HBO’s Chief Content Officer Casey Bloys has described the chances of a second season of the Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon as very likely. The executive has been a steadfast figure for the broadcast and streaming giant in recent years. His tenure has seen the production of many of the network's recent greatest hits including The White Lotus, The Flight Attendant, and I May Destroy You.
House of the Dragon will take place 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, returning to Westeros in a time when it was ruled by the Targaryen family, and chronicling the events leading up to the civil war known as the Dance of Dragons. Commissioned in 2019, the prequel has been a big endeavor for HBO, with a cast that includes Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, and Olivia Cooke. Principal photography for the series began in April 2021 — mostly in the United Kingdom but with some elements shot in Spain, California, and Portugal — and eventually wrapped in early 2022. Originally part of a wide slate of planned Game of Thrones-related properties, at the moment House of the Dragon is the only greenlit project, although other shows such as 9 Voyages, 10,000 Ships, and Dunk and Egg are at various stages of early development.
Speaking on the franchise's future, in an interview with THR, Bloys described that the likelihood of House of the Dragon getting an early renewal is quite high. He says that while HBO likes to "give [their shows] some time,” they are already readying themselves should they want to move forward with a probable second season. Read the full quote below:
Typically speaking, I like to take an approach where we will talk about what a second season might look like and talk about scripts. But we tend to like to see how a show performs. That said, if I were betting, I’d say there’s a pretty good shot that House of the Dragon will get a season two. But we tend to like things to air and give it some time. That said, on most shows, we’ll do preparation and put ourselves in a good position to move forward.
While Bloys’ optimism about a second season is a promising sign that HBO is confident about House of the Dragon’s quality, the show's success among fans will be vital to the future of Game of Thrones spin-offs. With the almost universally adverse reaction to the original show’s final season, the online fan community has lost much of the enthusiasm it had shown during the bulk of the original run. Many were angry at the speed at which the show tied up its loose ends, and angrier still at the threads that were left dangling. This is despite the final season drawing in record viewing figures for the broadcaster, with 13.6 million viewers tuning in for the finale.
What remains to be seen is how those fans that were disappointed by the final Game of Thrones season react to House of the Dragon. Bloys’ cautious optimism might not be misplaced, as good viewership and a strong positive reaction could result in not just a second season, but a multi-season order. However, time will tell if people will be willing to return to Westeros after having left it on such unsatisfying terms the last time.
Source: THR