Spread the word: Game Of Thrones is officially back. Just one episode into House Of The Dragon – granted a largely positive reception after the finale of its parent series was less fondly greeted – HBO has put its (likely considerable) money where its mouth is. And that mouth is saying, “Dracarys!” All of which is a ridiculous way of saying that the Targaryen-focused prequel spin-off has officially been renewed for a second season.
This is a big win for the network – not only did Dragon’s debut pull in nearly 10 million US viewers (the biggest series premiere in HBO history), but it’s been well-received by audiences and critics alike. And since a fair chunk of change must have been put in to rebuild the world of Westeros again, it makes sense for HBO to double down on that investment and head back for another batch of episodes bringing incestuous relationships, political maneuvers, and big ol’ swooping reptiles to viewers. If it wasn’t official until now, it’s clear that hopes were there for a second season of House Of The Dragon from the off – with designs for dragons that won’t be glimpsed in the first 10 episodes, mentions of where the production could go next time at Comic-Con, and more of George RR Martin’s twisted history tome still to adapt.
For audiences, it means the rest of the first season can be enjoyed in the knowledge that there’s a wider story to play out here – and with Rhaenyra Targaryen now controversially named as Viserys’ heir to the Iron Throne at the end of the premiere, the story is quite literally only just beginning. Keep on dancing, dragons.