First look at 'Game of Thrones' prequel 'House of the Dragon' fires up fans: 'So much more psyched'

Game of Thrones is over... but House of the Dragon is coming. The prequel series to HBO's blockbuster fantasy started production in April, and the network just dropped a first look at some of the characters viewers will meet when the show premieres next year, played by such recognizable actors as Ready Player One's Olivia Cooke, Notting Hill's Rhys Ifans and Doctor Who's Matt Smith.

Set 300 years before the events of the original series, House of the Dragon is adapted from the Fire & Blood series penned by Westeros mastermind George R.R. Martin. According to the author, the series has been in development since 2016. "House of the Dragon has been in development for several years (though the title has changed a couple of times during that process),” Martin revealed on his blog in 2019. “It was actually the first concept I pitched to HBO when we started talking about a successor show."

Olivia Cooke and Rhys Ifans as Alicent and Otto Hightower in the 'Game of Thrones' prequel, 'House of the Dragon' (Photo: HBO/Twitter)
Olivia Cooke and Rhys Ifans as Alicent and Otto Hightower in the 'Game of Thrones' prequel, 'House of the Dragon' (Photo: HBO/Twitter)

Specifically, the show will center around Daenerys Targaryen's ancestors at a time when House Targaryen was in firm control of the Iron Throne. The fifth Targaryen ruler, Viserys I (Paddy Considine), is sitting on that sought-after chair as the series begins, but the question of succession quickly complicates matters. Even as Princess Rhaenyra (played by Emma D'Arcy) is named the designated heir — setting the stage for her to rule Westeros alongside her husband, Prince Daemon (Smith) — she has rivals among her house including her half-brother, Aegon II Targaryen. That conflict eventually leads to the Dance of the Dragons, a cataclysmic Civil War that paves the way for Game of Thrones.

Emma D’Arcy and Matt Smith as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen and Prince Daemon Targaryen in 'House of the Dragon' (Photo: HBO/Twitter)
Emma D’Arcy and Matt Smith as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen and Prince Daemon Targaryen in 'House of the Dragon' (Photo: HBO/Twitter)

Against this high-stakes backdrop, characters like father and daughter pair Alicent and Otto Hightower (Cooke and Ifans) maneuver to align themselves with the right side. (She is Viserys's much younger second wife and he's the Hand of the King.) Meanwhile, expert seafarer Lord Corlys Velaryon aka the Sea Snake (Steve Toussaint) goes all-in with Princess Rhaenyra, serving as her Hand during the looming civil war.

Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon aka the Sea Snake in 'House of the Dragon' (Photo: HBO/Twitter)
Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon aka the Sea Snake in 'House of the Dragon' (Photo: HBO/Twitter)

Fans who were disappointed by the ending of Game of Thrones found reasons to hope that House of the Dragon will restore their faith in Westeros — mainly because the controversial duo of David Benioff and D.B. Weiss aren't involved in this series.

House of the Dragon will premiere in 2022 on HBO and HBO Max.

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