HBO’s House of the Dragon season 2 will be shorter than the first and is targeted for a premiere in summer 2024, according to a report from Deadline. Specifically, the show’s second season will be eight episodes long, two shorter than the 10-episode first season. Apparently, season 2 was originally planned to be 10 episodes long as well, but after some changes, it was hit with script rewrites. Although some rumors pointed the blame on Warner Bros. Discovery leadership’s cost-cutting efforts, an HBO spokesperson confirmed that the two-episode trim was “story-driven.” The length of each episode in the upcoming season is unknown for now.
Deadline says that executive producer and showrunner Ryan Condal took a step back as House of the Dragon season 2 was being put together in order to “take a big-picture view of the series.” With this comes the news that season 3 has already been mapped out. The hope is that House of the Dragon season 3 will soon receive a green light from HBO, which is “seriously considering committing to moving ahead with scripts, casting, and a production plan.”
The House of the Dragon creative team expects to tell the Game of Thrones spinoff’s full story within “three or four” seasons. However, some of the content cut from season 2, which includes a “major battle,” has been moved to season 3. Though the change has made it more likely that fans receive four seasons, Condal and franchise creator George R. R. Martin are still trying to determine the number of seasons needed to optimally tell the story.
House of the Dragon season 2 will continue its story after a cliffhanger left viewers in shock last year. For now, season 2 will begin production in the UK soon in hopes of meeting that summer 2024 premiere. Stay tuned for more as HBO, Condal, Martin, and the rest of the creative team try to pin down the rest of its narrative.
