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House Of The Dragon Season 2 Script Status Confirmed By Matt Smith


Matt Smith reveals that he just received his scripts for House of the Dragon season 2. The Game of Thrones prequel series adapted from George R.R. Martin's novel Fire & Blood was a roaring success when HBO aired it in 2022. Even though it takes place hundreds of years before Game of Thrones and the birth of Daenerys Targaryen, the first House of the Dragon episode remains the most-watched premiere in HBO history, even more than the premiere of HBO's other current juggernaut series, The Last of Us.

While speaking at the Middle East Film and Comic Con in Abu Dhabi (as shown on Reddit), Smith shared that he just received his season 2 scripts and that they came in late.




It is unclear from Smith's comments whether receiving the scripts later than expected will have any impact on the House of the Dragon season 2 release or production. Read Smith's comments below:

"I got all the scripts on Friday, actually. They're late, they're really late. It's always the way, isn't it? They always come in so late."

What We Know About House Of The Dragon Season 2


The House of the Dragon season 2 renewal was announced after the record-breaking viewership for the series premiere. Casey Bloys, the content CEO for HBO and HBO Max, had "a good guess" about a House of the Dragon season 2 release date in 2024. It is expected to be a later 2024 release based on further comments from Bloys that season 2 wouldn't be eligible for the 2024 Emmy Awards, whose eligibility for nominations ends on May 31 of that year.

After House of the Dragon season 1 set the Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of Dragons into motion, season 2 will continue that story as the "greens" support Rhaenyra Targaryen's claim to the Iron Throne and the "blacks" support Aegon II Targaryen's claim. In addition to Smith reprising his House of the Dragon role as Daemon Targaryen, many other actors from season 1 will reprise their roles, including Emma D'Arcy as Rhaenyra, Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower, Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower, and Tom Glynn-Carney as Aegon II.

House of the Dragon season 2 is expected to deal with the fallout of Rhaenyra's second-eldest son Lucerys dying at the hands of Alicent's son Aemon (Ewan Mitchell) and his dragon Vhagar. Those familiar with the source material know that many more tragic events are on their way and that the scope of the story will widen beyond King's Landing and Dragonstone in season 2, especially with Rhaenyra's eldest son Jacaerys going to Winterfell and the Vale to seek support from House Stark and House Arryn. More House of the Dragon season 2 updates are sure to be announced as 2024 draws closer.

Source: Middle East Film and Comic Con/Reddit
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Why House of the Dragon's Otto Hightower Remains a Threat


When HBO's House of the Dragon began its political game for King Viserys' Iron Throne, it wasn't surprising to see his more qualified brother Daemon angling for power along with Corlys Velaryon. As the war to take the Stepstones illustrated, they didn't think Viserys was strong or cutthroat enough to lead Westeros. Rhaenyra being deemed successor further complicated the matter because the other lords of the realm weren't totally sold on a woman ruling.

However, there was one other key player involved in this power struggle: Otto Hightower, the King's Hand. He was a lot more subtle, making moves so that his daughter Alicent would marry Viserys. While Season 1, Episode 4, "King of the Narrow Sea" involved Otto being punished for his scheming, he's not completey out of the picture yet.



Otto knew what he was doing when he had Alicent comfort the king following Queen Aemma's death. He hoped once Alicent was made queen, she'd bear male heirs and by extension the Hightower bloodline would sit on the throne. But he never made it obvious to his king that he wanted a bigger say in the ruling of Westeros -- until the over-ambitious Otto exposed Daemon and Rhaenyra's time at a brothel, sullying their name. While Viserys would banish Daemon for his betrayal and promise his daughter to Corlys' son Laenor, he took the information personally and fired Otto on Rhaenyra's insistence.

However, Otto still has Alicent and her son Aegon to use as trump cards. Sure, he might be excommunicated from the palace now, but Otto can continue to manipulate his daughter, reminding her that he was cast aside for reporting the truth and protecting the crown. By poisoning her against Rhaenyra, Otto can push Alicent to convince Viserys that Aegon should lead.



