Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon has cast its first role, with Paddy Considine set to play King Viserys Targaryen in the HBO series. This is the second Game of Thrones spin-off series to be cast. The first, set to star Naomi Watts, was inexplicably canceled before shooting could begin. Considine is the first cast member announced for this series, with more sure to come. The prequel series is on track for a release in 2022.
The series is set to revolve around the Targaryen family and is based on George RR Martin's historical account of the family, Fire and Blood. Many of Game of Thrones' most ardent fans were obsessed with Daenerys Targaryen, played by Emilia Clarke, a direct descendant of Considine's character. However, the Targaryens' reign in Westeros was quite long, so just how deep into the history of the dynasty HBO will go remains to be seen.
Reported by EW, Considine is the first person to be cast for the new series. Considine has starred in another HBO production, 2020's The Outsider, as well as having roles in Netflix's Peaky Blinders and hit cult films Hot Fuzz and The World's End. The news came along with a new character description that hints at some of the plot of the initial seasons of the series:
"King Viserys Targaryen is chosen by the lords of Westeros to succeed the Old King, Jaehaerys Targaryen, at the Great Council at Harrenhal. 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."
Considine's casting is an exciting development, one that will hopefully lead to more. The initial prequel series that was picked up by HBO centered on another historical period in the Game of Thrones universe. The prequel series, allegedly titled The Long Night (or perhaps Bloodmoon), even filmed an entire pilot before HBO decided to pass on the series. HBO's fickleness when it comes to Game of Thrones' successor is not surprising and a lot will be riding on the success of House of the Dragon.
Over its eight seasons, Game of Thrones became HBO's most successful television show of all time. Despite its divisive ending, or even because of it, fans will be waiting to see just what HBO does with the Game of Thrones universe next, and if they can pull it off. While the original cast will never get a direct spinoff or sequel, the universe is ripe for exploring. At one point, HBO had five separate spinoffs in the works.
On top of the show's success, Game of Thrones also became one of the most expensive shows of all time, mainly because of its massive battle sequences and CGI dragons. With an entire series focused on the Targaryen family, the ones who ride the actual dragons, the budget going into the show is likely to be massive. HBO will need House of the Dragon to be a massive hit right out of the gate, especially if they want the show to last for as many seasons as its predecessor did. Paddy Considine's casting is a step in the right direction and all on eyes will be on the series as it fills out the rest of its cast.
Source: Entertainment Weekly