Winter Is Coming Again: Everything We Know About the ‘Game of Thrones’ Prequel ‘House of the Dragon’

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Winter Is Coming Again: Everything We Know About the 'Game of Thrones' Prequel 'House of the Dragon'

Dracarys! The Game of Thrones spinoff series House of the Dragon is finally in the works at HBO, giving Westeros obsessives something to look forward to. After canceling one GoT prequel series in late 2019, the network decided to move forward with House of the Dragon, based on George R.R. Martin's 2018 novel Fire & Blood. Following some pandemic-related delays throughout 2020, the show began production in April 2021. "George R.R. Martin’s world is so big, and what’s interesting about it, not only is it big, but he’s got a lot of road maps in terms of history," Casey Bloys, chief content officer for HBO and HBO Max, said at a Television Critics' Association event in February. "So one of the great things about House of the Dragon is that’s an established history that leads you to Game of Thrones the show, and there [are] a lot of little branches." Because this is a prequel, though, none of Thrones' familiar faces will be present — not even the ones who were still living in the series finale, including Arya (Maisie Williams), Sansa (Sophie Turner) and Jon Snow (Kit Harington). [jwplayer ADGIA78S-zhNYySv2] House of the Dragon is set hundreds of years before the events of GoT and focuses on the ancestors of Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke). British actress Emma D'Arcy will take on the role of Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, while Crown alum Matt Smith will play her uncle Prince Daemon Targaryen. Rhaenyra is raised as heir to the throne of Westeros, but because nobody in this universe ever respects the line of succession, her half-brother, Aegon II, challenges her claim. This sets off a civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons, which is what the new show will be about. Other actors rounding out the cast include Eve Best, Paddy Considine, Olivia Cooke, Fabien Frankel, Rhys Ifans, Sonoya Mizuno and Steve Toussaint. They seem to be sworn to secrecy regarding the show's plot, but Cooke, who plays Alicent Hightower, is happy to discuss the original series, which she hadn't watched at all before landing her role. “When I read the script, I hadn’t seen any Game of Thrones,” the Sound of Metal star told Variety in January 2021. “But then I binged it and now I’m obsessed.” In true Thrones fashion, once she got the role, she wasn't allowed to tell anyone about it for two months. “People would ask, ‘What’s up for you next?’ and I’d have to be like, ‘Nothing,'" she recalled. The most important question, of course, is whether there will be dragons. No one involved in the show has confirmed it, but the answer is still probably yes. Within the world of Thrones, Daenerys was famously the first person to ride a dragon in many years, but her ancestors did it all the time. So, these people? Definitely riding dragons. Keep scrolling to read more about House of the Dragon: [podcast_block]

Credit: YouTube

Winter Is Coming Again: Everything We Know About the 'Game of Thrones' Prequel 'House of the Dragon'

Dracarys! The Game of Thrones spinoff series House of the Dragon is finally in the works at HBO, giving Westeros obsessives something to look forward to. After canceling one GoT prequel series in late 2019, the network decided to move forward with House of the Dragon, based on George R.R. Martin's 2018 novel Fire & Blood. Following some pandemic-related delays throughout 2020, the show began production in April 2021. "George R.R. Martin’s world is so big, and what’s interesting about it, not only is it big, but he’s got a lot of road maps in terms of history," Casey Bloys, chief content officer for HBO and HBO Max, said at a Television Critics' Association event in February. "So one of the great things about House of the Dragon is that’s an established history that leads you to Game of Thrones the show, and there [are] a lot of little branches." Because this is a prequel, though, none of Thrones' familiar faces will be present — not even the ones who were still living in the series finale, including Arya (Maisie Williams), Sansa (Sophie Turner) and Jon Snow (Kit Harington). [jwplayer ADGIA78S-zhNYySv2] House of the Dragon is set hundreds of years before the events of GoT and focuses on the ancestors of Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke). British actress Emma D'Arcy will take on the role of Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, while Crown alum Matt Smith will play her uncle Prince Daemon Targaryen. Rhaenyra is raised as heir to the throne of Westeros, but because nobody in this universe ever respects the line of succession, her half-brother, Aegon II, challenges her claim. This sets off a civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons, which is what the new show will be about. Other actors rounding out the cast include Eve Best, Paddy Considine, Olivia Cooke, Fabien Frankel, Rhys Ifans, Sonoya Mizuno and Steve Toussaint. They seem to be sworn to secrecy regarding the show's plot, but Cooke, who plays Alicent Hightower, is happy to discuss the original series, which she hadn't watched at all before landing her role. “When I read the script, I hadn’t seen any Game of Thrones,” the Sound of Metal star told Variety in January 2021. “But then I binged it and now I’m obsessed.” In true Thrones fashion, once she got the role, she wasn't allowed to tell anyone about it for two months. “People would ask, ‘What’s up for you next?’ and I’d have to be like, ‘Nothing,'" she recalled. The most important question, of course, is whether there will be dragons. No one involved in the show has confirmed it, but the answer is still probably yes. Within the world of Thrones, Daenerys was famously the first person to ride a dragon in many years, but her ancestors did it all the time. So, these people? Definitely riding dragons. Keep scrolling to read more about House of the Dragon: [podcast_block]