But the impending civil war is making Alicent more aware of what it takes to survive the royal court. She does have her husband's ear since she helped him through a tough time. So once she reminds Viserys that Rhaenyra and Corlys' clan -- both parties who have disobeyed the king -- are liabilities, the kingdom could end up in Hightower hands. It would simply be a different Hightower accomplishing the same goal.

Alicent would keep the strength of their Hightower bloodline going, fully cognizant of how the children she sires will be viewed by others eyeing the crown. While Littlefinger died at Arya Stark's hand and never got to see the fruit of his labor in Game of Thrones, Otto has a protective, mindful Alicent to do his dirty work -- which means that despite having no power himself, he's still very much a problem for Viserys and the rest of House of the Dragon's characters.


House of the Dragon airs Sundays at 9:00 p.m. on HBO and streams on HBO Max.


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House Of The Dragon Properly Uses A Big Game Of Thrones Location

Warning: contains SPOILERS for House of the Dragon.


Just two episodes in, House of the Dragon is already properly utilizing a location that was introduced in Game of Thrones. Dragonstone is the seat of House Targaryen, acting as Casterly Rock and Winterfell do for the Lannisters and the Starks, respectively. In Game of Thrones, Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dillane) ruled Dragonstone until his death. Shortly afterward, Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) reclaimed the seat for her house.

By the time the location is shown in Game of Thrones, Dragonstone is a deserted island with an empty castle, owing to the fact that the Targaryens are reduced down to Daenerys and Jon Snow (Kit Harington). It isn't nearly as lively and significant of a location as it is during House of the Dragon's time when the Targaryens ruled Westeros. The Targaryens settled on Dragonstone when they escaped to Westeros under the guidance of Daenys Targaryen's dream prophesying the Doom of Valyria. Their seat remained on the island while Aegon the Conquerer, Westeros' first Targaryen king, united six of the seven kingdoms.

House of the Dragon is starting to not only show Dragonstone's full scope, but also its significance to House Targaryen. Furthermore, being that House of the Dragon is a Targaryen-centric story, Dragonstone will play a bigger part in the show itself. Game of Thrones only used Dragonstone as a base for Stannis and Daenerys. Meanwhile, House of the Dragon will show how Dragonstone is also a location of political leverage and grand scale.

Dragonstone Will Be Very important To House of the Dragon's Story


Dragonstone is going to be shown much more frequently in House of the Dragon in a number of ways due to its major significance to House Targaryen, which can already be displayed in episode 2. When ordered to return to his wife in the Vale, Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) instead flees to Dragonstone as an act of defiance. Daemon's move becomes even more offensive to the crown when considering the fact that upon coming of age, Princess Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock) will be the ruler of Dragonstone, which is her right and duty as King Viserys' (Paddy Considine) chosen successor. Dragonstone is already being treated as more than a settling point for its characters. It's a place with political significance and claims that can be manipulated by character motivations.

Dragonstone is also the home of the Targaryens' dragons outside of Kings Landing's Dragonpit. House of the Dragon shows that Caraxes has remained on Dragonstone with his rider Daemon, threatening Otto Hightower and company by revealing himself among the high rocks. While Caraxes is mainly there because he delivered Daemon to the island, Dragonstone's active volcano also serves as an ideal spot for Westeros' dragons. The history of Dragonstone details that both wild and domesticated dragons like to establish lairs there. In fact, before Dragonstone, so many dragons were discovered in Valyria mainly due to its chain of volcanoes known as the Fourteen Flames. Being that Dragonstone is a place of great significance in Westeros, House of the Dragon should adequately be able to develop the location more than Game of Thrones. Dragonstone's significance as established in episode 2 is only going to grow as House of the Dragon continues.


New episodes of House of the Dragon release Sundays on HBO/HBO Max.

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House of the Dragon Episode 2 Release Date & Time


House of the Dragon Episode 2 is bringing more action to fans.

Last week, the much-anticipated Game of Thrones prequel series debuted, bringing the dragons back on screen besides putting the usual George R.R. Martin compelling story on display. The House of the Dragon premiere drew some impressive numbers as it quickly became the most-watched series launch of all time at HBO. It is already time for more drama involving princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) and the Seven Kingdoms.


