Despite its billing as a Game of Thrones prequel, the showrunners for House of the Dragon would like the upcoming HBO show to be termed differently.
In an interview with SFX magazine, Ryan Condal, who is co-creator of House of the Dragon alongside author George R.R. Martin, said, "George doesn't call House of the Dragon a prequel, he calls it a successor show, which I've always really liked - I guess it's a predecessor show. But I think that's actually one of the things that makes it really interesting."
Condal, who has screenwriting credits for blockbusters Hercules and Rampage, discussed how the show will differ from traditional prequel formats. "It's not just 'Here's Ned Stark when he was a kid'. It's not that kind of story," he continued. "Because there's such a huge time gap between the shows, you really are relying on the thematic resonance between the two, and seeing how the dynamics of history change over time."
Is House of the Dragon Connected to Game of Thrones?
All that isn't to say that House of the Dragon won't have any continuity with its successor show, with the creator promising there will be lasting consequences for the future. "Little drops in the stream here will have ripple effects that affect the characters that we've known and loved and followed for a decade on television," Condal said.
House of the Dragon was announced in 2019, six months after Game of Thrones concluded, with principal photography beginning in 2021. The show will be based on Martin's novel Fire & Blood, detailing the exploits of House Targaryen and the war of succession, known as the Dance of the Dragons. Condal was excited at the prospect of depicting this conflict, saying, "It’s a civil war that happens within a singular family, which in a way makes it much more engrossing and tragic, because you see people who are blood relatives turning against each other and going to war."
Though specific details have been concealed, Condal and fellow showrunner Miguel Sapochnik have promised "blood, fire and dragons." Last month, actor Matt Smith said the show will examine the relationship between dragon-rider and dragon, whilst footage has shown that the creatures possess unique traits. Set approximately 200 years before Game of Thrones, the show will star Paddy Considine, Olivia Cooke and Emma D'Arcy, with its first season consisting of 10 episodes.
House of the Dragon will premiere on HBO and HBO Max on Aug. 21.
Source: SFX, via GamesRadar+