After the global phenomenon of Game of Thrones and its infamous series finale, it was a toss-up as to whether fans would be willing to tune in to a prequel show. However, season 1 of House of the Dragon surpassed expectations, breaking records on HBO and attracting a brand-new audience to the world of Westeros.
The Emmy-nominated and Golden Globe-winning show finally began its marketing run ahead of its second season this year. Here’s everything you need to know about the release date, returning cast, trailer, and more about House of the Dragon season 2.
House of the Dragon Trailer and Plot
Based on George R. R. Martin’s book Fire and Blood, House of the Dragon is a prequel story to Game of Thrones that follows the Targaryen family at the height of their rule of Westeros. The story chronicles the events that led to the demise of the Targaryens, a civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons.
HBO released a teaser for the second season of House of the Dragon in December 2023 that was full of dragons and fire. However, the real marketing for season 2 started in March, 2024 when two trailers were released to highlight the motivations of the dueling sides of the civil war. The Blacks, led by Princess Rhaenyra and her uncle/husband Daemon, and the Greens, led by Queen Alicent and her father Otto Hightower both state their motivations and goals for the upcoming war in their respective trailers. The Black and Green trailers were followed by a full trailer in May which showed both sides gearing up for battle. With foreboding dialogue about the responsibilities of the protector of the realm, usurpers, and the multiple ways a war can be fought, the trailer depicted the tension and strife that viewers can expect going into the season.
War is coming!
The final lines of the trailer, “War is coming, and neither of us might win,” are the perfect foreshadowing for how the Dance of the Dragons will ultimately conclude. Season 2 will have only eight episodes, as opposed to the expected 10, seemingly because the showrunners have decided to move some plot points to the third season.
Moreover, showrunner Ryan Condal revealed that season 2 will introduce five new dragons, satiating the desires that fans voiced after the first season. As House of the Dragon is based on an already completed novel, most of the broad strokes of character arcs are already widely known by fans. However, Condal has stated that the show will not follow the book too closely, which many fans already noted from the subtle changes made in season 1.
One thing that fans are excited about is Aemond seeing the consequences of his actions at the season 1 finale once Rhaenyra finds out about the death of her son. Fans are also looking forward to a confrontation between Rhaenyra and Alicent and a battle between the dragons on both sides. The only thing we know for sure is that the season is going to be intense.
House of the Dragon season 2 release window and cast
Shortly after the premier of House of the Dragon in 2022, the show was renewed for a second season. After a long year and a half of waiting, HBO finally revealed the release date of the next season alongside a trailer and a lot of promotional material.
House of the Dragon season 2 will be released on HBO on June 16, 2024. According to HBO, House of the Dragon was one of the few shows that wasn’t majorly affected by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes in 2023. This was because the actors on the show were not members of SAG-AFTRA as most were British, and the script for the second season was already complete before the WGA strike began.
Many of the major cast from the first season will be reprising their roles in the second. This includes:
- Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaeneyra Targaryen
- Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen
- Olivia Cooke as Queen Alicent Hightower
- Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower
- Eve Best as Princess Rhaenys Velaryon
- Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon
- Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole
- Tom Glynn-Carney as King Aegon II
- Ewan Mitchell as Prince Aemond Targaryen
- Matthew Needham as Larys Strong
- Harry Collett as Prince Jacaerys Velaryon
Some new cast members include: Simon Russell Beale as Ser Simon Strong, Abubakar Saim as Alyn of Hull, Freddie Fox as Ser Gwayne Hightower, and Gayle Rankin as Alys Rivers.
