From new dragons to release date: Here’s everything we know about ‘House of the Dragon' Season 2

The shoot for the upcoming season will begin in March 2023


Entertainment Desk March 09, 2023

The second season of the highly popular Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon, was announced shortly after the first episode was released – with the largest audience for any new original series in HBO’s history. The much-anticipated insight into the war ground of Targaeryns and Starks is likely to release in 2024 and will begin shooting shortly.

While the release date is far, the showrunners are revealing bits and pieces of the plot to keep viewers curious and waiting. From the cast to the release date to new dragons, here’s all that we know about House of the Dragon part 2.

Five new dragons

On Tuesday, at an FYC screening of his hit series in Los Angeles, co-creator Ryan Condal revealed a small, but fiery, tease of what fans can expect from season two of Game of Thrones prequel. “You’re going to meet five new dragons,” Condal told The Hollywood Reporter adding that the upcoming season would start filming “very shortly” in 2023.

Staying true to its roots

A new season does not mean a fictional world of its own – the directors have assured the publication that the second season will still be based on Fire & Blood by George RR Martin. House of the Dragon is set two centuries before the events of Game of Thrones, and follows House Targaryen as they descend into a civil war over who should inherit the throne after King Viserys I (Paddy Considine).

"Season 1 was setting the table for a very bloody feast to come," Condal exclaimed. "I wanted everybody to understand who all of these characters were and the long history they had behind them — behind their fathers and their grandfathers — that led us to this point where they end up fighting a civil war against each other. I'm really interested in particularly Rhaenyra and Alicent's families, and seeing what happens now that we've flipped the chessboard over and spilled the pieces on the ground. How do all those react? That's the story that we tell in season 2 and beyond."

Season two, Condal adds, will still "very much" be the story of Alicent and Rhaenyra.

Decisions about the cast

No cast has been confirmed yet but Olivia Cooke (Alicent Hightower), Emma D’Arcy (Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen) and Matt Smith (Prince Daemon Targaryen) are all expected to reprise their roles, as are Fabien Frankel (Criston Cole), Eve Best (Rhaenys Targaryen), Steve Toussain (Corlys Velaryon), Rhys Ifans (Otto Hightower), and Sonoya Mizuno (Mysaria).

We can also expect the actors who play the next generation of Targaryens, shared Condal. Adding that the younger versions of Rhaenyra and Alicent are not expected to return, he did not entirely rule out their future appearances. "I don't know. Younger Rhaenyra and Alicent are not a part of the story that we're telling, yet."

The Starks return

While season one primarily focused on just three houses – the Targaryens, the Velaryons, and the Hightowers – season two will see more Westerosi families pulled into conflict and it includes the Starks, the family at the heart of Game of Thrones. In Fire & Blood, Cregan Stark, the current Lord of Winterfell, plays a major role.

About Starks, Condal said, "We will cast Cregan Stark at some point, but no comment otherwise."

Premiere to be in 2024

Filming for season two is set to begin in spring 2023 in the Warner Bros studios in Hertfordshire, and then will move to Céceras, Spain but HBO hasn’t revealed anything about release dates yet. In a profile of actor Ewan Mitchell in the Face, the author noted that "most of his year will be taken up with filming HotD."

The CEO of HBO and HBO Max, Casey Bloys, in conversation with Vulture, asked viewers to be patient. "Don’t expect it in ’23, but I think sometime in ’24. We’re just starting to put the plan together, and just like last time, there are so many unknowns. It’s not to be coy or secretive, but you don’t want to say it’s going to be ready on this date, and then you have to move it."

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