HBO Max has officially lit the flame on its “Game of Thrones” prequel, “House of the Dragon.” During the HBO Max Europe launch event on Tuesday, the streaming platform debuted the first official “House of the Dragon” teaser trailer, promising a return to the world of “Game of Thrones” in 2022.
“Gods, kings, fire, and blood. Dreams didn’t make us kings. Dragons did,” Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) says in ominous tones over brief images of conspiratorial glances, epic swordplay, and great balls of fire. Based on “Game of Thrones” author George R.R. Martin’s “Fire & Blood” and set 200 years before the events of the HBO fantasy series and Martin’s own “A Song of Ice and Fire” book, “House of the Dragon” tells the story of the House Targaryen.
The original “Game of Thrones” series remains one of the biggest and most acclaimed blockbuster shows of the modern era. The final season of the show, which aired in 2019, won a record 12 Emmy Awards, including Best Drama (a record for drama series “Game of Thrones” tied with itself from previous seasons), and was watched on average by more than 40 million people across all platforms. In addition to its 2019 Emmy Awards success, “Game of Thrones” is also the most-awarded drama series ever, with 59 total wins across its eight seasons. Only “Saturday Night Live” has won more Emmy Awards in its history.
“House of the Dragon” will carry those kinds of expectations into its first season, but not the entire “Game of Thrones” production crew. Original show creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss are not involved in the new show. But Martin is a co-creator, co-showrunner, executive producer, and writer, while longtime “Game of Thrones” director and Emmy winner Miguel Sapochnik is also a co-showrunner, executive producer, and the director of the pilot and additional episodes. Co-creating the show with Martin was Ryan Condal (“Colony”), who also serves as co-showrunner, executive producer, and producer and writer.
In addition to Smith, who plays a key role in the show and “Fire & Blood,” “House of the Dragon” also stars Paddy Considine, Olivia Cooke, Emma D’Arcy, Steve Toussaint, Rhys Ifans, Sonoya Mizuno, and Fabien Frankel. The new teaser trailer also revealed first looks at previously unannounced cast members, including Wil Johnson as Ser Vaemond Velaryon, John Macmillan as Ser Laenor Velaryon, Savannah Steyn as Lady Laena Velayron, and Theo Nate as Ser Laenor Velaryon.
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