Last month, we got our first proper look at HBO’s initial ‘Game of Thrones’ spin-off, prequel series ‘House of the Dragon’ via its first teaser. Aiming to keep the show in our minds (not that we needed too much prodding), HBO has now released a new poster, which puts Emma D’Arcy’s Rhaenyra Targaryen front and center, backed by a dragon for good measure, since the series is not called ‘House of the Poodle.’
‘House of the Dragon’, like its progenitor, is also based on George R. R. Martin’s books, this time the 2018 novel ‘Fire & Blood’, which chronicled the history of House Targaryen, the family seen via Emilia Clarke’s Daenerys Targaryen in ‘Thrones’. The series itself comes from Martin, ‘Colony’ co-creator Ryan Condal and ‘Thrones’ show veteran Miguel Sapochnik, who is an executive producer and director.
The setting here is 200 years before the events chronicled in the original show albeit with some very familiar jockeying for power.
Paddy Considine stars as King Viserys Targaryen, chosen by the lords of Westeros to succeed the Old King, Jaehaerys Targaryen. A warm, kind, and decent man, Viserys only wishes to carry forward his grandfather’s legacy. But good men do not necessarily make for great kings.
Matt Smith, most recently seen in ‘Morbius’, is Prince Daemon Targaryen, younger brother to King Viserys and heir to the throne. A peerless warrior and a dragonrider, Daemon possesses the true blood of the dragon.
Eve Best has the role of Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, a dragonrider and wife to Lord Corlys Velaryon, “The Queen Who Never Was” was passed over as heir to the throne at the Great Council because the realm favored her cousin, Viserys, simply for being male.
Rhys Ifans plays Otto Hightower. The Hand of the King, Ser Otto loyally and faithfully serves both his king and his realm. As the Hand sees it, the greatest threat to the realm is the king’s brother, Daemon, and his position as heir to the throne.
Olivia Cooke appears as Alicent Hightower, Otto’s daughter, and the most beautiful woman in the Seven Kingdoms. She was raised in the Red Keep, close to the king and his innermost circle; she possesses both a courtly grace… and a keen political acumen.
D’Arcy’s Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, the king’s first-born child, is of pure Valyrian blood, and a dragonrider. Many would say that Rhaenyra was born with everything… but she was not born a man, which is a disadvantage in the patriarchal world of ‘Thrones’ and even more so in ‘Dragon’. We’ve a feeling she’ll still be powerful, though.
Toussaint’s Velaryon is “The Sea Snake.” Lord of House Velaryon, a Valyrian bloodline as old as House Targaryen. As the most famed nautical adventurer in the history of Westeros, Lord Corlys built his house into a powerful seat that is even richer than the Lannisters and that claims the largest navy in the world.
Sonoya Mizuno plays Mysaria, who came to Westeros with nothing, sold more times than she can recall. She could have wilted… but instead she rose to become the most trusted – and most unlikely – ally of Prince Daemon Targaryen, the heir to the throne.
If you’ve been anticipating more ‘Thrones’ action and got frustrated by the lack of forward progress on the spin-off front, ‘House of the Dragon’ should help fill that void.
‘House of the Dragon’ starts on HBO Max on August 21st.
