How to watch ‘House of the Dragon’ season 2 for free: Release time, trailer

The wait is nearly over.

After the first season finished airing in October 2022, fans have been eagerly awaiting Season 2 of “House of the Dragon,” and now we’re just a few hours away from the premiere.

The “Game of Thrones” prequel is set nearly 200 years before the action of the main series and follows the decline of House Targaryen, who once united and ruled the Seven Kingdoms.

Half-siblings Queen Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) and Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney) are locked into a battle for succession to the Iron Throne following their father King Viserys I’s death at the end of Season 1 — it kicks off a Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons between two factions of the family, the Greens and the Blacks.

The series, based on “Fire and Blood,” the nearly 800-page tome by George R.R. Martin, has already been renewed for a third season ahead of the Season 2 premiere, so fear not: when the season wraps up in August, know that will be more on the way (it’s just a matter of when).

Below, we’ve compiled everything you need to know about “House of the Dragon” Season 2, from when new episodes premiere to how you can watch them for free.

When is the ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2 premiere?

“House of the Dragon” Season 2 premieres today, Sunday, June 16, at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max.

How to watch ‘House of the Dragon’ for free:

Max doesn’t usually offer free trials for new users; however, a limited time promotion running now through June 23 will give new subscribers seven days of Max for free before payment kicks in.

Max has three subscription plans to choose from, all of which have seven-day free trials available right now. You can choose to pay monthly or annually, but you’ll save 16% every year if you go yearly over monthly.

• With Ads: $9.99/month or $99.99/year
• Ad-Free: $16.99/month or $169.99/year
• Ultimate Ad-Free: $20.99/month or $209.99/year

Additionally, Amazon Prime subscribers can take advantage of the same seven-day free trial when subscribing to Max via Prime Video Channels. If you choose to subscribe this way, all of Max’s content will be available within the Prime Video app.

(Pro tip: Season 2, Episode 2 airs the day the free trial offer ends, so if you do one week free via Max and one via Prime Video Channels, you’ll be able to watch two weeks for free before paying a cent.)

‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2 episode guide: When do new episodes of ‘House of the Dragon’ come out?

“House of the Dragon” Season 2 will have eight episodes. New episodes of “House of the Dragon” will be released on Max every Sunday at 9 p.m. ET through August 4. Below, check out the episodes along with their air dates:

• Episode 1, “A Son for A Son”: Sunday, June 16
• Episode 2: Sunday, June 23
• Episode 3: Sunday, June 30
• Episode 4: Sunday, July 7
• Episode 5: Sunday, July 14
• Episode 6: Sunday, July 21
• Episode 7: Sunday, July 28
• Episode 8: Sunday, August 4

Is there a trailer for ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2?

It sure does! Check it out below:

‘House of the Dragon’ cast guide: Who is in the cast of ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2?

Expect to see many familiar faces when “House of the Dragon” returns — nearly the entire main cast from Season 1 is back for Season 2.

• Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen
• Emma D’Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen
• Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower
• Steve Toussaint as Corlys Velaryon
• Eve Best as Rhaenys Targaryen
• Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria
• Fabien Frankel as Criston Cole
• Matthew Needham as Larys Strong
• Jefferson Hall as twins Jason and Tyland Lannister
• Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower
• Harry Collett as Jacaerys Velaryon
• Tom Glynn-Carney as Aegon II Targaryen
• Ewan Mitchell as Aemond Targaryen
• Bethany Antonia as Baela Targaryen
• Phoebe Campbell as Rhaena Targaryen
• Phia Saban as Helaena Targaryen

There are also some new faces joining the cast of “House of the Dragon” for Season 2:

• Gayle Rankin as Alys Rivers
• Simon Russell Beale as Ser Simon Strong
• Freddie Fox as Ser Gwayne Hightower
• Abubakur Salim as Alyn of Hull
• Tom Taylor as Lord Cregan Stark
• Clinton Liberty as Addam of Hull
• Jamie Kenna as Ser Alfred Broome
• Kieran Bew as Hugh Hammer
• Tom Bennett as Ulf the White
• Vincent Regan as Ser Rickard Thorne