HBO's fiery Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon flies onto UK screens next week.
The eagerly anticipated 10-episode first series will launch on Monday, August 22 on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW, with scenes from House of the Dragon filmed in Hertfordshire.
The first episode of House of the Dragon, entitled The Heirs Of The Dragon, is due to be screened on Sky Atlantic at 9pm on Monday, August 22.
Game of Thrones superfans will not miss out on the global excitement either, with each instalment of the series available at the same time as the US each week and on demand thereafter.
So if you stay up very late on Sunday, August 21, or get up very early on Monday morning, you can watch the first episode in the UK at 2am on Sky Atlantic - the same time as it is screened in America on HBO Max.
Coming with a warning of strong language, violence, and scenes of a sexual nature, viewers will meet the Targaryens, 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones.
Episode two, The Rogue Prince, is scheduled for 2am and 9pm on Monday, August 29 and continues the story of the Targaryens' reign of Westeros, aided by dragons - lots of them!
As the show's title suggests, there are mythical creatures aplenty in House of the Dragon. In fact, at the height of the story there are 17 dragons, each with their own distinct look from size to colour to silhouette.
The Sky and NOW red-carpet premiere of the HBO fantasy drama series took place in London’s Leicester Square on Monday, August 15.
Fans of Game of Thrones will already be familiar with Daenerys and the House Targaryen, the dragon-riding noble family who once ruled the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.
House of the Dragon is set before the events of the original series, telling the Targaryens’ bloody tale of civil war, rivalry, betrayal and a thirst for power.
Here's all you need to know about the new series.
What is House of the Dragon about?
Based on author George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood and set two centuries before the events of Game of Thrones, the new series chronicles the beginning of the end of House Targaryen and the events leading up to the Targaryen civil war, known as the Dance of the Dragons.
The new-look Iron Throne is the ultimate symbol of conquest, forged from the blades of Aegon Targaryen's defeated foes after he conquered Westeros.
Jamie East, co-host of Sky Atlantic’s Thronecast and House of the Dragon Premiere Special said: “Set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon will transport fans to Westeros at the height of Targaryen rule.
"We’ll discover an Iron Throne of far greater scale and decadence, made from the warped and melted swords of the Targaryen’s defeated enemies, symbolic of the Targaryen’s huge power and influence at this time.”
As Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen says: "Targaryens are closer to gods than to men."
George R.R. Martin is co-creator and executive producer of the series.
Where was House of the Dragon filmed?
Game of Thrones was based in Northern Ireland, while some scenes of House of the Dragon were filmed in Hertfordshire at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden.
House of the Dragon producers used several of Warner Bros. Studios' stages including the new state-of-the-art Virtual Production Stage at Leavesden.
The dragons for the series were created in post-production, so it took the actors a lot of imagination and physical work to create a convincing dragon-riding performance.
A huge motion base, which the production called ‘the buck’, was built at the studio at Leavesden to simulate the motions of a flying dragon.
“You are on this big plinth and they hurl rain and wind at you,” says Matt Smith, whose character Daemon is a skilled dragonrider.
“It does give you a sense of riding an animal because there is something tangible that’s moving, and also having the elements, the wind and the rain, helps too.
“But, you know, after 10 hours the novelty can wear off!”
Zai Bennett, managing director of content Sky UK, said: “House of the Dragon is one of the most highly anticipated shows of the year and it showcases Sky’s commitment to providing exciting, world-class content for our customers.
"If you loved Game of Thrones or are a first timer to the world of Westeros, this is going to be a must watch. Roll on Monday 22 August.”
Who stars in House of the Dragon?
While there's no Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage), Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey), Jon Snow (Kit Harington), Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) or Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) this time around, there's plenty of new cast and characters to get to know.
House of the Dragon stars Paddy Considine as King Viserys Targaryen, Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen, and Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen.
Other main cast members in the series are Olivia Cook, who plays Alicent Hightower, the daughter of Otto Hightower, and Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon, known as The Sea Snake.
Also in the line-up are Eve Best, Sonoya Mizuno, Fabien Frankel, and Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower.
