Watch the skies - the dragons are about to land!
HBO's House of the Dragon is the most anticipated prequel to the smashing series Game of Thrones. Since the release of Game of Thrones last season, many spinoffs have been pitched, but only House of the Dragon stood its ground above the rest.
House of the Dragon was co-created by Ryan Condal and George R. R. Martin, the author behind the beloved collection of novels that inspired the entire Game of Thrones franchise.
As House of the Dragon prepares to take its first flight, we are slowly learning more about the series and how it will approach telling the stories of the Targaryens. Steady your dragons and saddle up for everything we know so far about the highly anticipated prequel, House of the Dragon.
House of the Dragon Release Date: When Will House of the Dragon Come Out?
Thronies, rejoice! House of the Dragon landed on HBO and HBO Max on August 21, 2022.
Principal photography for the series was completed in February 2022, and the show is currently in post-production. In one of his blog posts, Martin wrote that he had seen a rough cut of the first episode and loved it, even before they made final edits. This did not really help quell our excitement now, did it?
House of the Dragon will release one month earlier than another awaited series - The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power will premier on September 2, 2022, on Amazon Prime.
House of the Dragon Red Carpet Premiere
The cast of Hous of the Dragon met at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on July 27 for the World Premiere of the show. Deadline posted photos of the stars from the event.
House of the Dragon Cast: Who are the Actors in the House of the Dragon?
House of the Dragon comes with a cast of great English actors. Paddy Considine leads the cast as King Viserys Targaryen, with Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen, heir to the throne. Emma D'Arcy will play Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, the firstborn daughter of the king.
Steve Toussaint will also appear as Lord Corlys "The Sea Snake" Velaryon, along with Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower, and Rhys Ifans will play Otto Hightower, the hand of the king.
Other actors who will join the cast are Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria, Eve Best as Princess Rhaenya Velaryon, and Ryan Corr as Ser Harwin 'Breakbones' Strong, the strongest man in the seven kingdoms.
We can also expect to see Graham McTavish as Ser Harrold Westerling and Jefferson Hall as the twins, Lord Jason Lannister and Ser Tyland Lannister.
There Will Be 17 Dragons
And the dragons, you ask? In an interview with The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of Podcast, Martin said:
"I've always thought this was a cool story, it's one I like, so I'm looking forward to seeing it come alive on screen. And of course I'm looking forward to the dragons. Obviously, I love the dragons. We had three of them in Game of Thrones, but now we got like 17 of them. And hopefully, they'll each have their own personalities, they'll be instantly recognizable when you see them, the colors and all of that because the dragons do have personalities in the books, and it'll be great to see that come alive. And the dragon riders. That's all pretty cool."
In an interview with Empire, showrunner Miguel Sapochnik confirmed that there will be 17 dragons in the series, each with its own distinct personality.
Each new dragon has its own personality. That’s what’s going on now in our last part of the animation – we’re applying personal character traits to each of the dragons. One of them’s got a [bad] leg. Another one’s much more like an eagle, because she’s kind of neurotic. And another one’s like a curmudgeonly old granny.
House of the Dragon Posters
A poster for the show was released on June 22, 2022. It featured Emma D'Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, standing over piles of swords. Princess Rhaenyra stands tall with a dragon behind her. Find the poster here:
As part of the promotions for the series, HBO announced a mobile game where players can hatch their own dragons. When you play this app, you can gain early access to House of the Dragon.
House of the Dragon New Images
The cast members of House of the Dragon had interviews with Entertainment Weekly. In the interview, the cast talked about how they perceived their characters and their experiences when they auditioned and during filming.
Matt Smith and Some Sexy Scenes
In his interview with the Rolling Stones, Matt Smith talks about the many sexy scenes he had to do for the series.
You do find yourself asking, ‘Do we need another sex scene? 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]?’ And I actually think it’s your job to represent the books truthfully and honestly, as they were written.
House of the Dragon Crew: Who are the Creatives Behind the Scenes of House of the Dragon?
House of the Dragon has a star team of creatives working behind the lens.
The showrunners of the show are Miguel Sapochnik and Ryan Condal, while the executive producers are George R. R. Martin, Vince Gerardis, Sara Lee Hess, and Ron Schmidt. Sapochnik, Condal, and Martin worked together to write the show, while composer Ramin Djawadi, who scored Game of Thrones, will return to write the songs for the series.
A New Reign
On July 19, 2022, the official YouTube channel of the Game of Thrones released a video of George R.R. Martin, Ryan Condal, and Miguel Sapochnik talked about the House of the Dragon.
