'House of the Dragon' Season 2: Release date, cast, where to watch 'Game of Thrones' prequel

The debut season finale of "House of the Dragon" set the stage for an epic civil war – dragons fighting dragons, kin fighting kin.

And now, the battle for the Iron Throne and the power over the Seven Kingdoms that comes with it is set to commence this summer.

The highly-anticipated second season of the "Game of Thrones" spinoff is set to premiere Sunday, June 16 on HBO. Picking up where Season 1 left off, the upcoming episodes will chronicle the upcoming war between factions fighting for King Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney) and Queen Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) over which of the Targaryens will rule Westeros.

Here's what to know about "House of the Dragon" Season 2.

When does 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 premiere?

"House of the Dragon" Season 2 will premiere at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Sunday, June 16.

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How to watch 'House of the Dragon' Season 2

The series will air exclusively on HBO's TV channel and will available to stream on Max, HBO's streaming service.

Plans begin at $9.99 a month with ads, which allows users to stream on up to two devices at one time. Ad-free subscriptions are $15.99 a month, which includes the additional ability to download up to 30 titles to watch on the go. The highest tier, which is $19.99 per month, includes the ability to stream on four devices and offers 4K Ultra HD video quality and 100 downloads.

'House of the Dragon' Season 2 trailer

"House of the Dragon" is based on the world created by George R.R. Martin in his "A Song of Ice and Fire" series of fantasy novels. As a prequel to "Game of Thrones", the series is documenting the division and fall of the Targaryen dynasty.

When Season 1 ended in October 2022, war appeared on the horizon for the Seven Kingdoms when the death of King Viserys I (Paddy Considine) left a power vacuum in Westeros and a question as to his chosen successor. As the second season begins, Westeros is on the brink of a bloody civil war with powerful houses being forced to choose which side to fight for.

"War is coming, and neither of us may win," Rhaenyra says – presumably to Aegon – in a trailer HBO released May 14 for the upcoming season.

Watch it here:

Max also released "dueling trailers" March 21 asking viewers to pick a side by selecting the color corresponding to a specific council: the Green Council of King Aegon, or the Black Council of Queen Rhaenyra. Those trailers can be found here.

Cast of 'House of the Dragon'

Many new arrivals will make an appearance in the upcoming season alongside familiar faces from the initial cast. Returning cast members include:

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

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com