Spoilers for Home of the Dragon beneath.
Home of the Dragon has been renewed for a second season on HBO, which comes as no shock following the present’s record-breaking premiere on August 21, 2022.
Given its predecessor, Recreation of Thrones, dominated TV for eight seasons, this may very well be the start of one other years-long reign for the fantasy franchise based mostly on George R. R. Martin’s books. (The creator can also be an government producer on the collection, whereas Ryan Condal and Miguel Sapochnik are co-showrunners.)
“We’re past happy with what the complete Home of the Dragon group has achieved with season 1,” Francesca Orsi, government vp of HBO programming, stated in a press release. “Our phenomenal forged and crew undertook a large problem and exceeded all expectations, delivering a present that has already established itself as must-see-TV. An enormous thanks to George, Ryan, and Miguel for main us on this journey. We couldn’t be extra excited to proceed bringing to life the epic saga of Home Targaryen with season two.”
Whereas the premise for the following season stays unconfirmed, we will anticipate a dive deeper into the historical past of Home Targaryen and the civil conflict known as the Dance of Dragons, simply as within the present’s supply materials, Martin’s Fireplace & Blood.
When does Home of the Dragon season 2 come out?
It’s far too early to say for positive. Nevertheless, followers seen that the Spanish newspaper Hoy reported in September 2022 that HBO deliberate to return to the city of Cáceres, Spain, to movie King’s Touchdown scenes for season 2 from March to June 2023. Utilizing season 1’s timeline as a reference (filming reportedly started in April 2021 and it premiered in August 2022), it appears nearly assured we’ll have to attend till 2024 for the following season to drop.
Certainly, HBO and HBO Max Content material CEO Casey Bloys has stated it is “a superb guess” for HOTD to return in 2024—however after the Emmys eligibility interval that 12 months, Selection reviews. So one of the best guess for now could be summer time 2024, in keeping with the outlet. The precise date continues to be unconfirmed.
That stated, Condal has confirmed the manufacturing is transferring as shortly as doable, telling Selection, “Due to the extremely demanding manufacturing schedule of the present, sides of the present must overlap with each other, which implies that we have been writing season 2 lengthy earlier than they ever introduced it, whereas we have been in put up in season 1. So we actually must storm proper into the making of season 2 now so as to hold tempo with our our followers’ wholesome appetites for materials and HBO’s want and need to launch the present in an inexpensive timeframe from season to season.”
Is season 2 filming but?
The present is at the moment in manufacturing, HBO introduced as of April 11. “It is time to return to King’s Touchdown,” the present’s official account tweeted, together with a behind-the-scenes photograph of the Iron Throne.
After the Hollywood writers’ strike started in Might 2023, Martin himself addressed followers’ considerations about its affect on Home of the Dragon’s schedule. He shared the next replace on his private weblog: “Throughout the ocean, the second season of Home of the Dragon began filming April 11 and can proceed in London and Wales. The scripts for the eight s2 episodes have been all completed months in the past, lengthy earlier than the strike started. Each episode has gone via 4 or 5 drafts and quite a few rounds of revisions, to deal with HBO notes, my notes, price range considerations, and many others. There will probably be no additional revisions. The writers have executed their jobs; the remaining is within the palms of the administrators, forged and crew… and naturally the dragons.”
Who will probably be within the forged?
HBO confirmed the season 2 forged consists of: Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen, Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower, Emma D’Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen, Eve Greatest as Rhaenys Targaryen, Steve Toussaint as Corlys Velaryon, Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole, Ewan Mitchell as Aemond Targaryen, Tom Glynn-Carney as Aegon Targaryen, Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria, and Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower. Further returning forged consists of Harry Collett as Jacaerys Velaryon, Bethany Antonia as Baela Targaryen, Phoebe Campbell as Rhaena Targaryen, Phia Saban as Helaena Targaryen, Jefferson Corridor Jefferson Corridor as Tyland and Jason Lannister, and Matthew Needham as Larys Sturdy.
We’re anticipating to see extra of Graham McTavish as Ser Harrold Westerling, too. Some characters’ probabilities of returning are up within the air, like Laenor Velaryon (John Macmillan), who’s nonetheless alive however faked his dying and exiled himself from Westeros. Might he return within the second season to shake issues up? Or will we’ve got to attend longer (á la Gendry) for his grand comeback?