When to Watch House of the Dragon Episode 2


House of the Dragon Episode 2 will premiere on HBO and HBO Max at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on Sunday, Aug. 28. Directed by Greg Yaitanes and written by Ryan Condal, the next installment is called “The Rogue Prince.” Most likely, the episode will follow what happened to Daemon Targaryan (Matt Smith) after his brother, king Viserys I (Paddy Considine), banished him from the court. Interestingly, Martin also wrote a short story of the same name published in 2014, focusing on the relationship between Daemon and Viserys. Based on Martin’s Fire & Blood, House of the Dragon follows the rise and the downfall of the Targaryens, the only family of dragonlords to survive the Doom of Valyria.

The House of the Dragon cast also features Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, and Sonoya Mizuno. Additionally, Milly Alcock, Emily Carey, Graham McTavish, Ryan Corr, Jefferson Hall, David Horovitch, Matthew Needham, Bill Patterson, Gavin Spokes, Wil Johnson, John Macmillan, Savannah Steyn, and Theo Nate.


House of the Dragon hails from Martin, Ryan Condal, and Game of Thrones director Miguel Sapochnik. Condal and Sapochnik are also attached to serve as showrunners. Executive producers are Martin, Sapochnik, Condal, Vince Gerardis, and Sara Lee Hess. Game of Thrones and Westworld composer Ramin Djawadi returns for the series.

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'House of the Dragon': A Song of Ice and Fire Prophecy, Explained


House of the Dragon, HBO's new Game of Thrones prequel series, tells a pivotal story of the first woman to sit on the Iron Throne. After the death of Queen Aemma Arryn (Sian Brooke) and her newborn son, King Viserys I Targaryen (Paddy Considine) decides to name his daughter, Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock), the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms. Viserys knows that Rhaenyra will offer a more level-headed direction than his rightful successor. His brother and Rhaenyra's uncle, Daemon (Matt Smith), already threatens to thrust King’s Landing into chaos with his violent leadership of the City Watch. However, this new role comes with responsibility. In the end of the pilot episode, “The Heirs of the Dragon,” Viserys tells his daughter about a prophecy that Game of Thrones fans already know by heart.

A Song of Ice and Fire isn’t just the name of George R.R. Martin’s book series; it’s the central argument in House Targaryen’s stake for the Iron Throne. As Viserys explains to Rhaenyra, every Targaryen ruler since Aegon the Conqueror has had to learn about the conflict that lies in the future of their family. Aegon had a prophetic vision that generations later, a terrible winter would begin and thrust the Seven Kingdoms into darkness. The only way for Westeros to survive is to unite under a Targaryen ruler that sits on the Iron Throne.

Aegon is the renowned ruler who helped pave the way for House Targaryen to lead the seven realms. His legacy is well-known within the Game of Thrones universe; Viserys delivers his words of warning to Rhaenyra underneath the skeleton of Aegon’s dragon, Balerion the Black Dread. Both Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) and her brother, Viserys (Harry Lloyd), refer to their ancestor’s adventures with his dragons during Game of Thrones. The House of the Dragon pilot offers only a brief glimpse of the dragons themselves, but it’s safe to assume that there is much more dragon content in the immediate future.


The prophecy saddles Rhaenyra with the role of protecting the kingdom from an impending threat. It’s unclear if we will see any signs of the undead in House of the Dragon, but Game of Thrones reveals that this “terrible winter” is a reference to the rise of the Night King and the White Walkers in the area of the North that lies beyond the Wall. White Walkers haven’t been seen in Westeros since a thousand years before the events of House of the Dragon, but rumors persist that this mysterious army of the dead still exists.

Interestingly enough, HBO had previously commissioned another spinoff, Bloodmoon, that focused on the first war with the White Walkers in the “Age of Heroes.” So far, House of the Dragon seems to be focused on the line of the prophecy that refers to a Targaryen leader. However, it’s not quite clear which Targaryen will win the “Game of Thrones.” Will Rhaenyra ascend to her father’s throne, or will Daemon take the role for himself? What about Princess Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best), who was denied the throne when King Jaehaerys named Viserys as his heir? There’s also the Hand of the King, Ser Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), who wants to wed his daughter, Alicent (Emily Carey), to the King. If Alicent bears a male child, his claim could be seen as more viable. Viserys broke from tradition when he named a female successor.


