House of the Dragon Season 2: Everything We Know So Far

House of the Dragon is a mainstream hit for HBO, and a successful extension of the Game of Thrones franchise into a whole new era – literally and figuratively. The story of old House Targaryen (and the first cracks that led to its downfall) has been as gripping, entertaining, and shocking as the first Game of Thrones series – and we have not had to wait for the dragons to show up! 

With House of the Dragon Season 1 reaching its end, Game of Thrones fans are wondering about what the future holds for the show. Below You'll find everything we know about House of the Dragon Season 2, so far. [Note: we will update this article as more information becomes available.]

Was House of the Dragon Renewed for Season 2?

Yes. HBO announced that House of the Dragon Season 2 is happening, just a month after Season 1 premiered in late August 2022. 

"We are beyond proud of what the entire HOUSE OF THE DRAGON team has accomplished with season one," said Francesca Orsi, Executive Vice President, HBO Programming in a statement at the time. "Our phenomenal cast and crew undertook a massive challenge and exceeded all expectations, delivering a show that has already established itself as must-see-TV. A huge thank you to George, Ryan, and Miguel for leading us on this journey. We couldn't be more excited to continue bringing to life the epic saga of House Targaryen with season two."

When Will House of the Dragon Season 2 Premiere? 

No release date for House of the Dragon Season 2 has been announced yet (at the time of writing this – check back after the Season 1 finale). There has also been no public announcement of a production start date on HotD Season 2, and no set photos, casting announcements, or leaks of any kind that would suggest filming is underway yet. 

How Long Before House of the Dragon Season 2 Starts?

HotD Season 1 was filmed from April 2021 until early 2022, before premiering in late August of 2022. That at least tells us that the show needs about a year of production time and about half a year of post-production time. So if filming doesn't start until sometime in 2023, fans probably shouldn't expect House of the Dragon Season 2 until later summer/fall 2024 at the earliest. 

...Of course, that could all change if HBO announces an official release date window for House of the Dragon Season 2 during the Season 1 finale. 

House of the Dragon Season 2 Will Have Big Creative Team Changes

House of the Dragon Season 2 was announced very early on – maybe too early. After the second season was announced, fans were caught by surprise when it was later announced that showrunner Miguel Sapochnik was leaving the series before Season 2. Sapochnik has been one of the go-to directors/producers for the Game of Thrones franchise, since about halfway through the original series. He helmed some of the biggest and most pivotal battle episodes ("Battle of the Bastards", "The Long Night") and was instrumental in getting House of the Dragon off the ground. So far, there hasn't been an in-depth explanation of why Sapochnik is stepping off the train now when HotD is so popular. 

Along with Miguel Sapochnik, House of the Dragon executive producer Jocelyn Diaz is also leaving before Season 2. Writer/producer Ryan Condal is the only known showrunner for HotD Season 2 at this time. 

What Will House of the Dragon Season 2 Be About?

House of the Dragon Season 1 chronicled the reign of House Targaryen in the era of Viserys I. The season revealed how tensions over Viserys' line of succession built after he chose his daughter Rhaenyra to be queen, but then had a son with her childhood friend (and Viserys' new wife), Queen Alicent. Viserys' death creates a split in opinion over his succession and leads to his son Aegon II being installed on the throne. Naturally, that doesn't sit well with Princess Rhaenyra and her supporters, and leads to a Targaryen civil war known as "The Dance of the Dragons." 

It seems pretty clear that House of the Dragon Season 2 is being set up to primarily focus on the Dance of Dragons conflict – or at least the first half of it. Without getting into spoilers, The Dance of the Dragons is a bloody and tragic event, and will certainly make one of the better sophomore seasons of any drama on TV. 

Will House of the Dragon Season Recast Characters Again?

House of the Dragon is now infamous for introducing talented actors who have either quickly been recast, and/or eliminated. So how many fan-favorite actors will House of the Dragon Season 2 recast. 

In the history of George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" saga, The Dance of the Dragons is only a two-year (or so) conflict. So aside from some of the young child characters currently seen in the background (Rhaenyra and Daemon's two sons; Aegon's children with sister Helaena), don't expect House of the Dragon to recast any more major characters in Season 2. Unless, of course, an actor exits the show for any reason...  

Where Can You Watch House of the Dragon Season 2?

House of the Dragon Season 2 will air on HBO and stream on HBO Max when it premieres.