ensemble as Alyn of Hull, a sailor in Lord Corlys’ Velaryon fleet.

The unveiling of the Season 2 teaser brought a splurge of casting revelations: Clinton Liberty as Addam of Hull, Jamie Kenna as Ser Alfred Broome, Kieran Bew as Hugh, Tom Bennett as Ulf, Tom Taylor as Lord Cregan Stark, and Vincent Regan as Ser Rickard Thorne.

Returning Cast Members

Foresee the majority of main cast members to reprise their roles, including Emma D’Arcy, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Ewan Mitchell, and Rhys Ifans, alongside Steve Toussaint and Eve Best as Corlys Velaryon and his wife, Princess Rhaenys, and Fabien Frankel as the charming Criston Cole.

Regrettably, Paddy Considine, despite his standout performance in Season 1, won’t re-emerge, as King Viserys succumbed to his ailments and disfigurements, breathing his last in bed before facing physical decomposition. Likewise, Milly Alcock or Emily Carey, who embodied the younger iterations of Rhaenyra and Alicent initially, won’t be revisited.

Season 1 witnessed several role adjustments due to substantial time jumps spanning roughly two decades to pave the way for the Dance of the Dragons. Showrunner Ryan Condal has affirmed that Season 2 will maintain continuity without additional time leaps, emphasizing, “The actors are embodying these characters till the end. No recasting shall occur. No significant temporal jumps will occur again. We are now entrenched in the Dance of the Dragons, and that saga shall unfold.”

Enhanced Dragon Presence in Season 2 of House of the Dragon

Undoubtedly so. At a recent Emmy-campaign screening in Los Angeles, Condal proclaimed the advent of five new dragons in Season 2. The original Game of Thrones featured a mere trio of dragons, all in the service of Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke). House of the Dragon, true to its title, already introduced a slew in its freshman season, including Aemond’s colossal and barely manageable Vhagar; Rhaenyra’s dragon, Syrax; Daemon’s elongated-necked Caraxes; and Rhaenys’ Meleys, who memorably disrupted Aegon’s coronation assembly and could have potentially turned the tide during the succession war’s inception had she incinerated the Hightower delegation. Yet, history unfolds as it does.

House of the Dragon Season 1 is now streamable on HBO Max. Engage in conversations regarding the series in our forums.