Overview
Before Game of Thrones ended its eighth-season run, HBO spent years telling the world that the end of the hit show wouldn't actually be the end. Firstly, the American cable network announced that it was considering five different prequel ideas. It then green-lit one to pilot stage, scrapped it and later picked a contender to run with: the upcoming House of the Dragon. It also opted to give novella series Tales of Dunk and Egg the TV treatment, too, and to work on an animated GoT show. And, it's been reported that another three prequels are also under consideration.
Throughout all of this, GoT fans have been told one thing over and over, even without it being explicitly said. Our days of watching fiery fights between famous Westerosi names — and games over who gets tot sit on the Iron Throne — are far from over, clearly, and won't be for quite some time. And, now that House of the Dragon is getting nearer, dropping teasers and setting release dates (releasing in winter Down Under, when else?), that's glaringly apparent. HBO has just unveiled a new sneak peek at its first GoT spinoff and, yes, all of the basics are covered, including men being unhappy about the idea of a woman on the throne.
Focused on House Targaryen — and including flame-breathing scaly creatures, naturally — House of the Dragon promises to dive into the chaotic family's past. That's intertwined with the entire history of the Seven Kingdoms, though. And, as the new footage makes plain, the prequel knows that everyone watching are all well aware of how things turned out when Daenerys Targaryen claimed power (even if this series — which is based on a George RR Martin book, Fire & Blood, of course — is set a couple of hundred years earlier).
Cast- and character-wise, House of the Dragon stars Emma D'Arcy (Misbehaviour) as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, the first-born child of King Viserys; Matt Smith (His House) as Prince Daemon Targaryen, the King's brother; Rhys Ifans (The King's Man) as Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King; Olivia Cooke (Slow Horses) as Alicent Hightower, Otto's daughter; and Steve Toussaint (It's a Sin) as Lord Corlys Velaryon, aka 'The Sea Snake', a nautical adventurer from a Valyrian bloodline as old as House Targaryen.
These Westerosi folk all grace a tale that harks back to Aegon I Targaryen's conquest of the Seven Kingdoms — which is what started the hefty 738-page first volume in Fire & Blood's planned two-book series — and then works through the family's backstory from there. Aegon I created the Iron Throne, hence the returning favourite's prominence. Also, you don't have to be the Three-Eyed Raven to know that fighting, battles for supremacy and bloodshed are always a part of every GoT narrative.
Popping up on camera as well: Paddy Considine (The Third Day) as King Viserys, Eve Best (Nurse Jackie) as Princess Rhaenys Velaryon and Sonoya Mizuno (Devs) as Mysaria, Prince Daemon's paramour.
Behind the scenes, Miguel Sapochnik and Ryan Condal are acting as the series' showrunners. Sapochnik has a hefty GoT history, winning an Emmy and a Directors Guild Award for directing 'Battle of The Bastards', helming season eight's 'The Long Night', and doing the same on four other episodes. As for Condal, he co-created and oversaw recent sci-fi series Colony, and co-wrote the screenplay for the 2018 film Rampage.
The latest trailer follows an initial sneak peek back in October last year. Given there's still a few months until House of the Dragon's ten-episode first season starts airing, expect more to follow.
That dance with dragons will arrive on Monday, August 22 Down Under, if you don't already have it in your calendar. Foxtel and Binge in Australia and SoHo, Sky Go and Neon in New Zealand will be doing the honours, if you're wondering where to direct your eyeballs.
Check out the latest teaser trailer for House of the Dragon below:
House of the Dragon will start airing on Monday, August 22 Down Under via Foxtel and Binge, in Australia and SoHo, Sky Go and Neon in New Zealand.
Images: Ollie Upton/HBO.