House of the Dragon

Game of Thrones transformed the tourism industry of Croatia, Iceland and Northern Ireland during the decade after filming began in 2011.

And it’s a similar story on the Iberian peninsula. [Game of Thrones](https://deadline.com/tag/game-of-thrones/) transformed the tourism industry of Croatia, Iceland and Northern Ireland during the decade after filming began in 2011. [House of the Dragon](https://deadline.com/tag/house-of-the-dragon/) makes its highly-anticipated global debut this week, it won’t just be fans who will be poring over every scene.

It therefore features an entirely new cast of characters, focusing on Emma D'Arcy's Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, Matt Smith's Prince Daemon Targaryen and Paddy ...

[subscribe now](http://radiotimes.com/magazine-subscription?utm_term=evergreen-article) and get the next 12 issues for only £1. However, that decadence won't necessarily last for long, as the story is set to explore the Dance of the Dragons, a civil war between the Targaryen household to decide who should succeed King Viserys I Targaryen on the throne. In the original series, the Targaryens have been all but wiped out and their dragons with them. Check out more of our For instance, the series takes place a long time before Robert's Rebellion, which saw the Targaryen dynasty fall and Robert Baratheon ascend the Iron Throne. However, with it being set so far before, it still won't tell the whole story up to that point. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the [Radio Times podcast](https://www.radiotimes.com/podcasts/) with Jane Garvey. [Fantasy](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/fantasy/) coverage or visit our [TV Guide](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/tv-listings/) to see what's on tonight. [Jon Snow](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/fantasy/game-of-thrones-jon-snow-series-kit-harington-newsupdate/) went north of The Wall. [House of the Dragon](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/fantasy/house-of-the-dragon-thrones-release-date/) is just around the corner and will tell a completely different story from a different time in Westeros's history. But just when is the show set and how does it connect with the Game of Thrones timeline? When is House of the Dragon set?

How to watch one of the most highly-anticipated premieres of the year, episode 1 of House of the Dragon. Here's the start time, network, and more.

[Get HBO, Starz, Showtime and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels](“https://www.amazon.com/b/?rh=i:instant-video,n:2858778011&ie=UTF8&filterId=OFFER_FILTER=SUBSCRIPTIONS&node=2858778011&ref_=assoc_tag_ph_1465430649312&_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=pf4&tag=fs-livedrops1-20&linkId=90b2815fb79ba0e403137c68e139db16”) While we wait for the new series to premiere tonight, check out some of the stunning images released so far. House of the Dragon, the first spin-off to Game of Thrones, premieres this evening, and fans can’t wait to see it. Just a few hours to wait. And yes, expect a lot of dragons. We’ll get to meet more of the Targaryen family during the height of their reign, including King Viserys I Targaryen, Daemon Targaryen, Rhaenyra Targaryen, and more.

The Game of Thrones prequel series is finally here. Delve into the House of the Dragon series premiere with all these necessary details.

[Stream 2](https://www.hbo.com/) The episodes will officially be available at midnight ET every Sunday via the apps, so you can watch them right now. It was a huge turning point for the Targaryen family, and for Westeros as a whole. At long last, the Game of Thrones prequel we’ve all been waiting for is here. After all, this new series is set hundreds of years before Daenerys got her own dragons. Here’s how you can watch the episode online live.

Milly Alcock as young Rhaenyra Targaryen and Emily Carey as young Alicent Hightower in House Of The Dragon. “It feels so different as a show to the original ...

House Of The Dragon episode one will air at 2am on Sky Atlantic on Monday 22 August. I hope that they have the same amount of love that I had for Game Of Thrones for ours. Condal spoke about what links the prequel to the original series. She’s also a big fan of houseplants and likes to dabble in film and TV from time-to-time. “It feels so different as a show to the original show,” he said. Unsurprisingly, many of the exact plot details for the new series have been kept under wraps. You can find her on Twitter at @laurenjanegeall. It’s tricky because it’s 200 years so there are no characters that survive so you’re connecting ideas and themes and objects. “I hope that [the fans] feel like we’ve done justice to what Game Of Thrones did because so much work has gone into making this show exist. Of course, Frankel, who plays Ser Criston Cole, didn’t share any spoilers. Condal added: “There’s definitely connectivity [with Game Of Thrones]. [Game Of Thrones](https://www.stylist.co.uk/tag/game-of-thrones) prequel series [House Of The Dragon](https://www.stylist.co.uk/tag/house-of-the-dragon) will finally make its way to UK screens early tomorrow morning.

