The Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon will begin filming this April. Snagging a whopping 58 Emmys during its run - the most by any series in the history of television - the original show narrated the personal and political struggles of warring factions seeking control of the fictional continent of Westeros. The medieval fantasy drama, which David Benioff and D. B. Weiss had adapted from George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, ran from 2011 to 2019. Although the show was wildly popular worldwide, Game of Thrones season 8 didn’t receive the same praise as earlier iterations, with many criticizing its uneven pacing and controversial storytelling decisions. However, that did not stop HBO from committing to the franchise, as there are three Game of Thrones spinoffs currently in development.
One prequel show, House of the Dragon, has had more success than any other spinoffs. Having scored a straight-to-series order at HBO in late 2019, the show takes place 300 years before the events of Game of Thrones, and it focuses on the complicated history of House Targaryen. At the moment, the plot details of the prequel series aren't entirely clear. But it has been confirmed that Martin's Fire and Blood, which he wrote as a companion guide for his Ice and Fire novels, will serve as a template for House of the Dragon. In September, HBO Programming president Casey Bloys had confidently announced that the prequel series would premiere in 2022. Soon after, it was also revealed that the show would begin filming in 2021. Now, another exciting update about the series has surfaced.
On Wednesday, during a conversation with TV Line, Bloys confirmed that House of the Dragon would commence production in April. Unveiling the episode count of the upcoming show's freshman run to be 10, he added that the showrunners Miguel Sapochnik and Ryan J. Condal have been working on the series for quite a while, and all the scripts were in different stages of development.
During his interview, Cloys dodged questions about the tone of the show. But considering that it's only a matter of months before House of the Dragon goes on floors, fans will hopefully get a better sense of the series soon. As reported previously, Paddy Considine, Olivia Cooke, Emma D’Arcy, and Matt Smith are already on board to play respective roles as King Viserys Targaryen, Alicent Hightower, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, and Prince Daemon Targaryen. Therefore, it's quite likely that they will drop more information about the highly-anticipated spinoff through set photos and interviews once they begin shooting. Additionally, fans can also expect more casting announcements soon as House of the Dragon will possibly not begin filming with just five actors.
April is rather an optimistic targeted production date for House of the Dragon, especially with a new strain of coronavirus putting the UK in jeopardy. Although film and TV production is continuing in the country, the newly-announced travel bans and spikes in Covid-19 infections have made working conditions harrowingly harsh. In wake of this situation, it's hard to predict if the show will be able to stick to its filming plans. But if the show actually remains on track for April, and continues production as per schedule, then it could mean an early 2022 release date for House of the Dragon. Carrying forward the legacy of Game of Thrones is, after all, no joke. House of the Dragon needs plenty of time to film its elaborate sequences and for meticulous post-production, so the earlier it starts filming, the better it will bode for the show.
Source: TV Line