The “A Song of Ice and Fire” prophecy becomes central within Jon Snow’s (Kit Harington) story arc in Game of Thrones. Jon is sent to join the Night’s Watch to protect the North from exterior threats in the Game of Thrones pilot, aptly titled “Winter is Coming.” However, it is later revealed that Jon will have to fulfill both parts of the prophecy. Although Ned Stark (Sean Bean) has claimed Jon as his bastard son, this was a lie to cover up Jon’s Targaryen heritage. Jon is actually the son of Ned’s sister, Lyanna (Aisling Franciosi), and Rhaegar Targaryen (Wilf Scolding), the son of the “Mad King” killed during Robert Baratheon’s (Mark Addy) rebellion, leaving Jon to inherit the Iron Throne. However, Jon’s existence has been shrouded in secrecy. With Rhaegar leaving no apparent heir, his younger brother Viserys sees himself as the rightful ruler. Viserys perishes early on in Game of Thrones, but Daenerys continues his quest.

One of the chief criticisms that Game of Thrones fans had with Season 8 is that Jon never gets to fulfill the prophecy that is so central to his lineage, passed over as the heir to the Iron Throne. Apparently, no one has “a better story” than Jon’s cousin, Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead Wright), and “Bran the Broken” is named as the new King. While Jon may be venturing off into the North, it doesn’t sound like Game of Thrones fans have seen his last adventure. Currently, a sequel series following Jon’s exploits after the end of Season 8 is in development, with Harington set to reprise his Emmy-nominated role.

House of the Dragon premieres new episodes every Sunday on HBO and HBO Max.

 

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House of the Dragon S1E1 Release Time & Date in the USA All Time Zones


House of the Dragon is all set to be released on 21st August in the United States. After a long wait of more than 3 years, the fans can finally have some relief with their favorite show coming back to life.


In the United States, House of the Dragon will be released on 21st August. The release time may vary due to the timing difference across the United States. Read on to know more about the release time of House of the Dragon in the United States.

House of the Dragon Episode 1 Release Time in the United States

The release time and date of House of the Dragon from the United States Eastern time to Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time is as follows:


Eastern Daylight Time

According to the Eastern Time (ET), House of the Dragon S1E1 will release at 09:00 PM on the 21st of August.


Central Daylight Time

According to the Central Daylight Time, House of the Dragon S1E1 will release at 08:00 PM on the 21st of August.


Mountain Daylight Time

According to the Mountain Daylight Time, House of the Dragon S1E1 will release at 07:00 PM on the 21st of August.


Mountain Standard Time

According to the Mountain Standard Time, House of the Dragon S1E1 will release at 06:00 PM on the 21st of August.


Pacific Daylight Time

According to the Pacific Daylight Time (PT), House of the Dragon S1E1 will release at 06:00 PM on the 21st of August.


Alaska Daylight Time

According to the Alaska Daylight Time, House of the Dragon S1E1 will release at 05:00 PM on the 21st of August.


Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time

According to the Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time, House of the Dragon S1E1 will release at 03:00 PM on the 21st of August.


In the United States, House of the Dragon will exclusively stream on HBO Max.

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House of the Dragon S1E1 Release Time – Australia

The first episode of House of the Dragon is all set to be released on 22nd August in Australia. For the unversed, the House of the Dragon show is a prequel to the Game of Thrones.

The events in House of the Dragon take place 300 years before the Game of Thrones. Read on to know more about the release time of episode 1 of House of the Dragon in Australia.

House of the Dragon Season 1 Episode 1 Release Time & Date in Australia

The release time of House of the Dragon from Australia’s Western Standard Time to Eastern Standard Time:


House of the Dragon Release Time in AWST

The first episode of House of the Dragon will release at 09:00 AM on the 22nd of August according to the Australian Western Standard Time (AWST).


