At a glance:
- House of the Dragon is a prequel series to Game of Thrones.
- The show will be released on HBO sometime in 2022.
- It is based on the book Fire and Blood by George R.R. Martin.
What is House of the Dragon about?
House of the Dragon takes place during the “Dance of the Dragons,” a long period of civil war between members of the Targaryen family that occurred 200 years before the events of Martin and HBO’s Game of Thrones. (Read more: The Civil War That Tore Westeros in Half, Long Before King Joffrey.)
The show will feature all the political machinations and bloodshed Game of Thrones fans have come to expect. But this time, there are a lot more dragons. One thing it probably won’t feature is gratuitous violence towards women, which was a frequent criticism of Game of Thrones. (Read more: Game of Thrones Prequel Star Olivia Cooke Believes the Show Won’t Have ‘Egregious Violence Towards Women’.)
HBO says it chose to tell this story because the book it is based on, Fire & Blood: 300 Years Before A Game of Thrones, is already completed and published, so the producers have a full roadmap to the series. (Read more: Here’s Why Game of Thrones Spin-Off House of the Dragon Was Chosen Over the Others.) You can read an exclusive excerpt of the book here.
Is there a trailer?
The show began production in April 2021, so we’ve not seen much but the first teaser trailer for House of the Dragon was released on October 25, 2021. HBO has also released a handful of official photos from the show. (See more: House of the Dragon’s First Images Feature Game of Thrones’ Wigs, Shores, and Intrigue.)
Who is making House of the Dragon?
To the relief of many, Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss are not involved in House of the Dragon. The co-creators of House of the Dragon are Ryan Condal, a producer and screenwriter best known for the TV series Colony and the movie Rampage, and George R.R. Martin, author of the books that inspired Game of Thrones. Condal and Miguel Sapochnik, who directed six Game of Thrones episodes including the Emmy-winning “Battle of the Bastards,” are the showrunners. (Read more: Go Behind the Scenes of Last Night’s Astonishing Game of Thrones Battle.)
Emmy-winning Game of Thrones and Westworld composer Ramin Djawadi will score the series.
Who is in the cast? Who do they play?
- Paddy Considine plays King Viserys Targaryen, a kind man who has been chosen to rule by the lords of Westeros.
- Olivia Cooke (you might remember her from Ready Player One) is Alicent Hightower, daughter of the Hand of the King.
- Emma D’Arcy plays Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, the king’s first-born child.
- Matt Smith (yes, the Eleventh Doctor) is Prince Daemon Targaryen, younger brother of King Viserys and heir to the throne.
- Steve Toussaint is Corlys Velaryon, aka “The Sea Snake,” lord of a Valyrian bloodline as old as House Targaryen.
- Eve Best is Princess Rhaenys Velaryon, wife to Lord Corlys Velaryon, known as “The Queen Who Never Was” because she was passed over as heir to the throne in favour of her cousin Viserys.
- Rhys Ifans is Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King.
Other cast members include Sonoya Mizuno, Fabien Frankel, Milly Alcock, Emily Carey, Ryan Corr, Jefferson Hall, David Horovitch, Graham McTavish, Matthew Needham, Bill Paterson, and Gavin Spokes.
How can I watch House of the Dragon?
The show will be broadcast on the HBO cable network in the U.S., and available on-demand via the HBO Max streaming service. Both require a subscription.
It’s likely it will be available on Foxtel and/or Binge in Australia.
What other Game of Thrones shows are in the works?
HBO Max is reportedly working on at least three animated shows set in Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” universe, including one focused on the Golden Empire of Yi Ti. (Read more: Game of Thrones May Cross the Narrow Sea With Even More Animated Series.)
HBO was working on another prequel series, which was written by Jane Goldman, starred Naomi Watts, and set thousands of years before the first show. A pilot had been filmed and was in post-production when HBO cancelled the show. Several other rumoured Game of Thrones projects also appear to be cancelled or in limbo.
What if I need even more Game of Thrones in my life?
The inaugural and official Game of Thrones fan convention will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, on February 18-20, 2022, at the Rio Hotel & Suites Convention Centre.
There is also a Game of Thrones broadway show in the works, which will focus on “the Great Tourney at Harrenhal,” an event often referred to in the original TV series and books because it kickstarted the war between Robert Baratheon and the Targaryens.