House of the Dragon hits streaming August 21, 2022. It is the first spin-off series after Game Of Thrones. It focuses on House Targaryen.
The big day is approaching. It is on August 21 that will be broadcast House of the Dragonfirst series derived from Game Of Thrones. It comes out just a few days before its great rival, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The first will be broadcast on HBO (and therefore OCS / MyCanal in France), the other will be available on Amazon Prime Video, from September 2.
It’s time to get ready: are you new to this universe? There are nine points you should know before watching the series House of the Dragon. You would also do well to take a look in the gallery of the main characters, in order to remember the names and the faces – because in the universe of the Iron Throne, it scrolls (and that all the more so as it knocks out with a vengeance ).
House of the Dragon opens the ball for a series of works derived from GoT. There are several projects in the making, including a series dedicated to Jon Snow, who would still be played by Kit Harrington. However, this is a project that is at a very preliminary stage. An animation series is also in the works. Find everything we know about the future series planned by HBO.
The story of House of the Dragon
House of the Dragon will be based on Fire & Blood (Fire and Blood), the most recent account by author George RR Martin, to whom we owe the account of the Iron Thronewho gave Game Of Thrones on the television.
The book is not a novel, strictly speaking, but rather presents itself as a “historical” chronicle of events that took place during the reign of the Targaryen family, a powerful dynasty that came from the continent of Essos and subjugated by arms all kingdoms of Westeros. Their particularity is to be able to command the dragons, hence the name of the series, but also the emblem of their house.
The events described in Fire & Blood take place about 300 years before those of Game Of Thrones and spread over a wide time range. We will therefore not find the same characters, but the places, the kingdoms and certain references should be familiar to many spectators – not to mention those who have read the text beforehand.
House of the Dragonby its relative temporal proximity to Game Of Throneswill certainly be more exciting for the general public to follow, rather than the other television series project, The Long Night / Bloodmoon, because his story takes place several thousand years in the past. Furthermore, House of the Dragon promises a great show, with lots of dragons.
When takes place House of the Dragon ?
The events chronicled in Fire & Blood take place about 300 years before those of game of thrones. However, the television series House of the Dragon, which is based on this work, focuses on a particular sequence, which is called the “Dance of the Dragons”. Now this one takes place about 170 years the time described in GoT.
According to the chronology, it is in the year 129 after the Conquest that the events of the “Dance of the dragons” occur, for two years. As for the rebellion of Robert Baratheon, which allowed him access to the Iron Throne, and which turns out to be the base on which rests GoT, it takes place in the year 282 after the Conquest. The Iron Throne saga begins more precisely in the year 298
The teasers and trailers of House of the Dragon
HBO began its video promotional campaign in October 2021. A first teaser of House of the Dragon was broadcast, followed in May by a first trailer and in July by a second. On YouTube as on other social networks, the television channel also publishes smaller clips, in order to increase the enthusiasm of the fans.
The title of the new HBO series
The title was revealed at the end of October, during an event dedicated to HBO Max, the future SVOD service, which is due to debut in the first half of 2020 only in the United States. House of the Dragon refers to House Targaryen, whose specialty is to command dragons – it is also the emblem of their family and this explains the name of the series.
The main cast of the Targaryens (and others)
The main cast is composed as follows:
- Rhaenyra Targaryen as Emma D’Arcy;
- Viserys Targaryen: Paddy Considine;
- Daemon Targaryen: Matt Smith;
- Otto Hightower: Rhys Ifans;
- Alicent Hightower: Olivia Cooke;
- Corlys Velaryon: Steve Toussaint;
- Rhaenys Targaryen as Eve Best;
- Criston Cole: Fabien Frankel;
- Mysaria: Sonoya Mizuno;
Who is who ? Paddy Considine embodies King Viserys Targaryen, Emma D’Arcy plays his eldest daughter, Rhaenyra Targaryen, Matt Smith, interprets Daemon Targaryen, the younger brother of Viserys. As for Olivia CookeShe is Alicent Hightower, hand of King Otto Hightower and wife of Viserys. When you are told that House of the Dragon is a family affair…
The distribution also includes Ryan Corr, Jefferson Hall and David Horovitchwho respectively embody Harwin Fort (known as Bonebreaker, or Breakbones in English, a relative of the Targaryens), Jason Lannister (but also Tyland Lannister, his twin) and Grand Maester Mellos, who was in the service of House Targaryen.