Before the Dance: An Illustrated History
We also get a short history lesson about the Targaryens from George R.R. Martin himself.
Inside the Episode
Condal, Sapochnik, and the rest of the creative crew for House of the Dragon explained the logic behind the first episode of the new Game of Thrones spin-off series. Condal and Sapochnik are apparently already thinking ahead, teasing a potential season 2.
For the second episode of the season, the behind the scenes video explains Rhaenyra's struggle as a woman heir in a patriarchial society.
How did House of the Dragon Perform?
It's too early to say if the prequel will be a hit, but if House of the Dragon's premiere is any indication, it can be an even bigger show than Game of Thrones.
When its first episode was released on August 21, 2022, House of the Dragon had over 10 million viewers tuning in to get to know the Targaryens. Will the show keep the moment going?
House of the Dragon Plot: What Will Happen in House of the Dragon?
House of the Dragon will be loosely based on George R. R. Martin's novel, Fire & Blood, which tells the complete history of the House Targaryen. The events in the series happen 200 years before the Game of Thrones and will tell the story of the Dance of the Dragons - the civil war between Aegon II and Rhaenyra, brother and sister fighting over who will inherit the throne after the death of their father Viserys I.
The History of Westeros
Fire & Blood is a part of the novel series, A Song of Fire and Ice. Martin recently announced that the latest novel in the series, Winds of Winter, will be released in November 2023.
This war is a significant part of the history of Westeros, where we see the kingdom torn apart once more when prominent families join either side. We can expect to see familiar families in the House of the Dragon, such as the Starks and the Lannisters.
During this war, the House Targaryen lost its dragons and were believed to be extinct until Daenerys hatched the three last eggs in Game of Thrones.
House of the Dragon will take fantasy production to a whole new level, perhaps even surpassing the standards Game of Thrones set. With a $20 million budget for every episode, and the availability of new technology, House of the Dragon will pay homage to Game of Thrones while delivering its unique take on the story of the Targaryens.
HBO released a video showing the cast and crew talking about the height of the Targaryen reign.
House of the Dragon Trailer: Where Can I Watch the House of the Dragon Trailer?
HBO released the trailer of the House of the Dragon on October 5, 2021. The trailer shows us glimpses of the House Targaryen and how, through plots and schemes of power, every road leads back to the Iron Throne.
Watch the teaser here:
House of the Dragon Teaser Trailer
HBO released the official teaser trailer of the series on May 5, 2022. Watch the trailer here:
House of the Dragon Official Trailer
Exactly a month before the release date of House of the Dragon, HBO released the official trailer of the series. The trailer gave us sweeping glimpses of Westeros when the House of Targaryen ruled the realm. We learn that King Viserys has to choose a successor between his brother, Prince Daemon, and his daughter, Princess Rhaenyra. A war is waged between members of the family as the Iron Throne beckons to everyone who has a claim.
Watch the official trailer here:
House of the Dragon Extended Trailer
During the 2022 San Diego Comic-Con held from July 21 to July 24, an extended trailer was released for the House of the Dragon.
Episode Previews
Get the latest previews for House of the Dragon.
Weeks Ahead Trailer
A day after the House of the Dragon premiered, HBO gave a taste of the weeks to come through a trailer.
Episode 3 Preview
Here is the preview before the premiere of Episode 3.
Episode 4 Preview
The battle for the throne starts to be more intense in episode 4.
House of the Dragon Where to Watch: Where Can I Watch House of the Dragon?
House of the Dragon is on HBO and HBO Max now that it premiered in August 2022.
Aside from the House of the Dragon, there are other Game of Thrones spinoffs that we may see in the future.
One potential spinoff will tell the story of Corlys Valeryon, who is known to be the greatest seafarer in all of the Seven Kingdoms. Another spinoff in the works is Ten Thousand Ships, which will tell the story of Nymeria, the warrior queen (Arya Stark named her direwolf Nymeria in the Game of Thrones, which is why this name may sound familiar).
House of the Dragon on YouTube
The official YouTube account of House of the Dragon uploaded the first episode of the series. Though it is already available online, the episode may only be available in select countries.
House of the Dragon expands the world of the Game of Thrones and helps us better understand the history of Westeros. Return to this page for more updates as we wait for the gods to flip a coin for the Targaryens - will we get a gentle ruler or a mad king?
ALSO READ: Winds of Winter Release Date 2022: George RR Martin Confirms When Book Will Be Coming Out