House of the Dragon Season 2 Starts Filming Early 2023

HBO's House of the Dragon Season 1 finale aired Sunday and set up the beginning of what is called Dance of the Dragons in the book series. The Dance of the Dragons will take up the rest of the series starting with Season 2, which co-creator and executive producer Ryan Condal tells Variety will begin shooting in early 2023. It's unclear whether Season 2 will arrive in 2023 or 2024.

Warning: The following contains spoilers for the Season 1 finale of House of the Dragon. If you've yet to see the final episode, steer away now.

Titled "The Black Queen", it was already a hefty episode after Rhaenys (Eve Best) informing Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) that her father, King Viserys, is dead and Queen Alicent (Olivia Cooke), alongside Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), has usurped her claim and placed Prince Aegon (Tom Gynn-Carney) on the Iron Throne.

The episode ends when Rhaenyra hears of her son Luke's murder, although accidental, and D'Arcy stares into the audience with a glare that could melt the earth as she prepares for an all-out war against her stepmother and former friend.

The Season 1 finale was leaked online before the air date, causing a stir on social media regarding the fate of dear Luke. In the books, Luke's murder is intentional, but in the finale, it's more of an accidental case with the dragons going rogue. Aemond's brother, King Aegon II, even throws a feast in his honor, though both his mother and grandfather were devasted by his actions.