House of the Dragon has become a smash-hit for HBO and its streaming service, HBOMax. The Game of Thrones prequel is based on the book Fire & Blood by author George R. R. Martin, who also is executive producing and helping write the series.
Though season 1 is only halfway finished, fans expect quite a lot of drama and content from season 2. With a superb team of writers and a phenomenal cast of actors, fans of the Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon universes should expect the most from season 2.
Season 2 Renewal
House of the Dragon Premiered on August 21, 2022. The series is HBO’s first new series to stream in 4K and Dolby on HBOMax. The episodes were released to generally positive reviews, with Rotten Tomato scores over 85%.
Additionally, there were almost 10 million viewers on the first night, and that statistic rose to 25 million for the most recent episode. Five days after the show’s release, HBO announced that House of the Dragon would be renewed for season 2.
Cast/Characters
Season 1 of House of the Dragon is divided into two sections: the first half following a young Princess Rhaenyra, and the second half following an older Rhaenyra as she fights in a Civil War with her half-brother for the throne.
Assuming that season 2 does not include a massive time jump similar to the one in season 1, fans should expect Emma D’Arcy, Olivia Cooke, and Matt Smith to return to their roles as an adult Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, an adult Lady Alicent Hightower, and Prince Daemon Targaryen, respectively. Then again, this ultimately depends on their fates at the end of the first season.
Premise
The premise of season 2 is still relatively unknown. Fans should expect that the writers follow the book on which the show was based, but that information is completely unclear at the current moment.
Production Team Comments
The production team has not made any definite claims about the future of House of the Dragon other than sharing their excitement and support for the second season.
Most recently, Miguel Sapochnik, one of the showrunners alongside Ryan Condal, left the production team entirely after the first season. House of the Dragon now only has one showrunner.
Cast Comments
The cast has been fairly vocal about their ideas and feeling surrounding season 2. In an article for the RadioTimes, actor Eve Best explained that they think they have a rough idea of where the show could go, following the book and not.
In the same article, actor Fabien Frankel shared that Sapochnik sat him down and teased that there is a certain someone he should spend more time with in preparation for season 2. Who that person was never was revealed. However, fans already have confirmed that both Princess Rhaenys Targaryen and Ser Criston Cole will be returning.
What Does the Book Say?
The book House of the Dragon is based on, Fire & Blood, chronicles the history of the Targaryen dynasty, which once held the most power in Westeros. The first season seems to follow the “The Dying of the Dragons” chapter, which documents the Dance of the Dragons, a civil war between Rhaenyra and her half-brother Aegon.
Since season 1 is not over yet, it is unclear whether the show will finish that storyline and move on to Aegon III’s (Rhaenyra’s son) rule or leave audiences with a cliffhanger and draw the civil war storyline out.
Has George R.R. Martin made Any Comments?
George R. R. Martin is the creative mastermind behind Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. His bestselling series A Song of Ice and Fire inspired the HBO phenomenon.
While he serves as a creator and producer on House of the Dragon, he has made no official comment about season 2 just yet.
HBOMax and the Fate of Streaming
Many fans wonder if shows like House of the Dragon will disappear entirely with the merging of HBOMax and Discovery+ due to rocky and unstable new leadership. However, there is no need to worry since House of the Dragon is an HBO show that also streams on HBOMax.
To be clear: House of the Dragon is not an HBOMax Original and thus is not jeopardized by the messy merging of the two streaming services.
What Fans Hope to See Based on the First Half of Season 1
Based on the first half of season 1, there is absolutely no prediction or expectation for how the season could end, let alone how season 2 would begin.
However, it is fair to assume that the Targaryens will still be within a violent entanglement at the beginning of season 2. Therefore, a clear plotline will be established from the get-go.
When Will Season 2 Be Released
Considering that season 1 is currently airing weekly, season 2 will most likely take around two or even three years before viewers are able to watch the show.
The pre-production process will probably take a few months (even though they have a head start), production will take at least six months for a show of this scale, and post-production will also take a good few months. Let’s just say season 2 is a ways away.