'House of the Dragon' Season 2: Release date, cast, where to watch 'Game of Thrones' prequel
The debut season finale of "House of the Dragon" set the stage for an epic civil war – dragons fighting dragons, kin fighting kin.
And now, the battle for the Iron Throne and the power over the Seven Kingdoms that comes with it is set to commence this summer.
The highly anticipated second season of the "Game of Thrones" spinoff is set to premiere June 16 on HBO. Picking up where Season 1 left off, it will chronicle the upcoming war between factions fighting for King Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney) and Queen Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) over which of the Targaryens will rule Westeros.
Here's what to know about "House of the Dragon" Season 2.
When does 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 premiere?
"House of the Dragon" Season 2 will premiere at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Sunday, June 16.
How to watch 'House of the Dragon' Season 2
The series will air exclusively on HBO's TV channel and will available to stream on Max, HBO's streaming service.
Plans begin at $9.99 a month with ads, which allows users to stream on up to two devices at one time. Ad-free subscriptions are $15.99 a month, which includes the additional ability to download up to 30 titles to watch on the go. The highest tier, which is $19.99 a month, includes the ability to stream on four devices and offers 4K Ultra HD video quality and 100 downloads.
Critic's take: 'House of the Dragon' review: Season 2 is good, bad and very ugly all at once
'House of the Dragon' Season 2 trailer
"House of the Dragon" is based on the world created by George R.R. Martin in his "A Song of Ice and Fire" series of fantasy novels. A prequel to "Game of Thrones," the series documents the division and fall of the Targaryen dynasty.
When Season 1 ended in October 2022, war appeared on the horizon for the Seven Kingdoms when the death of King Viserys I (Paddy Considine) left a power vacuum in Westeros and a question as to his chosen successor. As the second season begins, Westeros is on the brink of a bloody civil war with powerful houses being forced to choose sides.
"War is coming, and neither of us may win," Rhaenyra says – presumably to Aegon – in a trailer HBO released May 14 for the upcoming season.
Watch it here:
Max also released "dueling trailers" March 21 asking viewers to pick a side by selecting the color corresponding to a specific council: the Green Council of King Aegon or the Black Council of Queen Rhaenyra. Those trailers can be found here.
Cast of 'House of the Dragon'
Many new arrivals will appear in the upcoming season alongside familiar faces from the initial cast. Returning cast members:
Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen
Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower
Emma D’Arcy as Rhaenyra 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
Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower
Harry Collett as Jacaerys Velaryon
Bethany Antonia as Baela Targaryen
Phoebe Campbell as Rhaena Targaryen
Phia Saban as Halaena Targaryen
Jefferson Hall as Tyland and Jason Lannister
Matthew Needham as Larys Strong
Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'House of the Dragon' Season 2: Release date, cast, trailers, more