Five Things To Know About ‘House of the Dragon’

The Game of Thrones Prequel Series, House of the Dragon, has started production! Starring Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, and more, here’s what you need to know about the show!

Winter is Coming, GOT fans! At least, that’s what the Game of Thrones Twitter account tweeted on April 14th, 2021.

Winter is coming.

— Game of Thrones (@GameOfThrones) April 14, 2021

Twelve days later, on April 26th, House of the Dragon, the new Game of Thrones prequel series, began production! The 10-episode series stars Paddy Considine, Olivia Cooke, Matt Smith, Emma D’Arcy, and Fabien Frankel. Here are some pics of the cast at their first table read!

Fire will reign #HouseoftheDragon is officially in production. Follow @HouseofDragon for all updates. pic.twitter.com/lc3dhIcm5u

— Game of Thrones (@GameOfThrones) April 26, 2021

Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower.
The @HBO original series #HouseoftheDragon is officially in production and coming to @HBOMax in 2022. pic.twitter.com/FOUBieuhE5

— House of the Dragon (@HouseofDragon) April 26, 2021

Paddy Considine as King Viserys Targaryen.
The @HBO original series #HouseoftheDragon is officially in production and coming to @HBOMax in 2022. pic.twitter.com/ZtS8zpkfS1

— House of the Dragon (@HouseofDragon) April 26, 2021

Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen.
The @HBO original series #HouseoftheDragon is officially in production and coming to @HBOMax in 2022. pic.twitter.com/lZ4ERgAy5H

— House of the Dragon (@HouseofDragon) April 26, 2021

You can check out the official Twitter account for more pics!

There’s no release date yet, but we can expect House of the Dragon to air on HBO in 2022. But for now, here’s what you need to know about the show:

George R.R. Martin will publish Fire and Blood, the 640-page Game of Thrones history book no one asked for, this fall https://t.co/mggx6qtiHJ pic.twitter.com/O4FpcXilBs

— The Verge (@verge) April 25, 2018

It’s Based on George R. R. Martin’s book Fire and Blood

The book House of the Dragon is based on was published in 2018. It’s pretty controversial as some fans think it’s the worst book George R. R. Martin has published, while others think it’s a masterpiece.

10 years ago today we saw for the first (and last) time the whole Stark family together. #GameofThrones pic.twitter.com/aHYmnn3mig

— ; (@househarington) April 18, 2021

It’s Set 300 Years Before Game of Thrones

Don’t expect any familiar faces in this show! Arya, Jon Snow, and all of our favorite Game of Thrones characters don’t make appearances in this book. It takes place three centuries before the main events of GOT. So expect to see a whole new cast of characters!

Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen was the epitome of perfect casting. Anyone who says otherwise is simply wrong. pic.twitter.com/IBCy0rqdaU

— Mother of Madness (@Targ_Nation) April 25, 2021

It Follows House Targaryen

That being said, the show will follow House Targaryen! So we’re looking forward to seeing a fresh take on the Targaryen empire, from their epic dragons, tales of conquest, and of course, the drama that comes with being a Targaryen. The Targaryens are one of the most powerful Houses, descended from an ancient empire in the East. It’s said that when a Targaryen is born, the gods toss the coin of greatness and madness in the air and the world holds its breath to see how it will land.

Aegon, Daenerys, Rhaegar & Viserys. One of these things is not like the other. #GameOfThrones pic.twitter.com/jT2vtZGjAD

— Rotten Vermicious Knid (@haven1406) August 28, 2017

It Features Stories of Iconic Targaryen’s

As an ancient house, the Targaryens have had many powerful rulers. Some of the more notable ones are Aegon the Conqueror and his sister-wives Visenya and Rhaenys. Together they make up a trio that includes a steady ruler, imperial warrior, and dreamy explorer. Two other famous Targaryens are Rhaenyra Targaryen and her half-brother Aegon, who started a Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons years later.

“Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen cheered as the Realm’s Delight and later called the Half-Year Queen, was the first-born child of King Viserys I Targaryen. Rhaenyra was King Viserys I’s only living child by his first wife, Queen Aemma of House Arryn.” – A Wiki of Ice And Fire pic.twitter.com/mj48aHFK1O

— rhaenyra (@RhaenyraDelight) April 21, 2021

The Book Spans 150 Years

How does the book cover all this? Well, it spans 150 years. The book includes 6 stories about the Targaryen house over the years. While we don’t know if the show will include all 6, we can confirm that Viserys Targaryen I (Paddy Considine), Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith), and Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) are the Targaryen’s the show will be focusing on. In other words, House of the Dragon will most likely be focusing on the epic civil war, the Dance of the Dragons.

We cannot wait for more House of the Dragon content as 2022 approaches, and we’re looking forward to finding out more as production continues!

About the Author

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Daniella Baltazar

Daniella Baltazar is a senior at Emerson College currently pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Visual Media Arts Production with a minor in Global and Post-Colonial Studies. She is a spring 2021 intern for AfterBuzz TV and is hoping to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.