'House of the Dragon' season two is coming as triumphant Targaryens spark fan fever

The show's premiere drew in nearly 10 million viewers in the US

Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen and Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen.

Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower and Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower.

Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen.

Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen in 'Game of Thrones' prequel 'House of the Dragon'. All photos: HBO

Paddy Considine as King Viserys Targaryen.

Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon and Eve Best as Princess Rhaenys Targaryen.

Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole.

Milly Alcock as the young Rhaenyra and Emily Carey as the young Alicent.

Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria.

Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower.

Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower.

Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon.

Less than one week after its celebrated premiere, House of the Dragon, the highly anticipated Game of Thrones prequel, has been renewed for a second season.

Based on George R R Martin’s Fire & Blood, the drama is set almost 200 years before the events that played out in Game of Thrones and focuses on how the House of Targaryen falls into civil war.

It begins with King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine) deliberating who should be his next heir — his brother Prince Daemon (Matt Smith) or his daughter Princess Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy).

"Fire reigns. #HouseoftheDragon has been renewed for Season 2," the official House of the Dragon Twitter account said.

The show's premiere on Sunday drew nearly 10 million viewers on TV and the HBO Max streaming service, the largest audience for any new original series in the history of network, according to HBO.

In the UK, where the series airs on Sky Atlantic and streaming service Now, the first episode also proved successful with critics and fans.

"House of the Dragon is already proving to be a ratings hit, and we predict it will go from strength to strength due to the captivating storytelling and incredible production values," said Zai Bennett, managing director of content at Sky.

"We look forward to sharing a second series with our customers on Sky and Now.”

Game of Thrones first broadcast in 2011, becoming a global phenomenon. The award-winning HBO series wrapped up in 2019 with a finale that divided fans.

Scroll the gallery below to see the British TV stars who flocked to 'House of the Dragon' premiere in London