Sadly, we stated goodbye to Milly Alcock and Emily Carey as younger Rhaenyra and Alicent after the season 1 mid-season time bounce. Regardless of hopes that they might present up in flashback scenes in season 2, showrunner Ryan Condal says the younger duo in all probability received’t return. “[They] usually are not part of the story that we’re telling, but,” he advised Selection. “That’s not a factor that we’re doing proper now.”
Paddy Considine sadly took his ultimate bow as Viserys in episode 8, so he received’t return both. And (a season 1 finale spoiler!) Rhaenyra’s son Lucerys dies on the finish of the season, so Elliot Grihault additionally seemingly received’t come again.
We will anticipate quite a lot of new forged additions in season 2, nevertheless. Condal teased to Selection, for example, that the characters Cregan Stark and Daeron Targaryen will make appearances—however he stored his lips sealed as to who will play them.
However we do know of 4 different roles that have been forged, in keeping with Deadline: Simon Russell Beale (The Dying of Stalin) joins as Ser Simon Sturdy, Lord Larys’ nice uncle and head of Harrenhal. Freddie Fox (The Three Musketeers) will play Ser Gwayne Hightower, Otto Hightower’s son and Queen Alicent’s brother (he is additionally an uncle to King Aegon, Queen Helaena, and Prince Aemond). Gayle Rankin (Glow) will painting Alys Rivers, a healer at Harrenhal. Abubakar Salim (Raised by Wolves) will play Alyn of Hull, a Velaryon fleet sailor who fought within the Stepstones.
What concerning the dragons?
Nice query. Nearly 10 majestic winged creatures seem in Home of the Dragon season 1 (and much more are talked about by identify), however there will probably be some additions in season 2. “You’re going to fulfill 5 new dragons” subsequent season, Condal stated at a For Your Consideration occasion on March 7, 2023. We will’t wait.
Who will run the collection?
Sapochnik, Dragon co-showrunner and former Recreation of Thrones director, stepped away from the collection in August. Co-creator Condal will proceed showrunning whereas Alan Taylor, a Thrones veteran, will be part of as an government producer and can direct a number of episodes subsequent season, per The Hollywood Reporter.
What is going to season 2 be about?
Given the collection tells the story of the Dance of the Dragons, we will anticipate to see extra occasions from the Targaryen civil conflict hit the display screen. Season 1 ended with a tragic dying for Queen Rhaenyra, so the following chapter will seemingly present the aftermath and the way she reacts to the loss. Whereas many of the first season revolved across the occasions main as much as the civil conflict, the second season will depict the battle in full swing.
Condal advised The Sunday Occasions that the following season can have a quicker tempo. “Sequence 2 will hit the rhythms individuals got here to anticipate from the center run of Recreation of Thrones, however it would have been earned, and viewers will really feel the tragedies as a result of we put the work in,” he stated per IndieWire.
He additionally teased that they plan to incorporate “pure pathways into moments of levity”—in different phrases, extra humor. That may be tough with out Peter Dinklage taking part in Tyrion Lannister in Dragon, however Matt Smith may assist fill that hole. “I feel Matt Smith may be very humorous,” Condal added. “If there’s one character that doesn’t care, it’s Daemon.”
What number of episodes will there be?
Season 2 can have eight episodes (two fewer than season 1), in keeping with Deadline, however the change is “a part of a long-term plan for the present,” which may embrace HBO greenlighting a 3rd season.
What number of seasons will Home of the Dragon have?
George R. R. Martin has a quantity in thoughts. “It will take 4 full seasons of 10 episodes every to do justice to the Dance of the Dragons, from begin to end,” he wrote in a put up on his web site. Nevertheless, HBO has but to verify plans of a four-season arc. The collection may even go on for longer, contemplating Recreation of Thrones went on for eight seasons, with the final two departing from Martin’s books.
This story will probably be up to date.
Erica Gonzales is the Senior Tradition Editor at ELLE.com, the place she oversees protection on TV, motion pictures, music, books, and extra. She was beforehand an editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com. There’s a 75 p.c probability she’s listening to Lorde proper now.
Tradition Author
Lauren Puckett-Pope is a employees tradition author at ELLE, the place she primarily covers movie, tv and books. She was beforehand an affiliate editor at ELLE.