Game of Thrones could be very well considered as one of the greatest shows in TV history. Loosely based on the mid fifteenth century Wars of Roses, the cinematic depiction of George RR Martin’s epic fantasy thriller struck quite a blow in our minds. Set in realistic settings with a strong plot centered on the civil war between feudal kingdoms, the careful mix of dragons and other mythical creatures, and magic made the series a fabulous entertainer for the audience.
Known for its unapologetic portrayal of sexually explicit and vulgar scenes, and the gory details from which no one was spared, the creators of Game of Thrones were praised for the acting, casting, story development and makeup. The success of the show went on to develop quite a remarkable awards resume, the Primetime Emmy awards and BAFTAs just being a few of them.
But a black mark which would go on to taint the sanctity of the show would be the rushed up culmination of the final season, which led to a severe backlash from disappointed fans. The discontent in the finale went to the point that even petitions were signed to remake the season.
A fair chance of redemption, a promising one that too, is now at sight. With the one minute teaser of HBO’s GoT prequel series House of the Dragon released on October 5th, the fire has been rekindled in the minds of the ever growing fanbase. The casting for the series began in July 2020 and principal photography in April 2021. The first season, consisting of 10 episodes, is scheduled to premiere on January 1st 2022.
“Gods, Kings, Fire and Blood”
The trailer begins with a speaker saying the above words, alongside glimpses of few of the primary characters: Otto Hightower with the Hand of the King pin, King Viserys I holding a sword and sitting on a throne, a young Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, and Prince Daemon Targaryen and Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen on a beach. Further glimpses include Targaryens in combat, a Targaryen banquet hall and Otto’s daughter Alicent Hightower.
The trailer ends with the chilling lines “ Dreams didn’t make us Kings, Dragons did”, as we see a Targaryen lady walking to the Iron throne. The throne is much different from what we remember, a grittier version with more pointy swords, hinting at an effort to fit the depiction of George RR Martin’s original description in the books.
The prequel series is based on Martin’s 2018 novel Fire and Blood. Set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, the plot begins with Viserys I, who is the great great grandson of Aegon Targaryen, the first conqueror of the seven kingdoms of Westeros.
The reign of Viserys is synonymous with the civil strife of the Targaryens, known as the “Dance of the Dragons”. The series chronicles the events leading upto the war, which is said to be the beginning of the end of House Targaryen.
Cast and Creators of House of the Dragon
George RR Martin had stated in November 2018 that “a potential spinoff series would be solidly based on material in Fire and Blood”. Created by Ryan Condal and Martin, House of the Dragon received a straight-to-series order by September 2019. Miguel Sapochnik, who won an Emmy award for directing the episode “Battle of the Bastards”, and Condal were selected to serve as showrunners.
The main cast includes Paddy Considine as Viserys I Targaryen, Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower, Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen and Emma D’Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen. Other cast members include Milly Alcock, Sonoya Mizuno, Emily Carey and Eve Best.
The series is primarily filmed in the United Kingdom with additional shooting done in Spain and California.
House of the Dragon will be released on HBO and HBO Max (The Flight Attendant), and Disney+ Hotstar would be the likely destination in India.