House of the Dragon Release Time in ACST

The first episode of House of the Dragon will release at 10:30 AM on the 22nd of August according to the Australian Central Standard Time (ACST).


House of the Dragon Release Time in AEST

The first episode of House of the Dragon will release at 11:00 AM on the 22nd of August according to the Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST).

Where to Watch House of the Dragon Season 1 Episode 1 in Australia?

The House of the Dragon S1E1 will release exclusively on Foxtel in Australia. So if you have an active paid subscription to Foxtel, you will be able to watch House of the Dragon S1E1.

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House of the Dragon S1E1 Release Time & Date – India

House of the Dragon is an upcoming adventure fantasy drama series. A prequel to the popular drama series Game of Thrones (GoT), House of the Dragons is set 300 years before the events shown in GoT.

Season 1 of the House of the Dragon show will comprise 10 episodes. Here’s looking at the release time of the House of the Dragon series in India.

House of the Dragon Season 1 Episode 1 Release Time & Date in India
In India, House of the Dragon S1E1 will release on the 22nd of August at 06:30 AM IST early in the morning.

House of the Dragon show will have a global release at the same time. This means that even though the release time may vary in countries due to the time difference, episode 1 will come out globally at a common time.

Also Read: Where To Watch House of the Dragon in India? Details Inside

Will House of the Dragon be on Disney+ Hotstar in India?
It was earlier speculated that HBO Max, the producer of House of the Dragon, will launch a platform in India and release it in HBO Max the same way it releases in the United States. Due to an agreement, all HBO shows will be released on Disney+ Hotstar in India till at least 2025. Hence we conclude that House of the Dragon will be released on Disney+ Hotstar.


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House of the Dragon Star Compares King Viserys To GoT's Ned Stark


King Viserys actor Paddy Constantine compares his House of the Dragon character to Ned Stark from Game of Thrones. Set hundreds of years before the events of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon chronicles the tumultuous events of the Targaryen civil war. Like its predecessor, House of the Dragon is based on the books by author George R. R. Martin but features new showrunners in the form of Ryan Condal and Miguel Sapochnik. The highly-anticipated prequel show is set to premiere on HBO on August 21st.

Previous House of the Dragon trailers have teased some of what's to come when the show releases, including providing a closer look at its many new characters. Due to its setting and time period, House of the Dragon doesn't feature any returning characters from Game of Thrones, instead boasting a sprawling and talented new ensemble. In addition to Constantine, House of the Dragon stars Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Emma D'Arcy, Eve Best, Steve Toussaint, Rhys Ifans, Sonoya Mizuno, Milly Alcock, and Fabien Frankel, among others. Game of Thrones was renowned for its complex and flawed characters, with many fans hoping to see House of the Dragon's new cast continue this trend.

As part of a roundtable interview that Screen Rant attended, Constantine reveals more about his character, King Viserys, and compares the new ruler to Sean Bean's beloved Ned Stark. Constantine explains that Ned makes up part of the foundation of Viserys in his mind, describing Viserys as a ruler always trying to do the right thing. The actor calls Constantine a "peacetime king" who ultimately enters a tragic downward spiral after the death of his son, Aemma, and his father, Baelon. Check out Constantine's full comments below:


"Ned Stark - what Sean [Bean] did - was sort of in my head when I played this, which is kind of weird. It was part of the makeup for me of Viserys. 

 But he's not a simple man, Viserys. And I think it's the situations around him that create the complications for him. But I think he's a deeply tragic man, in that he's just trying to always do the right thing. It's almost like everything in his life has gone really, really well—and there's almost a naivety to him. He's a peacetime king; he very much loves inheriting that from Jaehaerys, and he's a good student of old Valyria, and all these things. His temperament is good— he's almost like a perfect king. And then I think he starts to spiral when those tragic events transpire. He loses Aemma and his son—he's lost sons in the past, but he loses Aemma—and that's the big devastation. 

He loses her and then loses Baelon. That's the thing that starts his psychological spiral, if you like. But I think all Viserys ever wanted to do was make the right decision, and you can't do that. You can't please everybody, as a ruler—you can't please everybody as a person, but especially as a ruler. And I think he suffers in that people think his kindness is weakness."



