House Of The Dragon Season 2 is coming – and this is what we know so far about it.
House of the Dragon was one of the major shows that people talked about in 2022. The series, which made history and broke records,, has become one of the best fantasy shows and has brought on a different era for A Song of Ice and Fire universe fans.
But now, after the eventful finale of House of the Dragon Season 1, we need to talk about the next steps in the world of the Targaryens. House of the Dragon Season 2 is happening, as was reported not that long after the first season aired, but what exactly do we know about the upcoming season?
When Is The House Of The Dragon Season 2 Release Date?
At the time of updating this in March 2024, we can confirm that House of the Dragon will premiere on June 16, 2024, according to HBO. Thankfully, we'll be seeing the battle of the Blacks vs the Greens soon enough.
Check Out The Dueling Trailers For House Of The Dragon Season 2
Get excited, because we have our first look into the world of House of the Dragon Season 2. These two dueling trailers were released for the new season, featuring the Blacks and the Greens in a battle between which trailer would get the most views based off of what side you choose in the upcoming war between the Targaryens. Here they are below:
The one above features Team Black, otherwise known as the supporters who agree that Rhaenyra is the true Queen of the Seven Kingdoms.
This is the Team Green trailer, focused on the claim that Aegon the II is the true ruler of the Seven Kingdoms. Truly, this is going to be a battle of the ages.
Several Of The Main Stars Are Confirmed To Return
From HBO themselves, House of the Dragon will have several stars returning. These include:
Emma D’Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen
Emma D’Arcy is confirmed to return as Rhaenyra Targaryen. The actor has appeared in shows such as Truth Seekers and Wanderlust prior to House of the Dragon.
Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen
Matt Smith is confirmed to return as Daemon Targaryen. The actor is primarily known for his time in the Doctor Who series, but also appeared in films such as Morbius, Last Night in Soho, and more, and also had a main role in The Crown for the first season.
Olivia Cooke As Alicent Hightower
Olivia Cooke will return as Alicent Hightower in House of the Dragon Season 2. The actress has appeared in shows such as Bates Motel, Vanity Fair, and more.
Rhys Ifans as Ser Otto Hightower
Rhys Ifans will return as Otto Hightower in House of the Dragon Season 2. The actor has appeared around for many years and appeared in movies like Notting Hill, Enduring Love, The Amazing Spider-Man, The King’s Man and Spider-Man: No Way Home, among others.
Steve Toussiant as Corlys Velaryon
Steve Toussaint will return as Corlys Velaryon. The actor held a prominent role in The Knock, and appeared in films like Shooting Dogs, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Point Break and more.
Eve Best as Rhaenys Targaryen
Eve Best will return as Rhaenys Targaryen in House of the Dragon Season 2. She’s appeared in big TV shows like Nurse Jackie, Stan Lee’s Lucky Man, and Fate: The Winx Saga.
Additional Cast Members Confirmed To Return
Additional cast members that are returning are Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole, Tom Glynn-Carney as King Aegon II Targaryen, Ewan Mitchell as Prince Aemon Targaryen, Phia Saban as Queen Helaena Targaryen, Bethany Antonia as Lady Baela Targaryen, Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria, Harry Collett as Jacaerys Velaryon, Phoebe Campbell as Lady Rhaena Targaryen, Jefferson Hall as Jason Lannister, and Matthew Needham as Larys Strong.
Milly Alcock Will Not Be Returning
Milly Alcock ended up exploding onto the scene when she first portrayed young Rhaenyra in House of the Dragon during the first half of the season, and once she ended up having her final episode, fans were wondering if she might come back for any more flashbacks.
However, when speaking to Deadline in March 2023 about her new role in The Crucible for her London stage debut, she confirmed that her time on the show was over, saying “No. It’s done.”
While it does sadden me that we won’t get to see her as the younger Rhaenyra ever again, I wish her a lot of luck in the future for any upcoming roles.
Tom Taylor Will Play Cregan Stark
Officially announced in December 2023, Entertainment Weekly confirmed that Tom Taylor would play the famous Stark relative, Cregan Stark.
For those who don’t know who Cregan Stark is, prepare to have your minds blown, because he is essential to the story of House of the Dragon. Without giving too much away from the novel, as the current Lord of Winterfell, Cregan has a lot of power and he knows how to use it, and ends up being a huge part of the story.
The actor is known for roles in movies like The Dark Tower and Close to Me, and appeared in the shows Us, Doctor Foster, Legends and more.
Now I can be happy that I’ll get to see another Stark before the Jon Snow spinoff show.
Gayle Rankin, Simon Russell Beale And More Have Been Cast
HBO also confirmed that Gayle Rankin will play Alys Rivers, Simon Russell Beale will play Ser Simon Strong, Freddie Fox will play Ser Gwayne Hightower, Abubakar Salim will play Alyn of Hull, Clinton Liberty will play Addam of Hull, Kieran Bew will play Hugh, Tom Bennett will play Ulf, Jamie Kenna will play Ser Alfred Broome, and Vincent Regan will play Ser Rickard Thorne.
