House of the Dragon Season 2 set photos tease Game of Thrones return
While the ongoing actor and writer strikes in America feel a bit like a Battle of the Bastards between creatives and those in suits, we've got a tantalising tease of what's to come in House of the Dragon Season 2. HBO's hit series continues filming due to UK laws differing from US ones, meaning it's largely business as usual.
A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin had said that House of the Dragon was about halfway done before the strikes struck, and with work continuing, there's still a chance we could hit that hopeful 2024 release window. Either way, set leaks are giving us an insight into what's to come.
House of the Dragon is heading to a familiar Game of Thrones location
Winter is Coming has photos and videos from the set at Leavesden Studios, which clearly shows what looks like the Wall. The famed landmark was built thousands of years before the events of the series, serving as a fortification to keep the White Walkers out of the North.
It's interesting that the part of Martin's Fire & Blood Targayren history that House of the Dragon covers doesn't have any mention of the Wall. Even though the site notes that characters like Rhaenyra and Daemon Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy and Matt Smith) never visit the Wall, there's a theory on how it'll fit into things.
In the House of the Dragon Season 1 finale, Rhaenyra Targaryen sent her son Jacaerys to Winterfell, hoping to get Lord Cregan Stark to bend the knee. The throwaway mention of the Stark family was picked up by fans in Season 1, with the casting of Cregan sure to be a big one in Season 2. Will the pair ride a dragon to the Wall?
It's unclear how the Wall will fit into things here, but with House of the Dragon being set 172 years before the birth of Daenerys Targaryen, even the ancient Maester Aemon Targaryen won't be at the Wall. Still, it ties together Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, and the Kit Harington-led Jon Snow sequel series.
How did House of the Dragon Season 1 end?
Click to enlargeAs a recap, House of the Dragon ended in spectacular style and cued the bloody Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons. Here, the Greens and the Blacks duke it out for the Iron Throne and many lives are lost. This was triggered by the death of King Viserys I (Paddy Considine) in Episode 8.
There's a dispute over the claim to the throne, with Rhaenyra Targaryen (D'Arcy) believing she's the rightful heir, and Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) maintaining her son (Aegon) is the ruler of Westeros. The finale upped the ante, with the death of Lucerys Targaryen at the hands of Aemond.
Season 1 only covered a snippet of Fire & Blood, and as we head into Season 2, writer Sara Hess promised Variety, "I don't think you will be disappointed," by the infamous Blood and Cheese storyline that we won't spoil here. Either way, we can't wait for House of the Dragon Season 2 to spread its wings all over again.