We also mention Graham McTavish, Matthew Needham, Bill Paterson and Gavin Spokes. They will play Harrold Westrelin, Larys Fort (younger brother of Harwin), Lyman of the Swarms and Lyonel Fort, the father of Harwin and Larys. In VO, some surnames or nicknames change.
Will we see Balerion in the series House of the Dragon?
With such a title, namely House of the Dragonwe obviously expect to see a lot of dragons on screen — more than Game Of Thrones , which showed only three representatives of these winged reptiles. We should come across names like Arrax, Vhagar, Songefeu, Caraxès, Meleys, Vermithor, Aile-d’Argent, Syrax or Nuée d’Orage. And there are others !
On the other hand, we will probably not see Balerion, known as the Black Terror, the mount of Aegon the Conqueror, considered to be one of the major scourges of the time. Indeed, this dragon lived in an even older period. Unless the story uses tricks, like brief flashbacks, or uses artistic representations, like paintings or engravings.
If the period in which falls House of the Dragon offers the opportunity to see about twenty dragons, things could quickly go wrong with the war. Many of these huge beasts will clash and perish. A formidable episode will also probably be shown on the screen: the bag of Dragonpit, a real tragedy of the Dance of the Dragons.
The first photos of the series
What place for George RR Martin in the series House of the Dragon?
Ryan Condal is leading the television adaptation work, as showrunner – it is he who must ensure the overall consistency of the future series, of which 10 episodes are planned. The interested party is known for his work on the series colony. Ryan Condal is also executive producer, alongside Miguel Sapochnik – also showrunner of the series –, Vince Gerardis, Sara Lee Hess and Ron Schmidt.
During the announcement of the series, HBO specified that the creation of this prequel is also supervised by George RR Martin. The American writer is indeed the author of the book Fire and Bloodon which rests House of the Dragon. The author, who is also the executive producer of the project, is not his first collaboration with HBO. He had already been involved in the TV adaptation of Game Of Thrones.
DB Weiss and David Benioff, who piloted the television adaptation of Iron Throne are not involved.
Which filmmakers behind the camera?
It is planned to entrust the production of the first episode to Miguel Sapochnik. The British director knows the world of Game Of Thrones: he canned six episodes of the series for seasons 5, 6 and 8, which are among the most remarkable (Hardplace , The Battle of the Bastardsor The Long Night). It is also the intention of HBO to leave the reins to him on other episodes of House of the Dragon .
Other filmmakers announced include Clare Kilner (The Alienist: Angel of Darkness, The Wedding Date) and Geeta V. Patel (Meet the Patels, The Witcher). As for Greg Yaitanes (banshee, House), he will be director and co-producer of the series.
When is the series coming out House of Dragons?
August 21, 2022. HBO announced the schedule in a tweet published on March 30, 2022. In the meantime, the American channel is raising the sauce little by little by distilling here an image there a trailer, until on D-Day. As with Game of Thrones, HBO will broadcast one episode per week. If other seasons are planned, they will arrive the following years.
Where to watch the series House of Dragonsin France ?
We know that it is August 21, 2022 that the series must be broadcast, on HBO Max as far as the United States is concerned. And in France ?
You will have to go through OCS and MyCanal.
How many episodes and seasons for House of the Dragon?
Only one season is currently scheduled. It has ten episodes. We can expect HBO to order more seasons in the future. To compare, Game Of Thronesis a television saga that spans eight seasons and 73 episodes. In the book Fire & Blood, the “Dance of the Dragons” lasts two years. There is story to tell.
(updated in August ahead of broadcast)