House Of The Dragon star Rhys Ifans said acting in the Game Of Thrones prequel was a great opportunity to work with “incredibly talented” actors he admires including Matt Smith, Paddy Considine and Olivia Cooke.
Notting Hill star Rhys Ifans, 55, who plays Cooke’s on-screen father and hand of the king Otto Hightower, told the PA news agency: “It’s always wonderful when you know you are going to be working with somebody who is incredibly talented.
“I think what defines a great actor is creative generosity and every single actor who I worked with on this show has that in bounds. We’ve become very close as a cast as a result, beautiful.”
He added: “I heard in lockdown that I was going to do it, I got a script and read a few episodes.
“I think Paddy Considine, Matt Smith and Olivia Cooke were already on board, three actors I really admire, they’d obviously read it and liked it, so I thought ‘if they’re in, I’m in’.
“It was a great opportunity to work with some quality talent.”
The cast also includes Milly Alcock, Bethany Antonia, Phoebe Campbell, Emily Carey, Harry Collett, Ryan Corr, Tom Glynn-Carney, Jefferson Hall, David Horovitch, Wil Johnson, John Macmillan, Graham McTavish, Ewan Mitchell, Theo Nate, Matthew Needham, Bill Paterson, Phia Saban, Gavin Spokes, Savannah Steyn.
Here's a full cast and characters guide to who's who in House of the Dragon.
House of the Dragon cast and characters
Paddy Considine as King Viserys Targaryen
Viserys was chosen by the lords of Westeros to succeed the Old King, Jaehaerys Targaryen, at the Great Council at Harrenhal.
Described as "a warm, kind, and decent man", Viserys only wishes to carry forward his grandfather's legacy. But, as we’ve learned from Game of Thrones, good men do not necessarily make for great kings.
The seeds for the civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons that would much later engulf the realm are sown during his reign.
Playing King Viserys Targaryen is The World's End, The Suspicions of Mr Whicher, and Peaky Blinders actor Paddy Considine.
Viserys is troubled by thoughts of who will succeed him on the throne: he has no male heir, and his charismatic but unpredictable brother Prince Daemon – played by Doctor Who’s Matt Smith – is next in line.
“He was not somebody that abused his privilege in any way – he took his role as King very responsibly,” says Considine, 48.
“It was my job to imbue him with as much humanity as I possibly could. I thought that was refreshing, from the world that we knew of Game of Thrones, that he wasn’t somebody who was driven by power. And he wasn’t a tyrant. He was a reasonable man.”
Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen
The younger brother to King Viserys and apparent heir to the throne. A peerless warrior and a dragonrider, Daemon possesses the true blood of the dragon.
But it is said that whenever a Targaryen is born, the gods toss a coin in the air.
Matt Smith is known for playing the Doctor in Doctor Who. He also played Prince Philip in the first two series of Netflix royal drama The Crown, filming scenes at both Knebworth House and Hatfield House.
Prince Daemon is almost the opposite to his brother Viserys. Smith says he is a “dark, compulsive, complex” character.
“I found it allowed me to be quite instinctual on the day with Daemon, you’re sort of always on the precipice of something, so you never know what side he’s going to fall on. Or what side of the coin you’re gonna get from moment to moment."
Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower
The daughter of Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King, and the most comely 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.
- Emily Carey plays the young Alicent Hightower.
Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen
The king’s first-born child, she is of pure Valyrian blood, and she is a dragonrider.
Many would say that Rhaenyra was born with everything… but she was not born a man. Will she take the throne and become the Seven Kingdoms’ first Queen?
Emma D’Arcy plays Rhaenyra, with the younger version of the princess played by 22-year-old Milly Alcock.
Emma appeared in Simon Pegg and Nick Frost's Amazon Prime Video supernatural series Truth Seekers, which was partly filmed in Welwyn Garden City.
“Rhaenyra is the sort of wayward royal child, she doesn’t expect to inherit power,” says D’Arcy.
“She’s impulsive, she flouts convention with relish, she forms incredibly strong friendships. And all of her relationships tend to be explosive to a greater or lesser extent."
