While the creative team behind HBO’s House of the Dragon is definitely looking forward to a season 2 that’s bigger in many ways – including the introduction of five new dragons – they’re also looking forward to a season that’s smaller in terms of episodes.
HBO renewed House of the Dragon — set 172 years before Game of Thrones — in late August, just days after the pilot garnered the largest audience in the network’s history with 10 million viewers.
The network did not disclose the number of episodes in the renewal announcement, and although they originally planned to run 10 more episodes as the first season, Delivery time reports that they are now targeting an eight-episode second season.
The shorter season is said to be part of a long-term plan for the series which will also include an early green light for a third season.
The news comes before production on the second season begins in the UK sometime this summer, as HBO looks forward to the summer 2024 premiere of the second season.
A smaller season: While the creative team behind HBO’s House of the Dragon is definitely looking forward to a bigger season 2 in many ways – including the introduction of five new dragons – they’re also looking forward to a smaller season in terms of episodes.
Renewed: HBO renewed House of the Dragon — set 172 years before Game of Thrones — in late August, just days after the pilot garnered the largest audience in the network’s history with 10 million viewers.
Some sources have claimed that the shorter second season was just another cost-cutting move for HBO’s parent company, Warner Discovery, which has been criticized for many of these actions including the $90 million cancellation of the Batgirl movie.
However, an HBO spokesperson confirmed that the second season would in fact be extended to eight episodes, instead insisting that the shorter season was “story driven”.
There were reports that series creators Ryan Condal and Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin were envisioning a series with three or four seasons.
Reportedly, both Condall and Martin took a step back when conceiving the second season to take a “big picture” for the series, which is based on Martin’s companion book “Fire and Blood.”
This new approach helped the writers figure out how to break up these stories and what seasons should include specific battles.
This approach ultimately put both Season 2 and Season 3 completely on the map and the network is considering approving the scripts, crafting, and production plan for Season 3 as well.
Part of the reconfiguration involved moving a major battle sequence originally designed for the second season, to the third season.
The report also confirms that this plan now makes it more feasible for the show to run for four seasons, though both Condall and Martin are currently going ‘back and forth’ over whether the full story should be told in three or four seasons.
Cut costs: Some sources claimed that the shorter second season was just another cost-cutting move for HBO’s parent company, Warner Discovery, which has been criticized for many of these measures including the cancellation of the $90 million Batgirl movie.
Paid Story: However, the HBO spokesperson who confirmed that season two will in fact span eight episodes, instead insisted that the shorter season was, “Paid Story”
Ironically, in October, Martin A blog post He revealed that the show would run for four seasons and use 10-episode seasons, while bemoaning how HBO greenlighted 13-episode seasons.
“I’m glad we still have 10 hours each season to tell our story. I hope it stays true,” said Martin.
He added, “It would take four full seasons of 10 episodes each to do A Dance of Dragons justice, from start to finish.”
Season 1 ended with the brutal death of one of Rhaenyra Targaryen’s sons, creating the spark that started the civil war between House Targaryen and House Hightower.
Condal revealed during an event for consideration earlier this month that fans will be treated to several fire-breathing dragons.
“You’re going to meet five new dragons,” Condal revealed during a Directors Guild of America question-and-answer session, adding that production on the second season will begin “very soon.”
Martin was also at the event, praising Condal and his writing staff, adding: “This guy (Condal) has an amazing writing staff. Because if you read my book Fire & Blood, which you should, it’s fake history.
So there are a lot of details in this that are very cool and poignant that are not in the book. They added things, they added good things, which is important.
FULL SEASONS: “It would take four full seasons of 10 episodes each to do Dancing with Dragons justice, from start to finish,” he added.
More Dragons: “You’re going to meet five new dragons,” Condal revealed during a Q&A session, at the Directors Guild of America, adding that production on season two will begin, very soon.
