House of the Dragon renewed for season 2

House of the Dragon season 2 is officially on its way, HBO and SKy have confirmed. The new was announced just five days after the first episode of the Game of Thrones spin-off aired.

"Fire reigns," the fantasy drama's official account tweeted, alongside a video that sees the Targaryen crest engulfed in flames before a '2' appears in its place. 

It's no real surprise that there is at least one more installment planned already, given how successful its opener was. Just recently, HBO revealed that over 20 million viewers have tuned into episode 1 across the US, marking the biggest series debut in the network's history. Ryan Condal, who co-created the show with George R. R. Martin, hinted more was to come at San Diego Comic-Con, too, when he mentioned having a season 2 prop budget for severed heads.

"House of the Dragon is already proving to be a ratings hit, and we predict it will go from strength to strength due to the captivating storytelling and incredible production values. We look forward to sharing a second series with our customers on Sky and NOW," said Zai Bennett, MD of Content at Sky.

Set two centuries before the events of the original show, the first chapter centers on the tensions between the Targaryens, as the family's once all-powerful dominion over the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros begins to crumble. Spanning several years, it sees King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine) break tradition and name his daughter Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) as heir to the Iron Throne, much to dismay of his entitled brother Daemon (Matt Smith). 

Elsewhere, Rhys Ifans stars as Otto Hightower, the plotting Hand of the King, while Olivia Cooke appears as Otto's daughter Alicent.

House of the Dragon airs every Sunday on HBO and HBO Max, before arriving in the UK via Sky Atlantic and NOW the following day. Worried you might miss an episode? Don't worry, we've got you covered with our House of the Dragon release schedule.