First look images at House of the Dragon introduce the cast of the highly anticipated Game of Thrones prequel. The series began principal photography in April after announcing the cast had come together for a table reading. Leaked videos from the set showed the cast filming on the beach, indicating that production had already started in anticipation of what is likely an early 2022 debut. Matt Smith appeared as Prince Daemon Targaryen accompanied by Emma D'Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen.
Taking place almost 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, the series will be based on the George R.R. Martin book Fire & Blood, a chronicle of House Targaryen's ruling years in Westeros. During this time, a bloody civil war known as The Dance of the Dragons breaks out and ultimately leads to their downfall. House of the Dragon won't just feature the Targaryens, though, with the HBO show set to introduce a cast of characters that work with and for the royal family. They, too, will be embroiled in the political turmoil the series is set to document.
Now, HBO has given a first look at the cast in costume. Smith and D'Arcy can be seen as the aforementioned Prince and Princess of House Targaryen. Another photo shows Steve Toussaint as Corlys Velaryon AKA The Sea Snake, a renowned Westerosi sea-farer. A third photo shows Olivia Cooke and Rhys Ifans as Alicent and Otto Hightower, respectively. In the series, Otto Hightower is Hand of the King to Paddy Considine's Viserys Targaryen, while Cooke's Alicent is Viserys' second wife and daughter of Otto. Check out the photos below:
A look at the characters in costume will only serve to further hype for House of the Dragon and hopefully put fans at ease who are weary of diving into the world of Westeros for a second time. After the divisive ending of flagship series Game of Thrones, the prequel will have even higher expectations. Still, these House of the Dragon images are almost nostalgic in a way - returning to the land of Westeros is exciting regardless of what feelings remain about the original series' ending.
Fortunately, this time around, HBO won't have to worry about the show being a hit. They are all but guaranteed to pull in millions of viewers, giving House of the Dragon's creators a much bigger budget right out of the gate. With more dragons alive at this time in Westeros history than during Game of Thrones, that budget will be necessary. While House of the Dragon is still roughly a year away from premiering, this promising first look at the series is an enticing return to the world that many have been waiting for.
Source: HBO