“Dreams didn’t make us Kings, dragons did”
Fire and Blood were the words of House Targaryen. Tell ’em, House of The Dragon is coming.
House of The Dragon, set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones tells the story of the Targaryen Dynasty’s triumphs and misfortunes. The HBO prequel to Game of Thrones is the most anticipated show of 2022. When it debuted back in 2011, Game of Thrones was so much more than a television series; it became the biggest show in the world. It was an era of collectively sitting in front of your screens and obsessing over a fictional land called Westeros and its people. Despite its disappointing ending and how things went down for Game of Thrones fans, a spin-off like House of The Dragon gives them the hope to return to the land of Westeros.
The 10-episode HBO series based on George R. R. Martin’s 2018 novel, Fire and Blood, has been making headlines since the announcement of a spin-off. Martin and Ryan Condal (Colony, Hercules) are serving as the co-creators of the series, with Miguel Sapochnik and Condal being the showrunners. The pair will also serve as executive producers along with Martin, Vince Gerardis, Sara Lee Hess, and Ron Schmidt.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Game of Thrones prequel, HBO’s House of The Dragon:
When will House of The Dragon release?
The filming of the series began way back in 2021. According to Deadline and the latest update from HBO, the prequel series has now finished filming and they are currently in discussions with the team behind House of The Dragon to establish when the spinoff fantasy series will premiere, admitting that the network was hesitant to give a date previously owing to the impact of COVID on production. HBO has earlier confirmed that House of Dragon is to premiere sometime in 2022.
House of The Dragon Cast: Who’s in it?
According to the official character descriptions provided by HBO:
- Paddy Considine as King Viserys Targaryen. Viserys was chosen by the lords of Westeros to succeed the Old King, Jaehaerys Targaryen, at the Great Council at Harrenhal. A warm, kind, and decent man, Viserys only wishes to carry forward his grandfather’s legacy, but as we’ve learned from Game of Thrones, good men do not necessarily make for great kings.
- Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower. She’s the daughter of Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King, and the most comely woman in the Seven Kingdoms. She was raised in the Red Keep, close to the king and his innermost circle; she possesses both a courtly grace and a keen political acumen.
- Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen. The king’s first-born child. She is of pure Valyrian blood, and she is a dragonrider. Many would say that Rhaenyra was born with everything…but she was not born a man.
- Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen. The younger brother of King Viserys and heir to the throne, Daemon is a peerless warrior and a dragonrider who possesses the true blood of the dragon. But it is said that whenever a Targaryen is born, the gods toss a coin in the air…
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- Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon aka “The Sea Snake.” The lord of House Velaryon, a Valyrian bloodline as old as House Targaryen, “The Sea Snake,” is the most famed nautical adventurer in the history of Westeros. He built his house into a powerful seat that is even richer than the Lannisters and that claims the largest navy in the world.
- Eve Best as Princess Rhaenys Velaryon. A dragonrider and wife to Lord Corlys Velaryon, “The Queen Who Never Was” was passed over as heir to the throne at the Great Council because the realm favored her cousin, Viserys, simply for being male.
- Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King, who loyally and faithfully serves both his king and his realm. As the Hand sees it, the greatest threat to the realm is the king’s brother, Daemon, and his position as heir to the throne.
- Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria. She came to Westeros with nothing, sold more times than she can recall, and could have wilted…but instead she rose to become the most trusted — and most unlikely — ally of Prince Daemon Targaryen, the heir to the throne.
- Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole. Of Dornish descent, Ser Criston is the common-born son of the steward to the Lord of Blackhaven. He has no claim to land or titles; all he has to his name is his honor and his preternatural skill with a sword.
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- Milly Alcock as Young Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen. She’s the king’s first-born child, of pure Valyrian blood, and she is a dragonrider. Many would say that Rhaenyra was born with everything…but she was not born a man.
- Emily Carey will play Young Alicent Hightower, the daughter of Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King, and the most comely woman in the Seven Kingdoms. Alicent was raised in the Red Keep, close to the king and his innermost circle; she possesses both a courtly grace and a keen political acumen.
- Ryan Corr as Ser Harwin ‘Breakbones’ Strong. Harwin is said to be the strongest man in the Seven Kingdoms. Ser Harwin is the eldest son to Master of Laws Lyonel Strong and heir to Harrenhal.
- Jefferson Hall as twins Lord Jason Lannister and Tyland Lannister. Jason is the Lord of Casterly Rock. Tyland Lannister is a crafty and calculating politician.
- David Horovitch as Grand Maester Mellos. He’s a voice of reason and trusted advisor to King Viserys.
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- Graham McTavish as Ser Harrold Westerling. Ser Harrold has served in the Kingsguard since the days of King Jaehaerys; he is a paragon of chivalry and honor.
- Matthew Needham as Larys Strong. The younger son of Master of Laws Lyonel Strong, he’s brought to court by his father.
- Bill Paterson plays Lord Lyman Beesbury, the Lord of Honeyholt and Master of Coin on King Viserys’s small council.
- Gavin Spokes is Lord Lyonel Strong. He’s Master of Laws to King Viserys and Lord of Harrenhal.
House of The Dragon plot: What’s it about?
House of the Dragon is set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones that led to the fall of the throne. The civil war that happened two centuries ago apparently tore Westores in half.
The teaser shows the conflicts that exist between Rhaenyra, Daemon, and Alicent’s family. The trailer is narrated by Matt Smith’s Daemon, who says “Dreams didn’t make us Kings, dragons did”. It is the dragons who have made the Targaryens powerful, implying that whoever controls the majority of the dragons has a higher chance of winning the deadly civil war.
Where can you watch House of The Dragon?
The show is expected to debut sometime in 2022 on the HBO cable network and will be available to stream on HBO Max.
House of The Dragon Teaser:
