‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2: When & How to Watch ‘Game of Thrones’ Prequel for Free

Latifah Muhammad
·4 min read
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After nearly two years, House of the Dragon is finally returning to TV. Season 2 of the Game of Thrones spin-off premieres on HBO and Max on Sunday (June 16).

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The eight-episode series, based on George R. R. Martin’s Fire & Blood novel set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, shares the story of House Targaryen. New episodes of House of the Dragon debut on Sundays.

The returning cast includes Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Emma D’Arcy, Eve Best, Steve Toussaint, Fabien Frankel, Ewan Mitchell, Tom Glynn-Carney, Sonoya Mizuno, Rhys Ifans, Harry Collett, Bethany Antonia, Phoebe Campbell, Phia Saban, Jefferson Hall and Matthew Needham.

Season 2 will also welcome new cast members such as Abubakar Salim as Alyn of Hull, Gayle Rankin as Alys Rivers, Freddie Fox as Ser Gwayne Hightower, Simon Russell Beale as Ser Simon Strong, Clinton Liberty as Addam of Hull, Jamie Kenna as Ser Alfred Broome, Kieran Bew as Hugh, Tom Bennett as Ulf, Tom Taylor as Lord Cregan Stark, and Vincent Regan as Ser Rickard Thorne.

House of the Dragon became a big hit for HBO. The season 1 finale in October 2023 raked in an estimated 9.3 million viewers, giving HBO its largest season-finale numbers since the Game of Thrones series finale, Variety reported at the time.

The series premiere drew nearly 10 million viewers across HBO and Max, more than 16 million watched episode 3 from the first season, and the series averaged 29 million viewers per episode in the first five episodes, per Variety.

Fans can dive even deeper into the show by listening to The Official Game of Thrones Podcast: House of the Dragon, featuring interviews with cast, crew and celebrity fans.

Keep reading for details on when and how to watch the House of the Dragon season 2 premiere and other episodes from the first season.

How to Watch House of the Dragon Online for Free

House of the Dragon airs on Sundays on HBO at 9 p.m. ET/PT, and streamed exclusively on Max at no extra cost to subscribers. If you have access to cable channels, or are a Max subscriber, you can stream episodes on demand (including Season 1).

If you’re not subscribed, Max is currently free for the first week and $9.99/month for the ad-supported package, or $16.99/month to stream without ads. Annual plans are usually priced at $99.99 a year for Max with ads, and $169.99 for commercial-free streaming. For a limited time, new and returning Max customers can can enjoy a free trial for a week. The promo ends on June 23.

max: 7-day free trial

Want more ways to land a free trial? If you’re subscribed to HBO through a cable or streaming provider, you may already have free Max to watch House of the Dragon. Not sure if you already have Max? Click here for more details and here for other ways to land a free trial.

Direct TV Stream is another way to land a free trial to Max. Get free Max, Paramount+ WIth Showtime, Starz and other premium channels for up to three months when you subscribe to the Premiere or Ultimate Package. Subscriptions start at $69.99 a month after a free 5-day trial. Stream 90+ channels on your TV, computer, phone and other compatible devices.

directv stream free trial

With Max, Game of Thrones fans can stream old episodes of the hit series and other exclusive shows, movies and documentaries, including The Last of Us, True Detective: Night Country, Westworld, Succession, Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, Euphoria, Hacks, Selena + Chef, And Just Like That, The White Lotus, The Gilded Age, Wonka, Dune Part 2, Priscilla, The Iron Claw, Mad Max, Aquaman and more. Stream programs on your smart TV, laptop, smartphone or another compatible streaming device via the Max app. And if you’re outside of the U.S., stream Max through ExpressVPN and NordVPN.

Shopping for Game of Thrones gear? The Warner Bros. merch shop launched an official House of the Dragon collection featuring Funko Pop! figurines including the Dragon, Rhaenyra Targaryen, Daemon Targaryen, Viserys Targaryen and Corlys Velaryon, along with T-shirts, hoodies, a tote bag, coffee mugs, computer accessories, and more collectibles.

Fans can find the first season of House of the Dragon on Blu-ray and DVD at Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, and Barnes & Noble, in addition to HOD merch at Amazon and Walmart.

Watch the Season 2 trailer below.