HBO's 'HotD' renewed for Season 2 after thunderous premiere
HBO's House of the Dragon is a hit! The highly-anticipated show that debuted on August 21 (August 22 in India) has already been renewed for Season 2 after the first season's premiere garnered massive viewership. According to HBO, the show's first episode was streamed by as many as 20M people across its linear, HBO Max, and on-demand platforms in the US alone. Here's more.
Why does this story matter?
House of the Dragon (HotD) is the prequel to the critically-acclaimed Game of Thrones (GoT), which is one of HBO's biggest and most successful outings. Moreover, HotD is based on George RR Martin's best-selling novel Fire & Blood. The fantasy drama is set 200 years ahead of the events that unraveled in GoT, and narrates how the House of Targaryen falls into civil war.
'Fire reigns': 'HotD' makers announce Season 2
HotD's official social media handles broke the news on Friday and wrote, "Fire reigns. #HouseoftheDragon has been renewed for Season 2 (sic)." Francesca Orsi, Executive VP, HBO Programming, also spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about the show's success. Orsi said, "Our phenomenal cast and crew undertook a massive challenge and exceeded all expectations, delivering a show that has already established itself as must-see-TV."
Get a look at the announcement here
All you need to know about Episode 1, other details
HotD chronicles the glory days of the ancestors of iconic GoT characters like Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke). The show begins with King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine) torn between choosing his next heir to the throne. He has to choose between his own brother Prince Daemon (Matt Smith), and his daughter Princess Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy). To note, HotD follows a completely new storyline.
Episode 2 to air on Disney+ Hotstar on Monday
Charting the show's success, HotD opened to a staggering 9.986M viewers across linear and HBO Max platforms in the US upon premiere. HBO reported the numbers were the highest so far for any new original series! HotD also surpassed GoT's premiere in 2011 by almost 350% in terms of viewership. Episode 2 will air on Disney+ Hotstar on Monday (August 29) at 6:30 am.
