HBO has announced that it is coming back to the fantasy world of Game of Thrones with another series called House of the Dragon. The series is adapted from Fire and Blood, a book written by the critically acclaimed George R.R. Martin, which depicts the Targaryen dynasty. Unlike its predecessor Game of Thrones, it will portray the events that took place two centuries before the Starks, the Lannisters and the Baratheons emerged. It must be noted that the time period and history of the Westeros kingdom is divided into two parts, one is before Aegon Targaryen’s conquering of Iron Throne and the other after that. Therefore, House of the Dragon is set after House Targaryen took control of the Iron Throne. In the show, viewers will get to see House Targaryen still ruling the kingdom of Westeros. In Game of Thrones the dragons were gone, however, the fans this time will see a different ruling House and large number of dragons. Although, there will be Dance of the Dragon which will culminate in extinction of the dragons.
George R.R. Martin wrote in a blog, “If you’d like to know a bit more of what the show will be about…..well, I can’t actually spill those beans but you might want to pick up a copy of two anthologies I did with Gardner Dozois, Dangerous Women and Rogues, and then move on to Archmaester Gyldayn’s history, Fire and Blood”. Dangerous women is about the Dance of the Dragons, the civil war which created chaos in Westeros before the Game of Thrones whereas Rogues is about the life, marriage and misdoings of Prince Daemon Targaryen and Fire and Blood is two-sections history of the Targaryens.
Ryan Condal and Miguel Sapochnik will be the executive producers. Condal is known for Colony (2016-18) and Hercules (2014) whereas Sapochnik won a Primetime Emmy award in 2016 for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for Game of Thrones’s episode of Battle of the Bastards. Sapochnik will also direct several episodes of House of the Dragon. Emmy nominated Geeta V. Patel will also direct the series. Paddy Considine, known for Dead Man’s Shoes (2004) and Hot Fuzz (2007), will play the character of Viserys Targaryen, Olivia Cooke, best known for Ready Player One (2018) and Bates Motel (2013-17), will play Alicent Hightower whereas Emma D’Arcy of Truth Seekers (2020) fame will portray Rhaenyra Targaryen, Matt Smith, known for Doctor Who (2005) and Last Night in Soho (2021) will play Daemon Targaryen etc.
The time period in which House of the Dragon is based is what sets it apart from GOT and it will give the audience a deep insight into the hierarchy of House Targaryen, something which was not explored in Martin’s fantasy domain. And lastly viewers will get to see wars among dragons.
