Production for HBO‘s House of the Dragon Season 2 is firing up at Leavesden Studios in the United Kingdom. The first season of the Game of Thrones spinoff quickly climbed the overall streaming charts, winning back fans of the original series who abandoned the property after a lackluster finale to one of the most significant cultural touchstones in recent entertainment history. House of the Dragon is based on George R.R. Martin‘s “Fire & Blood,” set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, and focuses on the House Targaryen.
“House of the Dragon has returned,” said Ryan Condal, Co-Creator/Showrunner/Executive Producer. “We are thrilled to be shooting again with members of our original family as well as new talents on both sides of the camera. All your favorite characters will soon be conspiring at the council tables, marching with their armies, and riding their dragons into battle. We can’t wait to share what we have in store.”
Last month, HBO announced House of the Dragon Season 2 would be an abbreviated season as they plan for a Season 3 renewal. The plan is to shorten the presentation by two episodes, allowing the team to tighten the story and reduce production costs.
The season two cast includes Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Emma D’Arcy, Eve Best, Steve Toussaint, Fabien Frankel, Ewan Mitchell, Tom Glynn-Carney, Sonoya Mizuno, and Rhys Ifans. Additional cast members include Harry Collett, Bethany Antonia, Phoebe Campbell, Phia Saban, Jefferson Hall, and Matthew Needham.
Joining the team for House of the Dragon Season 2 is Emmy-winning director Alan Taylor, whose work on Game of Thrones helped make the series a pop culture juggernaut among fantasy fans and beyond. According to HBO, the first season averaged 29 million viewers per episode, bringing the Game of Thrones brand back to the spotlight. Taylor replaces Miguel Sapochnik, a co-showrunner, and director for House of the Dragon‘s first season.
House of the Dragon Season 2 includes an on-set mentoring program for production trainees. The setup opens doors to WBD Access Directors Shadows, giving two emerging directors, B Welby and Ebele Tate, a chance to sharpen their skills and learn from one of the finest crews in the game.
What do you think about House of the Dragon overall? Did you ever fall out of love with Game of Thrones after the show’s rocky final season? Feel free to let us know in the comments if you’re ready to go the distance with House of the Dragon.