As many viewers will remember, Bean's character did not have a happy ending in Game of Thrones season 1, having been beheaded at the behest of the sadistic King Joffrey. The scene cemented the idea that kind and just characters in Game of Thrones are ripe for surprise deaths at the hands of the cunning and selfish, as Ned's demise proved just the beginning of a series of shocking character losses. While Constantine's comments don't reveal the eventual fate of King Viserys, he does stress that the character is a "deeply tragic man," hinting that it's unlikely he will have a happy ending, like Bean's Ned before him.


Of course, Constantine's comments don't mean King Viserys will experience a shocking death similar to that of Ned in Game of Thrones. The actor makes clear that, while King Viserys starts off as a somewhat naive, kind ruler, the unfortunate events in his life could ultimately change him for the worse. It remains to be seen how House of the Dragon's King Viserys will compare to the fan-favorite Ned Stark in Game of Thrones but, thankfully, there is not much longer to wait before the exciting new prequel series releases on HBO to build out Martin's fantasy world.
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House of the Dragon Crew Was on High Alert for Starbucks Cups


 The showrunners of House of the Dragon admit that they were on high alert for Starbucks cups on set to avoid a major Game of Thrones mistake. House of the Dragon is a prequel to the hit HBO fantasy series, which aired for eight seasons from 2011 through 2019. The new series, which premieres on HBO on August 21, 2022 with a 10-episode season 1, is based on George R.R. Martin's 2018 book Fire & Blood and takes place two centuries before Game of Thrones, following an impactful Targaryen civil war. The cast of the show includes Paddy Considine, Emma D'Arcy, Olivia Cooke, Steve Toussaint, and former Doctor Who star Matt Smith.

Although Game of Thrones was a blockbuster show with a huge budget and crew for every episode, they still couldn't avoid their share of bloopers. One of the most notorious mistakes the show ever made was in season 8 episode 4, "The Last of the Starks." During one scene, a Starbucks cup can be seen resting on the table in front of Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), a fact that surfaced online more or less immediately after the premiere of the episode. This led to a cavalcade of memes and jokes about how the modern beverage made its way into the fantasy realm of Westeros.

THR had the opportunity to speak with co-showrunners Ryan Condal and Miguel Sapochnik at the premiere of House of the Dragon, which took place last week. They joke about the Starbucks blooper, acknowledging that all shows have their own mistakes and that it only blew up because of the popularity of Game of Thrones. However, Condal admits they had a "a very heavily policed set" with "lots of Starbucks-hunting," prompting Sapochnik to joke that viewers can win a cup of coffee if they spot Starbucks cups that have been digitally painted out. Read their full quotes below:


Condal: [We had] a very heavily policed set — there was lots of Starbucks-hunting going on. We always joked around about it, that we were going to make Starbucks goblets so at least they fit in the scene.

Sapochnik: [We left coffee cups] everywhere we could so that later on we could paint them out digitally. See if you can see where the Starbucks cups were that we removed digitally after the fact, and if you can find one, there is a prize. A cup of coffee.




Although the Starbucks cup in Game of Thrones was later revealed to belong to Lord Varys actor Conleth Hill, it is still closely linked to Daenerys in the public perception, due to her being seated right in front of it. For this reason, it was probably extra wise for the crew to be vigilant about the intrusion of modern articles. She was long believed to be the last of the Targaryen bloodline, and should another Starbucks cup appear in the new series, the avalanche of memes comparing Daenerys to her ancestors would be truly overwhelming.

While it is important for House of the Dragon to avoid major blunders like the Starbucks cup, it would be interesting to see how the public would react to a similar blooper in the new series. With public opinion having soured on the final season of Game of Thrones, the prequel has some ground to cover to capture such an obsessive fandom. It would certainly be a viable litmus test as to how well the new series is being received compared to the original series.
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HBO's House of the Dragon Unleashes a Fiery New Trailer



HBO debuted a new look at House of the Dragon.

The trailer focuses on the titular family which is slowly being torn apart by the Iron Throne. The video places special attention on Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) and Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) both of whom have desires to eventually take over the realm from King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine). Several new shots of the house's intimidating dragons were showcased, highlighting the devastating power that Game of Thrones fans know only too well.