All of these characters have essential storylines and roles in the novel that House of the Dragon is based on, Fire & Blood, so seeing their names for Season 2 is awesome. I can’t wait for the drama that’s going to ensue.
Season 2 Will Feature Westeros On The Brink Of Civil War
HBO gave us an official synopsis of what Season 2 will be about, and boy are we ready. In Season 2, Westeros is on "the brink" of an emerging Civil War between the Greens and the Blacks, otherwise known as the two opposing Targaryen clans and their claims to the throne. Now, audience members are going to have to choose which side they will support.
Can June get here any sooner?
Season 2 Will Be Like The “Middle Run” Of Game Of Thrones
If you were missing the action and spectacle that was Game of Thrones after the War of the Five Kings broke out, be prepared for Season 2 of House of the Dragon. According to The Sunday Times, via IGN, Condal was quick to say in October 2022 that the upcoming episodes of the new fantasy show is going to be much like the “middle run” of Game of Thrones, where everything will be taken to the next level:
We will get to the spectacle. But you have to understand these people’s complexities before they’re thrown into war. Series two will hit the rhythms people came to expect from the middle run of Game of Thrones, but it will have been earned, and viewers will feel the tragedies because we put the work in.
That just makes me think I’m going to cry a heck of a lot more for who dies next – and no, I am not ready.
The Scope Of The Show Will Expand In Season 2, According To Ryan Condal
The first season of House of the Dragon was very particular with where it kept most of its story. Game of Thrones felt as if it was all over the place, jumping from the North to the South all the way to the East in Essos, showing different characters' stories everywhere. House of the Dragon’s first season was focused on three locations – Kings Landing, Dragonstone, and Driftmark. We only saw one other major place for a small time – Storm's End – but other than that, really nowhere else.
However, the scope is going to expand greatly, according to the showrunner's interview with Variety after the finale. Condal says that Season 2 is really going to open up the world of Westeros more to the viewers, as a war is coming, and allies are going to be needed:
The show definitely has to expand its scope in the second season. Just as the original 'Game of Thrones' grew in scope and expanse as it went, so, too, will ours. We’ve lived a good bit in three different worlds through this show: King’s Landing, Dragonstone and Driftmark. I think those will continue to be the home bases for the show. But a war is coming that requires allegiances from different kingdoms and armies all over the map of Westeros. I don’t think we’re going to get quite as vast as the original 'Game of Thrones' did in its final analysis. But there are definitely many more new worlds to come, and new worlds that you haven’t necessarily seen in the original show, either. Rest assured, plenty of scope to come.
As someone who is a huge fan of the world of Westeros in general, sign me up for seeing even more of it. I can’t wait.
There Will Be More Dragons In Season 2
Did you want more dragons? Because House of the Dragon Season 2 is looking to deliver. I know that there were so many dragons that people needed to follow and learn their names, but get ready for part two, because Season 2 is looking to increase that number.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ryan Condol confirmed at an FYC screening in March 2023 that Season 2 of the show was going to introduce “five new dragons,” and also hinted that production on the show was going to begin “very shortly.”
It wouldn’t quite be a “dance of dragons” if there weren’t more dragons, so I am here for all of this dragon-goodness.
There Will Be No More Time Jumps In Season 2
Praise God, there aren’t going to be any more time jumps in House of the Dragon Season 2. While I did feel it was needed to tell the full scope of the story of these people prior to the war breaking out, sometimes it felt jarring to suddenly see characters we had grown to like change and age so quickly into different actors – and then have to catch up with how much time had passed.
However, Ryan Condal was quick to confirm that Season 2 is going to be like a “reward” to the audience for sticking with the time jumps and recasts, according to his interview with Deadline in October 2022:
I will say, as a reward to our wonderful audience for following us through all the time jumps and recasts, they are done. We tell the story in real time from here forward.
Did anyone else just breathe a sigh of relief, or was that just me?
There Will Be Eight Episodes – And The First Episode Of Season 2 Will Reportedly Be Titled “A Son For A Son”
Something that was talked about in September 2023 was that we might know what the name of the first episode will be called. According to Redanian Intelligence, they reported that the first episode of Season 2 will be called “A Son for a Son,” which is a reference to a letter that Daemon sends to Harrenhal in the novel.
This could lead to one of the more brutal events of the Dance of Dragons – Blood and Cheese, a moment from Fire & Blood that is quite hard to forget. For those who do know, you understand how crazy this just might be, to start off the Season with this. And for those who don’t – well, I’ll leave that unspoiled for now. That’s a surprise everyone should get to experience at least once.
In fact, there are only going to be eight episodes for Season 2 – two episodes down from the first season, according to The Hollywood Reporter. It’s a shame, but a director for Season 2, Clare Kilner, explained the reasoning behind it – simply because there is just so much that goes on in those eight episodes:
There are eight wonderful episodes with so much happening in every episode, and we have trouble, at times, bringing them down to one hour. Ryan’s decision was to give it a good opening and a good ending, and they’re jam-packed with emotional and visually exciting events.
What are you looking forward to with House of the Dragon Season 2? The dragons are most certainly about to dance – are you prepared for the heartbreak to come? Someone grab my tissues.