Credit: Random House Publishing

Consult the Source

Game of Thrones eventually outpaced Martin's writing, but House of the Dragon does have a book to reference — the 2018 novel Fire & Blood, which focuses on the history of House Targaryen. Because it's a George R.R. Martin book it is of course over 700 pages long, but since the show is due out in 2022 at the earliest, devoted fans have plenty of time to catch up. (The author also claims that he's working on a second volume.)

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The Old Guard

Miguel Sapochnik, who directed several GoT episodes — including fan favorites "Hardhome" and "The Battle of the Bastards" — will serve as showrunner alongside Ryan Condal, cocreator of the USA sci-fi series Colony. During the original show's run, Sapochnik was known for helming epic battle scenes using as many non-CGI extras as possible.

“We had a group of extras who were insanely loyal to the show and they were ready and they’d do bloody anything,” he told Indiewire in 2019. “The problem I have with most action scenes today is they are too designed. I can’t shoot this if I can’t create a sustainable environment for my actors to work in. I wanted to create a place, a playground the actors could get so immersed in it that they were in the real thing.”

Credit: Ollie Upton/HBO

New Targaryens

As Targaryens, D'Arcy and Smith sport the same platinum wigs that Clarke wore throughout her time as Daenerys.

Credit: Ollie Upton/HBO

Meet the Hightowers

Cooke and Ifans play Alicent Hightower and Otto Hightower, respectively. House Hightower is not mentioned a ton in the original show, but their seat is in Oldtown — the same city where Samwell Tarly (John Bradley) went to study to become a Maester.

Credit: Ollie Upton/HBO

The Sea Snake

Toussaint plays Corlys Velaryon, also known as the Sea Snake. He is a greatly respected seafarer, which has earned him the Velaryon title Lord of the Tides.

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The Universe Is Expanding

While House of the Dragon moves forward, there are still a handful of other GoT spinoffs in the works. Bloys, however, confirmed in February 2021 that none of these are a lock — yet. “I’ve never wanted to do this with a mandate that you must have three series by this time," he said at a TCA event. “It’s really coming from, would that be interesting, is that good, do we have a writer we believe in. That’s kind of the approach we are taking. I think you have to because if you don’t do that, it would lead to putting shows on for the sake of it.”

Credit: Ollie Upton/HBO

Hitting Pause

In July 2021, production on the prequel was shut down for two days after someone in "Zone A" — which includes leading cast and crew — tested positive for COVID-19, Deadline reported.

Credit: Ollie Upton/HBO

Release Date

After suffering numerous pandemic-related setbacks over the course of filming in 2020 and 2021, HBO announced the prequel will premiere on August 21, 2022. The network also released a new poster for the series that showed a dragon egg about to crack. 

Credit: HBO/YouTube

First Teaser Trailer

The first official teaser for the Targaryen-driven House of the Dragon takes place 200 years before the original Game of Thrones series and introduces fans to Khaleesi’s very blonde ancestors, Prince Daemon Targaryen (Smith) and Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (D’Arcy). “Gods. Kings. Fire. Blood,” the promo, released in October 2021, read.

Credit: HBO

An Alum’s Opinion

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, who starred on Game of Thrones from 2011 to 2019, weighed in on the prequel in October 2021. “I saw the teaser trailer that they came out with and I was intrigued,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. “I thought it was fun to see Matt Smith in that world, in that beautiful white wig. And listen, I’m curious as everyone [to see it].”

He continued: “But it is a very different show. It’s its own show. I just hope it’s great. I hope the success of Game of Thrones won’t get in the way for people when they experience this new show. For us, it took a while for people to get into Game of Thrones. I remember the first season people were saying, ‘[There are] too many characters, I don’t know what’s going on!’ I don’t think they have the luxury we had. They have to start with where we were in, like, season 4 or 5 because that’s what they will be compared to. But I really hope that it’s a massive hit for them.”

