House of the Dragonis an upcoming fantasy drama TV series created by George R.R. Martin and Ryan J. Condal for HBO. TheGame of Thronesprequel is based on Martin’s acclaimed 2018 novelFire and Blood. Condal will be showrunner alongside Miguel Sapochnik, who has directed sixGame of Thronesepisodes including the Emmy- and DGA Award-winning “Battle of the Bastards.”
The Upcoming Fantasy Drama TV Series From George R.R. Martin Tells A Story 300 Years Before The Hit HBO Series
It’s already been 10 years since the first season ofGame of Thronesdebuted on HBO. The acclaimed drama series skyrocketed the careers of several actors and won countless awards, so it’s no surprise that multiple spin-off series are in the works. In preparation for the release ofHouse of the Dragon, we circled back for a refresher on everything we know so far.
What’s the Storyline?
George R.R. Martin’sFire & Bloodis set 200 years before the events ofGame of Thronesand tells thestory of House Targaryen. Since the novel has been out for about some time now, we have a pretty good idea of what we can expect in the series. The book picks up with Aegon’s conquest, which marked the very beginning of a new world order and the establishment of King’s Landing.
The end ofFire and Blooddoesn’t lead directly into the events of Game of Thrones, closing out roughly 150 years before the fateful day Robert Baratheon (played by Mark Addy inGame of Thrones) shows up at King’s Landing to enlist Ned StarkSean Beanas Hand of the King. The gap between the end of Fire and Blood and the beginning ofGame of Throneshasn’t been written about in depth, but Martin has said he plans on writingFire and Bloodpart 2 when he’s finished theA Song of Ice and Fireseries.
Game of Thronesfollowed the books closely and with little deviation for the first four seasons, after which substantial changes to the characters and plot were made at least partly due to the source work not being finished at the time. For those reasons, it’s hard to tell how faithfullyHouse of the Dragonwill tell the stories fromFire and Blood.
Who Will Star In The Series?
Given that the upcoming series is a prequel,HBOhas introduced us to an entirely new cast of characters, with familiar faces we might recognize from other HBO shows.
The principal cast starts with Paddy Considine (The Outsider) as King Viserys Targaryen, who was chosen by the lords of Westeros to succeed the Old King, Jaehaerys Targaryen, at the Great Council at Harrenhal. Olivia Cooke (Sound of Metal) plays as Alicent Hightower, the daughter of Otto Hightower, aka the Hand of the King. We’ll meet Emma D’Arcy (Hanna) as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, the king’s first-born child.
Matt Smith (The Crown) co-stars as Prince Daemon Targaryen. the younger brother of King Viserys and heir to the throne. Steve Toussaint (Doctor Who) plays Lord Corlys Velaryon, aka “The Sea Snake” and lord of House Velaryon - a Valyrian bloodline as old as House Targaryen.
Eve Best (Stan Lee’s Lucky Man) appears as Princess Rhaenys Velaryon, a dragonrider and wife to Lord Corlys Velaryon. Rhys Ifans (Berlin Station) plays Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King. Sonoya Mizuno (Devs) plays Mysaria, who came to Westeros with nothing and becomes a trusted ally of the heir to the throne. The rest of the recently announced cast can be viewed on HBO’s website.
Where Is The Show Being Filmed?
Principal photography began in April in the U.K. - more specifically, Cornwall, England. According to Production List, parts of the first season are also being produced in Spain and Los Angeles.
When Will The Show Be Released?
House of the Dragon will debut with a ten-episode season sometime in 2022. Unfortunately, HBO has not yet announced a release date. On Oct. 5, the teaser trailer finally dropped.
How ManyGame Of ThroneSpin-Offs Are There?
As HBO continues to plot an expansion of itsGame of Thronesuniverse, more clues emerge about what directions the expansion could go. According toDeadline, HBO is developing a trio of ideas for new projects set within George R.R. Martin’s fictional world.
One series would be based around the 9 Voyages, aka the great voyages at sea made by Corlys Velaryon (played by Toussaint inHouse of the Dragon) aboard the Sea Snake ship. There is also a project set in Flea Bottom, which is the poorest slum district in King’s Landing and featured in the first four seasons ofGame of Thrones. Lastly, there is a show based around the 10,000 Ships , a reference to the journey made by warrior queen Princess Nymeria and the surviving members of the Rhoynars. Arya Stark (played by Maisie Williams) had named her direwolf after Nymeria inGame of Thrones.
