The HBO fantasy series House of the Dragon is set in Westeros. Here is a look at how the show connects to Game of Thrones - the show and the books.
HBO's next high-fantasy series, House of the Dragon, is set in the same world as Game of Thrones, leading many to question how the two are connected. The House of the Dragon spinoff was created by George R.R. Martin, author of the A Song of Ice and Fire book series that became Game of Thrones, alongside Ryan J. Condal. Showrunners of Game of Thrones David Benioff and D.B. Weiss are not involved in the new series, however, with the network opting to hire Martin directly for its development.
Game of Thrones, despite its controversial final season, is still one of the most popular TV series of all time, and its viewership levels continually increased across the show's initial eight-season run. This naturally led to many, both fans and creatives alike, wondering how to continue the franchise and capitalize on Game of Thrones' popularity.
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The decision made by HBO spawned House of the Dragon. The show will release in August 2022 and consist of 10 episodes for its initial season. Actors Rhys Ifans, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, and Emma D'Arcy have been cast in major roles, playing famous Targaryen family members alongside other notable political figures of the Seven Kingdoms. Naturally, with a show set in the same world as something as popular as Game of Thrones, many have questioned when it is set, and if it is based on pre-existing work. Well, here is everything audiences need to know about concerning House of the Dragon.
The most prominent question regarding the series is when on Game of Thrones' timeline House of the Dragon takes place. As per HBO's announcement, the new series is officially being made as a prequel. House of the Dragon will take place 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones begins, around 100 years after King Aegon Targaryen's initial invasion of Westeros. This means that House of the Dragon will focus on the Targaryen royal family after being in power for nearly a century.
Like Game of Thrones before it, House of the Dragon is based on a book by George R. R. Martin, who also serves as a creator of the HBO adaptation. The source material this time is Fire & Blood, a novel by Martin that chronicles the history of the Targaryen family. House of the Dragon will be adapting the second half of the book, namely the sections depicting the Dance of Dragons, the Targaryen civil war between Rhaenyra Targaryen and her half-brother Aegon for the throne.
While there is currently only one Fire & Blood book, George R. R. Martin has plans for another volume. While he initially planned to release only one book after finishing publication on his A Song of Ice and Fire series, which became Game of Thrones, Martin revealed that the material had grown so large that he would release two volumes chronicling the Targaryen reign of Westeros. The first of these is Fire & Blood, released in 2018, with the second still awaiting a release date.
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Given the massive amounts of history that Martin has for Westeros and the Targaryens, House of the Dragon naturally has a huge amount of story potential, Whether the show can capitalize on that potential and deliver a compelling series remains to be seen. However, given Martin's direct involvement, it remains the case that House of the Dragon is one of the more exciting TV releases coming in 2022.
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Lewis Glazebrook is a freelance Movie/TV Features writer for Screen Rant. Lewis has recently graduated from university with a Film and TV Studies degree, earning First Class Honours. Based out of North East England, Lewis has a deep passion for all kinds of media, from film, to TV, gaming, and reading. From growing up on Disney's The Lion King, to Pixar's classics, and igniting his love of superheroes with Sam Raimi's Spider-Man, Lewis' love of cinema began at a young age. Since then, with the resurgence of Star Wars, the ever-growing world of superhero cinema, and his newfound love of arthouse films, Lewis' appreciation for film has only grown. While blockbuster franchise filmmaking is his bread and butter, Lewis also shares a deep love for animation, from all things Dreamworks, Disney, Pixar, and even TV shows like Avatar: The Last Airbender and beyond. With his work for Screen Rant, Lewis is able to have an outlet for his passion through his writing.