Fans are a few short weeks away from the premiere of Game of Thrones' first spin-off series, House of the Dragon. The series premieres on HBO on August 21st, and recently released a new trailer at San Diego Comic-Con. House of the Dragon will primarily follow the Targaryen family in Westeros.
Ever since Game of Thrones ended in 2019, fans have been hoping for similar content from HBO. House of the Dragon will answer the call as the first Game of Thrones spinoff since the flag-ship series ended, but there are plenty of things that fans don't know about the spin-off.
10 The Series Will Adapt Portions Of Fire & Blood
House of the Dragon will be adapted from George R. R Martin's Fire & Blood novel. Fire & Blood tells the history of House Targaryen years before the events of Game of Thrones. The events in the novel led to the Targaryen civil war and a new battle to claim the Iron Throne.
Martin has revealed that Fire & Blood had so much material that he split it into two volumes. Volume II is still unreleased and won't be released any time soon. As such, House of the Dragon may have to do what Game of Thrones did and adapt unreleased sections of Martin's work for television.
9 Follows The Beginning Of The End Of House Targaryen
House of the Dragon will revolve around the beginning of the end of House Targaryen. As Viserys I dies, his children Aegon II and Rhaenyra battle over the Iron Throne, which ultimately leads to a civil war breaking out within House Targaryen. The rest of Westeros is forced to take sides in the dispute.
The world of Westeros will be very different from the one seen in Game of Thrones, with a big change being that dragons are a lot more prevalent in this time. At the Comic-Con panel, it was confirmed that there are seventeen dragons in Westeros at the time of the story, but it's unconfirmed whether they will all appear in season one.
8 It Takes Place Hundreds Of Years Before Game Of Thrones
An important thing to note about House of the Dragon is that it takes place hundreds of years before Game of Thrones. At a time when House Targaryen sits on the Iron Throne, the slow descent into civil war changes Westeros forever.
Having the show take place hundreds of years before its predecessor is good for the series. It will inevitably be compared to Game of Thrones, but the different time period allows the show to have its own identity and not focus too much on the beloved characters from its parent series.
7 Boasts Some Impressive Game Of Thrones Talent Behind The Scenes
House of the Dragon's showrunners are Ryan J. Condol and Miguel Sapochnik. Sapochnik directed several of Game of Thrones' biggest battle episodes. He was the director of "Battle of the Bastards," winning an Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series. Game of Thrones composer Ramin Djawadi also returns to score House of the Dragon.
While Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss opted not to be involved with any spin-offs, it is good that HBO was able to move forward with other Game of Thrones talent. Sapochnik helmed some of the series' best episodes, and it is clear that he has what it takes to replicate the same kind of success for House of the Dragon.
6 It Will Explore The Youth Of Some Characters
House of the Dragon will rely on time jumps and non-linear storytelling, as confirmed by Condol. Describing the conflict as a "generational war," it was perceived that this was the best way to tell the story. Milly Alcock and Emily Carey were cast as younger versions of Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower, respectively.
House of the Dragon's first five episodes will follow the younger versions of the characters before switching to the adults for the rest of the season. Game of Thrones featured some flashbacks throughout its run but didn't tell stories across multiple timelines. This can be a way for House of the Dragon to separate itself from Game of Thrones.
5 The Series Is Not Related To The Unaired Game Of Thrones Spin-Off Pilot
Right before Game of Thrones ended, a spin-off pilot was shot: Bloodmoon. The pilot was led by Naomi Watts and followed a story thousands of years before its predecessor during the Age of Heroes. HBO spent $30-35 million on the pilot, and it was scrapped without being picked up.
George R. R. Martin has said that he has never seen the pilot and probably never will. House of the Dragon will not be related to Bloodmoon. It's a testament to House of the Dragon that it was ordered straight to series rather than filming a pilot first.
4 Lannisters And Starks Will Appear
While the show will focus on the Targaryen family and their conflict in Westeros, other well-known houses will appear. The series cast Jefferson Hall as Lord Jason Lannister and Tyland Lannister, twins in the famous Lannister family. Tyland is described as "a crafty and calculating politician," something the Lannisters were known for in Game of Thrones.
The trailer revealed that members of House Stark will appear as well. Lord Rickard Stark is seen pledging his allegiance to King Viserys I. It is currently unknown how big of a role the Starks will play in season one, given that a lot of the story will happen around King's Landing and Dragonstone. However, the early inclusion of the Starks furthers the ties between the series and Game of Thrones, giving viewers a look at the pseudo-protagonists of the original series.
3 King's Landing Will Make A Return
Since House of the Dragon will feature the Targaryens on the Iron Throne, it seems inevitable that King's Landing will make a return. Eagle-eyed fans spotted production filming in Caceres, Spain in October 2021. The city was a previous filming location of King's Landing in Game of Thrones.
Fans will be excited to see King's Landing once again, given the monumental event that happened last time it was on television. Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) was seen destroying the city with her dragon Drogon, which ultimately led to her death.
2 George R. R. Martin Is Pleased With The Series
George R. R. Martin was in attendance for the show's panel at Comic-Con, in addition to the cast and crew. During the panel, Martin revealed that he had seen nine of the ten episodes and said that he "continued to be impressed" with what he has seen.
Fans can rest a bit easier now that the series has a good endorsement from Martin. Of course, the series has high expectations as a Game of Thrones property, but having Martin's praise can only work in the series' favor.
1 House Of The Dragon Will Probably Get A Second Season
While a second season has not been officially green-lit yet, it seems to be trending that way. At the show's Comic-Con panel, Condol seemed to suggest that the creative crew is in the process of planning another season. HBO may be waiting until after House of the Dragon's premiere or first season to announce the next.
HBO has invested a lot of time and money into the series to ensure it will be successful. Also, Game of Thrones is arguably the most important HBO property, and they know that there is a massive fan base behind it. Fans can expect more House of the Dragon in the future.