Hold on tight to your dragons.
The new trailer for House of the Dragon season 2, released May 14, proves that fans should expect a wild ride as the Targaryen families go to battle over the Iron Throne this summer.
In the clip, Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen—played by Emma D'Arcy—and her Black Council are seen preparing to return to King's Landing and take power from Olivia Cooke's, dowager Queen Alicent Hightower, and her son King Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney).
Of course, that task won't be easy, given that the usurpers make clear they aren't going to give up the throne without a fight in the teaser. As Aegon puts it in one scene, "F--k dignity, I want revenge."
Season two of the HBO hit will follow the pivotal civil war depicted in George R.R. Martin's 2018 prequel, Fire & Blood, which takes place 200 years before the events in Game of Thrones. Many of season one's beloved cast will return alongside D'Arcy, Cooke and Glynn-Carney to tell the tale, including Matt Smith (Daemon Targaryen), Fabien Frankel (Ser Criston Cole) and Ewan Mitchell (Aemond Targaryen).
But some new faces will also join in on the fight. Adubakar Salim will enter the scene as Alyn of Hull, Gayle Rankin will play Alys Rivers and Freddie Fox is set to step in as Ser Gwayne Hightower.
And as for what the cast says viewers can expect from the action-packed second installment? D'Arcy explained that they view this new season as being about the two sides of "political Targaryenism."
"One of chosen moderation and one of fire and volatility," the 31-year-old told Entertainment Weekly in an interview published May 14. "I certainly think that Rhaenyra is somewhat unleashed this season and is able to have more fluidity between those poles."
Noting that in the first season their character was "constantly moderating her desire," D'Arcy added, "This season really investigates rage and maybe, in particular, a woman's rage."
House of the Dragon debuts June 16 on HBO at 9:00 p.m. ET. While you wait, keep reading for a full breakdown of all the shows returning to your TV screen in 2024.
Virgin River (Netflix) - Dec. 19
This sixth season promises fresh twists and turns, escalating love triangles, delightful wedding drama, as well as uncovered secrets from Mel’s father’s past which will transport us to the magic and mystique of Virgin River in the 1970s.
Laid (Peacock) - Dec. 19
In the new series, a woman finds out her former lovers are dying in unusual ways and must go back through her sex timeline to confront her past in order to move forward. Laid is a f--ked up rom-com where the answer to “why can’t I find love, is there something wrong with me?” is a resounding “Yes. There is. The problem is definitely you.”
Ilana Glazer: Human Magic (Hulu) - Dec. 20
The Broad City alum tackles everything from motherhood to being a stoner in her new stand-up special.
Josh Groban & Friends Go Home for the Holidays (CBS) - Dec. 20
Hosted and executive produced by Josh Groban, the special features a new format combining compelling stories, music, comedy and a live adoption on stage, celebrating the creation of a new family. Musical performances include holiday classics, new releases and original duets with Groban and his guests, including James Bay, Jennifer Hudson, Tori Kelly and The War And Treaty.
2024 Back That Year Up with Kevin Hart and Kenan Thompson (Peacock) - Dec. 23
2024 Back That Year Up With Kevin Hart and Kenan Thompson returns for a third annual special highlighting the biggest moments of the year. The comedic duo will close out the year with their unfiltered humor as they recap the past year of pop culture, sports, social media and politics. The special will feature guest appearances from the year’s most talked about celebrities, including Nate Bargatze, Mookie Betts, Kenny G, Blake Griffin, Jon Hamm, Jonquel Jones, Seth Meyers, mgk and Rashida ‘Sheedz’ Olayiwola.
The Flipping El Moussas (HGTV) - Dec. 26
Real estate power couple Tarek and Heather Rae El Moussa will continue to grow their working relationship while juggling the addition of a rambunctious toddler to their busy family life in the newest season of their follow-doc series.
The season will kick off in Hawthorne, California, where Tarek and Heather Rae tackle their most extreme flip project to date.
Squid Game 2 (Netfix) - Dec. 26
Three years after winning Squid Game, Player 456 gave up going to the states and comes back with a new resolution in his mind. Gi-hun once again dives into the mysterious survival game, starting another life-or-death game with new participants gathered to win the prize of 45.6 billion won.