The Dance of the Dragons is about to begin when HBO’s House of the Dragon returns for season two on Sunday, June 16 on HBO and Max. 

“War is coming,” says Rhaenys Tragaryen (Eve Best) in the official season-two trailer, above, “and neither of us may win.” 

‍House of the Dragon is set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones and depicts the events of the Targaryen civil war that tore Westeros apart and extinguished the dragons for two centuries. The Targaryens have split into two factions: the Blacks, led by Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) and her husband and uncle Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith); and the Greens, led by King Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney) and his mother, Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke). 

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The series also stars Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon, also known as the "Sea Snake;” Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole; Ewan Mitchell as Prince Aemond Targaryen; Sonoya Mizuno as former lover to Prince Daemon and now shadowy spymaster Mysaria; and Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower, father to Alicent. Other returning cast members include Bethany Antonia, Phoebe Campbell, Phia Saban, Jefferson Hall and Matthew Needham.

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Joining the cast this season are 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. Fans are particularly excited about watching young Prince Jacaerys Velaryon (Harry Collett) meet Stark during the series’ first stop in one of Game of Thrones’ central locations, Winterfell.

Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon is based on George R. R. Martin’s bestselling book, “Fire & Blood,” and Martin is co-creator and executive producer, along with Ryan Condal, who also showruns. Other executive producers are Sara Hess, Alan Taylor, Melissa Bernstein, Kevin de la Noy, Loni Perstere and Vince Gerardis.

[Image courtesy of HBO]