War is coming in House of the Dragon season 2 trailer

A boy sits on his throne in House of the Dragon season 2.
Ollie Upton / HBO

It’s time to pick a side in the battle for the realm in the House of the Dragon season 2 trailer. The official footage from the upcoming season teases war, deception, and, of course, dragons.

“A Targaryen who sits the Iron Throne is not just a king or a queen. They are a protector of the realm,” Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen says to open the trailer. Rhaenyra and Prince Daemon are seen gaining allies for Team Black and readying their army for an attack. Their opponent is Team Green, led by Queen Alicent Hightower and her son, King Aegon II Targaryen.

The Targaryen Civil War, known as the “Dance of the Dragons,” is officially underway. As Rhaenyra says to close the trailer, “War is coming, and neither of us may win.” Watch the official trailer below.

The ensemble in House of the Dragon season 2 includes Emma D’Arcy as Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, Olivia Cooke as Queen Alicent Hightower, Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen, Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon, Eve Best as Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole, Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria, Tom Glynn-Carney as King Aegon II Targaryen, Ewan Mitchell as Prince Aemond Targaryen, and Rhys Ifans as Ser Otto Hightower.

Harry Collett, Bethany Antonia, Phoebe Campbell, Phia Saban, Jefferson Hall, and Matthew Needham will also return in season 2.

New additions in House of the Dragon season 2 include Abubakar Salim as Alyn of Hull, Gayle Rankin as Alys Rivers, Freddie Fox as Ser Gwayne Hightower, Simon Russell Beale as Ser Simon Strong, Clinton Liberty as Addam of Hull, Jamie Kenna as Ser Alfred Broome, Kieran Bew as Hugh, Tom Bennett as Ulf, Tom Taylor as Lord Cregan Stark, and Vincent Regan as Ser Rickard Thorne.

A man preps for battle in House of the Dragon season 2.
HBO

Premiering in August 2022, House of the Dragon is based on George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, a novel about the history of House Targaryen set 200 years before the events in Game of Thrones. Martin is an executive producer on House of the Dragon alongside his fellow co-creator and EP Ryan Condal, the showrunner of season 2.

House of the Dragon season 2 will consist of eight episodes. It premieres June 16 on HBO and Max.