No House of the Dragon Season 2 in 2024; Here's How SAG Strike Will Affect Filming

The WGA strike that has been going on since early May has left viewers with less than rosy news regarding their favorite franchises. And while many of us support the cause, the whole situation is rather disturbing, especially in light of AMPTP seemingly ignoring the union's demands.

Luckily for fans, some shows managed to avoid being postponed due to the WGA strike. One of them is (or, rather, was) the GoT prequel House of the Dragon, which had its Season 2 script ready and was going to start shooting the new installment exactly one month before the strike began. However, it looks like HOTD may be put on hold as well, as the industry is about to face some more turmoil with the possible SAG strike on the horizon.

First, let's get the writers' strike sorted. In May, members of the WGA East and West began the strike, which, according to various predictions, can last through October and beyond, after the AMPTP, representing the interests of major studios and streaming services, failed to meet their demands for improved pay and working conditions and address the issues of residuals and AI use. The contract between the WGA and the AMPTP was never renewed.

The SAG-AFTRA, the union representing actors, hosts, and other media personalities, has also made similar demands, calling for the regulation of residuals based on the success of a show and the resolution of the ethical issues regarding AI.

The deadline for negotiations is midnight July 12 (though SAG has delayed it several times). Given that the union has already authorized the strike, actors and other SAG members may hit the picket lines tomorrow, starting the morning of July 13.

Now, back to HBO's House of the Dragon, things don't look too good for the show now. While overseas filming in England and Spain seems to have been completed, we still don't know where production stands. Shooting such a complicated series normally takes several months, and there's certainly more studio footage to be shot, which can't be done unless all the actors are on set.

However, if the SAG strike happens, it probably won't last long because the entire industry would be shut down and the AMPTP would just have to surrender and agree to the actors' and writers' demands. But with that in mind, it will still significantly delay the production of HOTD, which means fans shouldn't expect Season 2 to come out before late 2024, or even later.