House of the Dragon Season 2: Release date, plot, cast & trailers
HBOThe Dance has begun and it’s time to choose between Team Black and Team Green. Here’s the House of the Dragon Season 2 release date, who’s returning in its cast, and plot details.
Game of Thrones Season 9 is never coming, but, after the roaring success of House of the Dragon Season 1, we don’t need it.
Alicent’s letter to Rhaenyra will not be enough to prevent the impending civil war. Bad news for Westeros, but great news for House of the Dragon viewers.
After the House of the Dragon Episode 10 ending, the fraught rift between Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower is set to explode spectacularly as an avoidable war begins.
House of the Dragon Season 2 release date
House of the Dragon Season 2 will premiere on June 16, 2024.
HBOThe premiere date was announced on March 21, 2024.
Development started in August 2022, with filming kicking off on April 11, 2024. Despite the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, which saw many high-profile productions halt progress, House of the Dragon was not among those impacted.
House of the Dragon Season 2 cast
The House of the Dragon Season 2 cast is led by Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, and Olivia Cooke as Lady Alicent Hightower.
HBO MaxHouse of the Dragon Season 2 cast list:
- Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen
- Olivia Cooke as Lady Alicent Hightower
- Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen
- Rhys Ifans as Ser Otto Hightower
- Ewan Mitchell as Aemond Targaryen
- Tom Glynn-Carney as Aegon II Targaryen
- Phia Saban as Helaena Targaryen
- Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon
- Eve Best as Princess Rhaenys Targaryen
- Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole
- Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria
- Harry Collett as Jacaerys Velaryon
- Graham McTavish as Ser Harrold Westerling
- Matthew Needham as Larys Strong
- Simon Russell Beale as Ser Simon Strong
- Freddie Fox as Ser Gwayn Hightower
- Gayle Rankin as Alys Rivers
- Abubakar Salim as Alyn of Hull
- Amanda Collin as Jeyne Arryn
Despite being fan favorites, we won’t see Milly Alcock and Emily Carey as the younger versions of Rhaenyra and Alicent.
Paddy Considine won’t return as King Viserys I, given his death in Episode 9.
House of the Dragon Season 2 plot
House of the Dragon Season 2’s plot is the Dance of the Dragons, a civil war.
HBOAlicent claimed the throne for her son, Aegon II, in Season 1, while Rhaenyra was crowned by her followers. As the two former kindred spirits tried to avoid bloodshed with diplomacy, the actions of those around them ultimately led to the death of Rhaenyra’s middle son.
With Rhaenyra in furious grief, the time for talking has ended.
This battle to be the next Targaryen king or queen sees the two sides engage in a vicious civil war. This is known as the Dance of the Dragons in the vast lore of Game of Thrones. Team Green and Team Black will try to win over different parts of the kingdom while waging war.
Season 2 will also, in some capacity, adapt the rather horrendous Blood and Cheese events from the book. Don’t read up on that if you want to go in blind, though.
HOTD Season 2 trailers
There are several House of the Dragon Season 2 trailers.
The first dropped in May 2024, followed by two more. One is from the perspective of Rhaenyra and Team Black, while the other is from the view of Alicent and Team Green.
Another promo was shared on May 26, which you can see below.
How many episodes are in House of the Dragon Season 2?
There are 10 episodes in House of the Dragon Season 2.
The episode lengths were revealed before the premiere, too.
Season 2 running times:
- Episode 1: 66 minutes
- Episode 2: 54 minutes
- Episode 3: 58 minutes
- Episode 4: 63 minutes
- Episode 5: 60 minutes
- Episode 6: 68 minutes
- Episode 7: 58 minutes
- Episode 8: 67 minutes
- Episode 9: 60 minutes
- Episode 10: 63 minutes
If you need more from Westeros, you can learn about Helaena Targaryen, Aemond Targaryen, read the best House of the Dragon fan fiction, or the best dragons in Game of Thrones. You can also check out the new TV shows streaming this month.