House of the Dragon is based on George R.R. Martin's novel Fire and Blood, which serves as a prequel to the A Song of Ice and Fire series. Set hundreds of years before Game of Thrones, HBO's latest fantasy series will chronicle the beginning of the end of House Targaryen, culminating in the much-discussed civil war known as the "Dance of the Dragons."

While excitement for the fantasy series is still mounting, many fans are still wary of House of the Dragon. Following what many considered to be a disastrous final season of Game of Thrones, some viewers are skeptical regarding the spinoff. Addressing audiences who may be worried that the Targaryen-focused show may retread similar ground, Smith reassured fans that House of the Dragon is its own thing.

"We're trying to make a show that's entertaining on lots of different levels and has a similar scope and ambition to the previous show, in many respects," Smith said. "But obviously, you're never going to be able to re-create the success of Game of Thrones, because that was a very particular point in time. It was its own unique entity."

Ryan Corr, who stars in House of the Dragon as Ser Harwin 'Breakbones' Strong, explained that while the spinoff won't feature any of the characters Game of Thrones fans may recognize, the show will still be able to match its progenitor's epic scale. "The sheer size of it was something I was amazed by," Corr explained. "When you are walking into operational sets with actual jousting tournaments and full-level scale castles with fire cauldrons hanging on the roof, it’s a pretty incredible place to be. It’s like walking into a live Shakespeare play."

House of the Dragon debuts on HBO on Aug. 21.

Source: YouTube

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'House of the Dragon' Showrunners Compare the Targaryens to the Jedi


The Hollywood Reporter has released the first part of its piece chronicling the behind-the-scenes story and development of the upcoming prequel series to HBO's highly successful Game of Thrones series exploring the history and the civil war of House Targaryen, House of the Dragon. This new article involved interviews with many members of the teams behind the upcoming series and its source material as it explores the history of the series, from its inception and pitches to discussing the pressure of having to step up and not only create what would have been HBO's first ever spin-off series, but also a series that is filling the hole left by something as huge as Game of Thrones. Two very interesting tidbits from this article, however, came when some of the people behind House of the Dragon made a few comparisons to Star Wars, both in reference to the characters of the upcoming series, but also in the series' importance to HBO.


The Reporter's piece opens with a conversation between the two House of the Dragon showrunners Ryan Condal, who also will serve as a writer on the series, and one of the series' directors Miguel Sapochnik about the naming of the dragons. Sapochnik made the suggestion that a few of the names be changed, to which Condal vehemently refused, solidifying the production's stance on being extremely loyal to the source material. Condal explains why taking this stance was so important, explaining both his love for the series by George R.R. Martin and the importance of the Targaryens in the history of the universe. He compares them to the Jedi of Star Wars, this group of people that, in the original trilogy prior to the prequels, were super powerful, yet the audience only got the smallest look at masters from the time of their height of power before the Empire. Similar to going back and showing the Jedi, Condal expresses how much people want to see House Targaryen:

“I’ve been a fan of these books for 20 years. I was a fan of Game of Thrones — I watched the pilot the night it aired on HBO and every episode after. You can’t follow Thrones, it’s the Beatles. I’m setting out as a fan to make the thing I want to see, and I’m happy with what we’ve achieved. The Targaryens are like the Jedi in Star Wars, where you heard about this time when they were plentiful and powerful and always wanted to see that. And now you get to.”

Robert Greenblatt, then chairman of HBO’s parent company WarnerMedia, also made reference to the space opera from a galaxy far, far, away, more specifically, the Disney+ series The Mandalorian. This was not a comparison made in terms of the series' plot, characters, or overall story, but rather in their importance to their respective streaming services. When House of the Dragon was first given the greenlight in 2019, it was ordered straight to series as HBO wanted a series that could serve as The Mandalorian equivalent for their then-upcoming streaming service, HBO Max.



