Draft:House of the Dragon season 2

The second season of the fantasy drama series House of the Dragon is expected to premiere on June 12th, 2024 and consist of eight episodes. Like the first season, it is expected to cover the events of the book Fire & Blood by George R. R. Martin. This second season is expected to follow in the aftermath of the first season finale, in which Aegon II Targaryen was planted on the Iron Throne after Viserys' death and Aemond Targaryen accidentally killed Lucerys Velaryon.

The season was ordered on August 26, 2022, five days after the premiere of the series. Miguel Sapochnik, a showrunner on the first season, departed after the season, leaving Ryan Condal as the sole showrunner. The second season filmed from April to September 2023, filming alongside the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike and the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike due to its largely British cast working under British Equity rules.

Cast and characters

 * Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen
 * Emma D'Arcy as Princess / Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen
 * Rhys Ifans as Ser Otto Hightower
 * Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon
 * Eve Best as Princess Rhaenys Targaryen
 * Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria
 * Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole
 * Olivia Cooke as Queen / Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower
 * Graham McTavish as Ser Harrold Westerling
 * Matthew Needham as Lord Larys Strong
 * Jefferson Hall as identical twins Lord Jason and Ser Tyland Lannister
 * Harry Collett as Jacaerys "Jace" Velaryon
 * Tom Glynn-Carney as King Argon II Targaryen
 * Ewan Mitchell as Prince Aemond Targaryen
 * Phia Saban as Princess / Queen Halaena Targaryen
 * Bethany Antonia as Lady Baela Targaryen
 * Phoebe Campbell as Lady Rhaena Targaryen
 * Gayle Rankin as Alys Rivers
 * Simon Russell Beale as Ser Simon Strong
 * Freddie Fox as Ser Gwayne Hightower
 * Abubakar Salim as Alyn of Hull

Casting
It is expected that the majority of the cast from the first season will return from the second. On April 24, 2023, Gayle Rankin, Simon Russell Beale, Freddie Fox, and Abubakar Salim were announced to be joing the series as Alys Rivers, Ser Simon Strong, Ser Gwayne Hightower, and Alyn of Hull, respectively.

Filming
Filming began on April 11, 2023, at Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden in Watford, England. By May 18, 2023, filming had commenced in Cáceres, Spain. On July 14, the Screen Actors Guild went on strike, however the largely British cast of House of the Dragon were working under British Equity rules, meaning they were required to complete filming on the series. Filming had wrapped by September 29, over a month before the strike ended on November 9.