House Targaryen Declares War Upon Itself In The House Of The Dragon Season 2 Teaser Trailer

It's pretty astounding to think how successful "House of the Dragon" season 1 was despite the incredibly negative legacy of "Game of Thrones." George R.R. Martin and Ryan Condal's prequel series has managed to not only match the thrills and the attention "Game of Thrones" got but to even improve upon certain aspects of its predecessor.

"House of the Dragon" takes place nearly 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones" and tells the epic story of the Targaryen family and the war of succession over the throne of King Viserys I after he decides to name his daughter Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) heir — a title no woman has ever had in the Seven Kingdoms. "House of the Dragon" suffered a bit from an abundance of time jumps and cast changes in season 1, which luckily shouldn't be a problem in season 2. It also gave us one hell of a performance by Paddy Considine.

The fantasy drama was a big enough success that HBO is reportedly developing another "Game of Thrones" prequel that goes back even further in time to tell the story of Aegon the Conqueror (Tom Glynn-Carney). Before we get there, however, we have to finish the story of Rhaenyra and her adversary, Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke). Luckily for fans, we now have the first images from "House of the Dragon" season 2, and above you can watch the official teaser.

"House of the Dragon" was but a handful of big TV productions that continued to shoot in spite of the writers' and SAG-AFTRA strikes earlier this year. As the HBO show is produced in the U.K., it therefore abides by Equity contracts rather than SAG-AFTRA. That being said, there were reports that Matt Smith and other members of the show's cast refused to work but were advised by Equity to just follow orders.

The first season ended with the Targaryen family conflict turning into war. We saw allegiances forged, terms rejected, and one of Rhaenyra's children killed in a battle of dragons. Season 2 will see the Dance of Dragons — the civil war that divided the entirety of the Seven Kingdoms — in full effect. The conflict comprises two factions, the Blacks and the Greens. The former supports Rhaenyra's claim to the throne, while the latter stands behind Visery's younger son Aegon II.

After the first season set up all the political intrigue concerning who controls the Iron Throne, season 2 should descend fully into fire and blood. There are enough Targaryens and dragons on both sides to deliver a medieval nuclear war — which is never good news for those caught in the crossfire. 

Sadly for fans, season 2 will only have eight episodes, so don't expect the civil war to end this season. The plan is for the show to last between three and four seasons to tell the entire story.

"House of the Dragon" season 2 premieres in summer 2024.