“I put a lot of pressure on everybody for this to happen as soon as humanly possible,” says Greenblatt. “We all knew Disney+ launched with The Mandalorian. We didn’t have any big piece of IP that would be ready, but at least we’d have Dragon coming down the pipe and that would be important to the world at large. And I couldn’t think of a better piece of IP almost anywhere that deserved to be developed and multiplied.”

House of the Dragon is based on Martin's 2018 prequel novel Fire & Blood. Condal, Sapochnik, and Martin also serve as executive producers on the series alongside writer Sara Hess, director Greg Yaitanes, Jocelyn Diaz, Vince Gerardis, and Ron Schmidt. Other directors that will serve on the show include Clare Kilner and Geeta V. Patel. The stars of the upcoming series' ensemble cast include Eve Best as Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, Emma D'Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen, Paddy Considine as King Viserys Targaryen, Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower, Olivia Cooke as Otto’s daughter, Allicent; Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon, Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole; and Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria. Additional cast members include Milly Alcock, Bethany Antonia, Phoebe Campbell, Emily Carey, Harry Collett, Ryan Corr, Tom Glynn-Carney, Jefferson Hall, David Horovitch, Wil Johnson, John Macmillan, Graham McTavish, Ewan Mitchell, Theo Nate, Matthew Needham, Bill Paterson, Phia Saban, Gavin Spokes, and Savannah Steyn.

House of the Dragon is set to premiere on HBO and HBO Max on August 21. Check out the trailer below:

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House of the Dragon May Provide Context For Daenerys' Madness


House of the Dragon will be one of the latest series from HBO and the first spin-off of the massive hit Game of Thrones. There is some reluctance for this series mixed in with the excitement because of the way that Game of Thrones ended. One of the biggest errors for some people was how quickly and ruthlessly Daenerys Targaryen fell into madness. There is some hope that House of the Dragon will be able to offer some additional insight into the Targaryens and their family's curse.

House of the Dragon will follow House Targaryen during a high point in their reign, about 300 years before the events of Game of Thrones. The politics of the Seven Kingdoms will be on full display along with blood and dragon fire. Daenerys was not the first Targaryen to go mad, it runs in their family. The Targaryens are known to be quite mad, with the last Targaryen King before Robert Baratheon, King Aerys II, wanting to burn everyone alive. House of the Dragon can further develop this aspect of the Targaryens since there will be so many of them in the series.


It's argued that in the final season of Game of Thrones, Daenerys' descent into madness felt unearned and somewhat rushed. While there is some evidence throughout the series of her slow decline into rage and madness, it does become very accelerated as the show closes out. This leads to the question of why do the Targaryens go mad? Is it their connections to dragons, or simply they're corrupted by absolute power? Daenerys endured a lot of suffering on her path to power, she may have relished in tormenting the people that she saw were responsible. House of the Dragon can show where this curse comes from by exploring more Targaryens.

There will be several notable Targaryens in House of the Dragon. These include King Viserys, Prince Daemon and Princess Rhaenyra. With so many members of House Targaryen present in the series, it may be easier to see the seeds of madness that are planted in each of them. House of the Dragon may address how their family is in danger of losing themselves to fear and anger, which leads to untold death and cruelty. Having more context for why the Targaryens are prone to madness may help to lend evidence to Daenerys' own journey in Game of Thrones.


The Targaryens do have a close connection to dragons, the reason in the books is somewhat ambiguous, but it has to do with their connection to Old Valyria. This connection may influence the Targaryens as much as they influence their dragons. If the relationship is more symbiotic, then it may lead to the Targaryens feeling the rage of their dragons and causing them to go mad. It may also be more biological. Targaryens are known for incest. This may have caused something to change in their brains that led them towards mental instability. This may also be addressed in House of the Dragon considering the time period of the show.

House of the Dragon will be the first chance to really explore the lore of the Targaryens and their family lineage. They ruled Westeros for centuries, yet TV audiences know almost nothing about them past Daenerys. Seeing more of them on screen may help to lend context to Daenerys' actions and the decisions she made. Understanding more about the Targaryens and their bloodline can help people make sense of why Daenerys fell prey to madness so quickly in Game of Thrones.

House of the Dragon premieres on August 21, 2022 on HBO and HBO Max.
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