Release date, plot, and other rumors

Game of Thrones captivated audiences like almost no other TV series since the turn of the century, but its final season left us with a disappointing ending. Luckily, we only had to wait a couple of years before HBO would announce a prequel series titled House of the Dragon. Billed as the first spinoff of many, House of the Dragon released to near-universal praise in 2022, which resulted in HBO greenlighting it for a second season.

We’re now just weeks away from season 2 of House of the Dragon, so let’s quickly recap the events of the first season and what we can expect from the upcoming episodes.

House of the Dragon season 2 release date

Max, formerly HBO Max, has confirmed that House of the Dragon’s second season will be released on June 16, 2024. As is typical for network shows, you’ll have to wait for each episode to air one week at a time. If you hate suspense and would rather binge the entire season, you’ll have to wait until August 4, which is when the final episode airs.

The first season of House of the Dragon introduced us to Westeros some 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones took place. The season took us through the life of King Viserys Targaryen — yes, an ancestor of Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones.

Season one opens with King Viserys struggling to name a successor for his seat on the Iron Throne. He didn’t have a male heir in line nor was he willing to hand the reigns over to his volatile brother, Daemon. After much deliberation, Viserys finally chose his daughter Rhaenyra in a desperate bid to keep the Targaryen rule intact. Viserys’ decision to name a female heir was unusual in a male-dominated lineage, causing him to draw criticism from far and wide.

Meanwhile, the Hand of the King, Otto Hightower, subtly encouraged Viserys to remarry after the death of his first wife. He positioned his own daughter, Alicent, to fill the role and succeeded. This wouldn’t matter on its own, but the new Queen would eventually mother a son named Aegon. This muddied the Targaryen’s line of succession — the Iron Throne was still technically promised to Rhaenyra, but the King’s son would be a clear and potential rival.

As the first season draws to a close, the relationship between Rhaenyra and Alicent deteriorates and becomes volatile. Simultaneously, Viserys’ brother Daemon comes into the picture and allies with Rhaenyra’s cause. When Viserys dies at the end of the first season, Westeros is thrown into chaos. Rhaenyra gets crowned Queen in Dragonstone, while Alicent has her son Aegon crowned in King’s Landing.

With opposing claims for the Iron Throne and a slew of skirmishes already under their belt, the two Targaryen factions are on the brink of all-out war. We know the situation is bound to escalate from here because the upcoming conflict is known as The Dance of the Dragons in Game of Thrones.

While the first season of House of the Dragon put family drama and politics center stage, we will see a lot more action going into season 2. With the groundwork now laid, expect epic battles, especially between dragons on both sides of the Targaryen family.

Unlike the final few seasons of Game of Thrones, the showrunners of House of the Dragon still have source material to draw from. Specifically, you can read George R. R. Martin’s novel Fire & Blood to know what will happen in House of the Dragon season 2 in gruesome detail.

Without revealing too much about the events of season 2, know that Rhaenyra will be looking to exact revenge for her son’s death at the hands of Prince Aemond’s dragon, Vhagar. This will eventually unfold into a much larger battle, culminating in The Dance of the Dragons. The war will consume all of the Seven Kingdoms — major Westerosi houses will forge alliances with either Targaryen faction. Expect the return of houses like the Starks and Lannisters from Game of Thrones.

The show itself is set to last four seasons so the final episode of season 2 likely won’t show the conclusion of The Dance of the Dragons. We’ll have to wait a bit longer to find out which Targaryen faction claims the Iron Throne.

House of the Dragon season 2 will premiere on HBO and Max in the US. The season will run June 16 through August 4, airing every Sunday at 9 PM Eastern Time.

Ahead of the looming battle, Max is promoting season 2 of House of the Dragon with two trailers — one for each Targaryen side. The dueling teasers, as they’re so-called, showcase the rivalry between Team Green in support of Alicent and Team Black representing Queen Rhaenyra.