“She’s best friend to Alicent Hightower,” D’Arcy adds, referring to the daughter of Ser Otto Hightower, played by Olivia Cooke and Emily Carey as her younger self.
“I think Alicent is able to kind of make sense of the court in a way that Rhaenyra struggles and in that regard, becomes like a translator or something to Rhaenyra, like an access point, at least.
“I think, broadly, Rhaenyra is someone who’s looking to press at the kind of boundaries, the restrictions that she finds herself in and seeks a way of living that feels authentic.”
- Milly Alcock plays the young Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen.
Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon, 'The Sea Snake'
Lord of House Velaryon, a Valyrian bloodline as old as House Targaryen.
As 'The Sea Snake', 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.
Steve Toussaint play Corlys Velaryon in upcoming Game Of Thrones prequel House Of The Dragon.
The 57-year-old British actor, who is of Barbadian descent, has previously starred in Doctor Who, Line Of Duty and Death In Paradise.
Eve Best as 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.
Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole
Of Dornish descent, Ser Criston is the common-born son of the steward to the Lord of Blackhaven.
He has no claim to land or titles; all he has to his name is his honour and his preternatural skill with a sword.
Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria
She came to Westeros with nothing, sold more times than she can recall, and 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.
Rhys Ifans as 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.
Additional cast (in alphabetical order)
-
Milly Alcock as Young Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen
She's the king’s first-born child, of pure Valyrian blood, and she is a dragonrider. -
Bethany Antonia as Baela Targaryen
The eldest daughter of Laena Velaryon and rider of the young dragon Moondancer. -
Phoebe Campbell as Rhaena Targaryen
The second daughter of Lady Laena and sister to Baela.
-
Emily Carey as Young Alicent Hightower
The daughter of Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King, and the most comely woman in the Seven Kingdoms. -
Harry Collett as Jacaerys Velaryon
The eldest son of Rhaenyra Targaryen. -
Ryan Corr as Ser Harwin ‘Breakbones’ Strong
'Breakbones', Harwin is said to be the strongest man in the Seven Kingdoms. Ser Harwin is the eldest son to Master of Laws Lyonel Strong and heir to Harrenhal. -
Tom Glynn-Carney as Aegon Targaryen
The first-born son of King Viserys. -
Jefferson Hall as Ser Tyland Lannister
A crafty and calculating politician, twin to Lord Jason Lannister. -
Jefferson Hall as Lord Jason Lannister
The Lord of Casterly Rock and twin to Ser Tyland Lannister. -
David Horovitch as Grand Maester Mellos
A voice of reason and trusted advisor to King Viserys. -
Wil Johnson as Ser Vaemond Velaryon
The younger brother to Coryls Velaryon and commander in the Velaryon navy. -
John Macmillan as Ser Laenor Velaryon
The son of Corlys Velaryon and Rhaenys Targaryen.
-
Graham McTavish as Ser Harrold Westerling
Ser Harrold has served in the Kingsguard since the days of King Jaehaerys. He is a paragon of chivalry and honour. -
Ewan Mitchell as Aemond Targaryen
The second-born son of Viserys, nephew to Daemon, and half-brother to Rhaenyra. -
Theo Nate as Ser Laenor Velaryon
The son of Corlys Velaryon and Rhaenys Targaryen. -
Matthew Needham as Larys Strong
The younger son of Master of Laws Lyonel Strong, brought to court by his father. -
Bill Paterson as Lord Lyman Beesbury
Lord of Honeyholt and Master of Coin on King Viserys's small council. -
Phia Saban as Helaena Targaryen
The second-born daughter of Viserys, sister to Aegon and Aemond, half-sister to Rhaenyra. -
Gavin Spokes as Lord Lyonel Strong
Master of Laws to King Viserys and Lord of Harrenhal. -
Savannah Steyn as Lady Laena Velayron
The daughter of Corlys Velaryon and Rhaenys Targaryen.
House of the Dragon airs exclusively in the UK on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW from Monday, August 22.
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