The release date for House of the Dragon season 2 has now been revealed following the Game of Thrones spinoff’s debut back in summer 2022.
House of the Dragon season 2 now officially has a release date. After Game of Thrones ended in 2019, the world of HBO’s fantasy franchise based on the works of George R.R. Martin expanded with the release of House of the Dragon in summer 2022. Season 1 of the spinoff concluded in October of that year, with a finale that promised an action-packed season 2 as the war between Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) and Alicent (Olivia Cooke) over the Iron Throne escalated.
Now, Max confirms that House of the Dragon season 2’s release date is set for June 16. Season 1 premiered on August 21, 2022, meaning season 2 is arriving just before the show’s official two-year anniversary. The release date confirmation accompanies two new House of the Dragon season 2 trailers, hyping the rivalry between the Greens and the Blacks and teasing an action-packed new outing for the show.
Will House Of The Dragon Season 2 Be Better Than Season 1?
Why Season 2 Of The Game Of Thrones Spinoff Could Be An Improvement
Although reviews for Game of Thrones became more negative during season 8, the show is, as a whole, very well-regarded, and it’s generally considered a highly successful undertaking for HBO. The pressure was on, then, for House of the Dragon to live up to these standards, and season 1 mostly did. The spinoff series earned positive reviews from critics and audiences alike, and, as of writing, currently sports an impressive 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Unlike season 1, House of the Dragon season 2 is set to consist of only eight episodes, down from the usual 10.
Reviews praised the series for the strong performances from the House of the Dragon cast, and for the tragic way in which Alicent and Rhaenyra’s bond deteriorates over time. The series did draw criticism, however, for its frequent time jumps, which required original Alicent and Rhaenyra actors Emily Carey and Milly Alcock to be replaced by older stars Cooke and D’Arcy. While many questions still remain about season 2, showrunner Ryan Conal did confirm to Deadline in October 2022 that House of the Dragon’s time jumps are over and that the story unfolds “in real time from here forward.”
With a story set to unfold more sequentially, and with the House of the Dragon season 1 finale teasing an increase to the tension and action, season 2 certainly has the potential to be better than season 1. Since the time jumps and recastings are over, the new season may actually end up feeling more similar to Game of Thrones’ early seasons. It remains to be seen how House of the Dragon season 2 fares with audiences and critics, but, at the very least, there’s now a firm date set for its return.
