After the critical success of its first season, “House Of The Dragon” assured HBO that the “Game Of Thrones” brand would rebound after David Benioff and D.B. Weiss’ disastrous final season of the original show. But will the spinoff series carry that momentum through its upcoming second season? And if not, will that derail any other spinoffs HBO has planned?
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“Game Of Thrones” fans will get answers to those burning questions soon, as “House Of The Dragon” premieres on HBO and Max this summer. And here’s the first full-length trailer for Season 2 of the fantasy series to preview what viewers have in store. The new season picks up with the realm of Westeros in upheaval after the death of King Viserys. Who will usurp the now empty throne: Princess Rhaenyra, whom Viserys named his rightful heir, or Aegon II, the choice of Viserys’ wife, Queen Alicent, and her scheming uncle Otto Hightower?
Here’s a brief synopsis for “House Of The Dragon” Season 2, courtesy of HBO: 
Based on George R.R. Martin’s “Fire & Blood,” the series, set 200 years before the events of “Game of Thrones,” tells the story of House Targaryen.
“House Of The Dragon” Season 2 sees much of its ensemble cast return, led by Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, and Emma D’Arcy. Eve Best, Steve Toussaint, Fabien Frankel, Ewan Mitchell, Tom Glynn-Carney, Sonoya Mizuno, and Rhys Ifans also return for the new season. Additional returning cast includes Harry Collett, Bethany Antonia, Phoebe Campbell, Phia Saban, Jefferson Hall, and Matthew Needham.
But plenty of new cast members are joining this season, too. Newcomers include Clinton Liberty, Jamie Kenna, Kieran Bew, Tom Bennett, Tom Taylor, and Vincent Regan. Abubakar Salim, Gayle Rankin, Freddie Fox, and Simom Russell also join the S2 cast.
Showrunner Ryan Condal co-creates “House Of The Dragon” with George R.R. Martin. Condal and Martin also executive produce the series with Sara Hess, Alan Taylor, Melissa Bernstein, Kevin de la Noy, Loni Peristere, and Vince Gerardis. Directors for Season 2 include Taylor, who helms the premiere, Clare Kilner, Gaeta Patel, Andrij Parekh, and Loni Peristere.
Preview posters for “House Of The Dragon” S2 bear the taglines “blood for blood” and “fire to fire,” so it’s safe to assume vengeance, violence, and dragons are back on HBO’s menu. “House Of The Dragon” returns June 16. Watch the new dueling trailers below.