House of the Dragon release date, trailer, and more – when does the Game of Thrones prequel start?

Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon is coming to HBO in 2022 - when is the release date, and what else should you know?

House of the Dragon release date

When is the House of the Dragons release date? It’s been ten years since Game of Thrones first graced our screens, and it would only be right to say that the finale of the TV series left fans somewhat divided. But there’s a chance to revel once again in all the drama, fantasy, and action that the world of Game of Thrones has to offer as we return to Westeros once again with the prequel spin-off, House of the Dragon.

The show winds the clock back on the Seven Kingdoms, depicting a turbulent time for House Targaryen. A full 200 years before the struggle for the Iron Throne, the House is beginning to fall apart, with oncoming civil war. With a number of Game of Thrones spin-offs on the way, you basically need to be a maester to understand all these different spin-offs. So to make things easier, we’ve scoured the libraries of Old Town’s Citadel, consulted with the wisest Kings (not Joffrey obviously), and even trekked beyond The Wall to consult the three-eyed raven just to find out everything we can about this Game of Thrones prequel.

So grab your best travelling cloak, sharpen your blade, and prepare yourself for a history lesson like no other. This is everything we know about House of the Dragon.

House of the dragon release date: when does HOUSE OF THE DRAGON come out?

It’s been confirmed House of the Dragon is coming in 2022 to HBO Max, Sky Atlantic, and streaming service Now TV. On March 30, it was announced that the premiere date will be August 21, 2022. There will be ten episodes in the first season.

The crew and cast went into production with House of the Dragon in April 2021, as the official Twitter account sprung to life and confirmed.

Unfortunately, the series had to pause production after a member of the production team tested positive for Covid-19. Filming on House of the Dragon resumed on July 26 after a week’s delay.

House of the dragon trailer: Is there a trailer for House of the Dragon?

In October 2021, HBO shared the first trailer for House of the Dragon. The minute-long teaser is led by Matt Smith’s Prince Daemon Targaryen, who points out that “Dreams didn’t make us kings, dragons did.”

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Emma D’Arcy’s Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen is also prominent, and we get some brief bits of swordplay, Smith looking pensive on a beach. The video also points out the show is set two centuries before the Game of Thrones we know and love.

House of the dragon plot: WHAT IS the story of HOUSE OF THE DRAGON?

House of the Dragon is based on Fire and Blood, George R R Martin’s 2018 companion book to A Song of Ice and Fire, which tells the story of the beginning of the end of House Targaryen. That’s where House of the Dragon picks up its tale.

Viewers of Game of Thrones will be all too clued up on House Targaryen, but they are yet to experience the family’s rich history in depth. With around seven generations of Targaryen covered in Martin’s epic novel, we’re about to get very well acquainted with the ivory-haired rulers of Westeros.

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Showrunner Ryan J Condal says that the series takes place approximately 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones during the reign of King Viserys I Targaryen, ultimately leading to the Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons.
This war saw the big houses of Westeros, such as the Lannisters and Starks, pitted against each other, which subsequently led to the eventual end of the Targaryen’s rule over the Seven Kingdoms.

The house of the Dragon release date

According to the official description for the show: “the prequel series finds the Targaryen dynasty at the absolute apex of its power, with more than 15 dragons under their yoke. Most empires – real and imagined – crumble from such heights. In the case of the Targaryens, their slow fall begins almost 193 years before the events of Game of Thrones, when King Viserys Targaryen breaks with a century of tradition by naming his daughter Rhaenyra heir to the Iron Throne. But when Viserys later fathers a son, the court is shocked when Rhaenyra retains her status as his heir, and seeds of division sow friction across the realm.”

Condal spoke on the Fansided podcast to comment on how House of the Dragon will differ from the Game of Thrones we’ve already experienced: “We’re really trying to approach this show, and honour all of the things that were great about the original, while not just doing a cover of the song you’ve heard before. It’s trying to be original without completely trying to break the box.”

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Ryan J Condal is joined by fellow showrunner and co-creator, Miguel Sapochnik, who actually directed six episodes of Game of Thrones, two of which were the famed episodes, ‘Battle of the Bastards’ and ‘The Long Night’. So, it seems we can expect a lot more epic fighting, drama, and suspense.

Fire and Blood is only the first of two volumes as George R R Martin split the series due to the sheer amount of content. The second is yet to be published, which may hint towards potential future seasons or even spin-offs.

House of the Dragon cast: WHO is In HOUSE OF THE DRAGON?

House of the Dragon release date

Casting began in July 2020 and we already have a star-studded selection of names to tell you about. Check out some of the roles that have been cast below:

  • Paddy Considine as Viserys I Targaryen
  • Emma D’Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen
  • Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen
  • Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower
  • Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower
  • Steve Toussaint as Corlys Velaryon
  • Eve Best as Rhaenys Velaryon
  • Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria
  • Fabien Frankel as Criston Cole
  • Milly Alcock as Young Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen
  • Emily Carey as Young Alicent Hightower

The casting of both a young Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower may hint towards the potential timeline of the show too.

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There are also rumours circulating around John Macmillan (Chewing Gum), who was featured in a photo of the cast’s table read, and Graham McTavish (The Hobbit) and Leo Suter (Beecham House) who have both reportedly been seen on set. McTavish has since revealed to Stylist that he would be starring in House of the Dragon in an undisclosed role.

That’s all we have for now but we’ll be keeping these manuscripts updated on the latest happenings. In the meantime, have a read of our guide to the Amazon Lord of the Rings series, for more mythical history!