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GRRM Approves

In a December 2021 blog post, Martin revealed that he got a sneak peek of the show's pilot — and he was thrilled by what he saw. "I’ve seen a rough cut of the first episode. And loved it," he wrote. "It’s dark, it’s powerful, it’s visceral … just the way I like my epic fantasy. Ryan and Miguel have done an amazing job, and the cast … just as with GAME OF THRONES, most viewers will only have heard of a few of the actors, but I think you are going to fall in love with a lot of them. (Only to have your heart broken later when … but no, that would be telling). I think the Targaryens are in very good hands. Anticipate away. I do not think you will be disappointed." 

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Filming’s Complete

“Exciting news out of London — I am informed that shooting has WRAPPED for the first season of HOUSE OF THE DRAGON. Yes, all 10 episodes." Martin wrote via a February 2022 entry on his LiveJournal blog, noting that he has watched a few “rough cuts” of episodes. “And I'm loving them. Of course, a lot more work needs to be done. Special effects, color timing, score, all the post-production work. But the writing, the directing, the acting all look terrific. I hope you will like them as much as I do.”

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The First Trailer

HBO released the first teaser for the series in May 2022 after brief clips appeared in a general ad for the network. The video begins with narration from Corlys Velaryon (Toussaint), who says, "What is this brief mortal life if not the pursuit of legacy?" The clip then cuts to footage of Daemon Targaryen (Smith) holding a dragon egg. Later, Rhaenys Targaryen (Best) tells young Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock), "Men would sooner put the realm to the torch than see a woman ascend the Iron Throne."

Credit: Courtesy of HBO

Dragons Galore

HBO released an official poster for the show in June 2022, and the image promised plenty of face time with the series' titular creatures. The stunning picture shows Rhaenyra posing in front of her dragon, Syrax, with the caption, "Fire will reign." 

Credit: HBO Max/YouTube

Did the Full Trailer Come Out?

HBO released the nearly three-minute video in July 2022, just before San Diego Comic Con. The teaser makes it clear that Rhaenyra, the firstborn child, wants the throne by birthright, but her uncle Daemon thinks he is the king's heir since Rhaenyra is a girl.

"A woman would not inherit the Iron Throne, because that is the order of things," Rhaenys says.

Rhaenyra gives serious Daenerys vibes when she replies: "When I am queen, I will create a new order."

Credit: Ollie Upton/HBO

Has 'House of the Dragon' Been Renewed for Season 2?

Though HBO has yet to announce a renewal, the creative team is optimistic and already moving forward with season 2 plans. Co-showrunner Ryan Condal told the San Diego Comic Con audience that they were already working on new dragons for the second season. 

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Will George R.R. Martin Make a Cameo?

The author revealed during the SDCC panel that he would not even visit the set until finishing The Winds of Winter, the next book in the Game of Thrones saga (known to readers as A Song of Ice and Fire).

“You may not know but there’s this book that I’m writing, it’s a little late,” Martin joked. “I don’t see me visiting a set or doing anything until I finish and deliver that book.” 

Credit: Courtesy of Ollie Upton/HBO

Will There Be Depictions of Sexual Violence?

Co-showrunner Miguel Sapochnik told The Hollywood Reporter in July 2022 that the series “pulls back” on sexual content but that “violence against women is still very much a part” of the Game of Throne’s world. 

“[We] don’t shy away from it,” he revealed. “If anything, we’re going to shine a light on that aspect. You can’t ignore the violence that was perpetrated on women by men in that time. It shouldn’t be downplayed and it shouldn’t be glorified.”

The following month, however, executive producer Sara Hess clarified to Vanity Fair that sexual violence, in particular, will not be depicted on the show. “We handle one instance off-screen, and instead show the aftermath and impact on the victim and the mother of the perpetrator,” she explained.

“I think what our show does, and what I’m proud of, is that we choose to focus on the violence against women that is inherent in a patriarchal system,” Hess continued. “We don’t shy away from the fact that our female leads in the first half of the show are coerced and manipulated into doing the will of adult men.This is done not necessarily by those we would define as rapists or abusers, but often by generally well-meaning men who are unable to see that what they are doing is traumatic and oppressive, because the system that they all live in normalizes it.”

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The Westeros Way

Ahead of the show's August 2022 premiere, Smith joked that his character, Prince Daemon, indulges his physical needs more than necessary. “You do find yourself asking, ‘Do we need another sex scene?'” he told British Rolling Stone. “And they’re like, ‘Yeah, we do.’ I guess you have to ask yourself: ‘What are you doing? Are you representing the books, or are you diluting the books to represent the time [we’re living in]?’" Asked whether Daemon has a lot of sex scenes, the Crown alum jokingly replied: “Yeah — slightly too much, if you ask me."