While House Targaryen are known for their blonde hair, Matt Smith and Paddy Considine have dark hair. Prince Daemon Targaryen is ...

His hair is also not combed over like in the show.Rhys Ifans attends the "House Of The Dragon" Sky Group Premiere in Leicester Square on August 15, 2022 in London, England.Gareth Cattermole/Getty ImagesPrincess Rhaenys is the cousin of King Viserys, and wears her hair in a tall, braided style.Princess Rhaenys in "House of the Dragon." Ollie Upton/HBOIn real life, Olivia Cooke, who plays older Alicent, also has hair that's a darker shade of brown than her character and rocks bangs.Olivia Cooke attends the "House Of The Dragon" Sky Group Premiere in Leicester Square on August 15, 2022 in London, England.Gareth Cattermole/Getty ImagesOtto Hightower, Alicent's father, is a practical-looking man with close cropped hair and a beard.Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower in "House of the Dragon." Jeff Kravitz / FilmMagic for HBOMysaria has long dark hair that is often cloaked when she's in public.Mysaria is a confidant of Prince Daemon.Ollie Upton / HBOSonoya Mizuno also looks very similar to her character in real life but has recently dyed her hair a reddish shade.Sonoya Mizuno attends the Sky Group Premiere of "House Of The Dragon" in Leicester Square on August 15, 2022 in London, England.David M. Matt Winkelmeyer / GA / The Hollywood Reporter via Getty ImageCriston Cole is young and solemn knight with curly brown locks and light facial hair.Fabien Frankel as Criston Cole.HBOOf all the cast members, Fabien Frankel looks the closest to his character in the show in real life.Fabien Frankel recognizes someone in the crowd at the LA premiere for "House of the Dragon." Ollie Upton / HBOEmily Carey, who plays the younger version of the character, naturally has hair that is a slightly darker brown than Alicent's.British actress Emily Carey poses on the red carpet upon arrival to attend the HBO original drama series "House of the Dragon" premiere at Leicester Square Gardens, in London, on August 15, 2022.Hollie Adams/AFP via Getty ImagesThe older Alicent we'll see in "House of the Dragon" wears her hair in even more elaborate designs.Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower and Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower in "House of the Dragon." Ollie Upton/HBOSteve Toussaint also wears a wig for the show since he is bald in real life, and usually he has way less facial hair.Steve Toussaint puts on his best smile and blue suit for the LA red carpet for "House of the Dragon." Axelle / Bauer-Griffin / Getty ImagesPrincess Rhaenyra is the most similar-looking to Daenerys Targaryen in "Game of Thrones," with signature long blonde hair often worn in braids.Princess Rhaenyra is the daughter of King Viserys.Ollie Upton / HBOIn real life, Milly Alcock, who plays young Rhaenyra, is a brunette, but she has recently added blonde highlights to her hair.Milly Alcock attends the "House Of The Dragon" Sky Group Premiere in Leicester Square on August 15, 2022 in London, England.Gareth Cattermole/Getty ImagesOver the course of season one, we'll see Rhaenyra grow up from a 14-year-old girl to a woman in her 20s.The older Princess Rhaenyra as played by Emma D'Arcy.HBOEmma D'Arcy, who portrays older Rhaenyra, also wears a wig for their character. Matt Winkelmeyer / GA / The Hollywood Reporter via Getty ImageKing Viserys Targaryen has silvery-blonde hair that matches his family.King Viserys in "House of the Dragon." Picture date: Monday August 15, 2022.Ian West/PA via Getty ImagesLord Corlys is a serious leader with white locs and a salt-and-pepper beard.Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon in "House of the Dragon." Ollie Upton / HBOPaddy Considine has short, dark, salt-and-pepper hair, but he rocks the same facial hair as his character.Paddy Considine opted for a casual leather jacket look for the LA red carpet for "House of the Dragon." Prince Daemon is the brother of King Viserys.Ollie Upton / HBOUnder the blonde wig and sturdy armor, Matt Smith actually has short, dark brown hair.Matt Smith looking cool with a pair of shades on the black carpet for "House of the Dragon." The main cast and showrunners Ryan Condal and Miguel Sapochnik (on the sides) pose for a picture together.Matt Winkelmeyer / GA / The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Image"House of the Dragon" premieres Sunday on HBO.The "Game of Thrones" prequel series focuses on the noble houses of Westeros during a civil war.While House Targaryen are known for their blonde hair, Matt Smith and Paddy Considine have dark hair.Prince Daemon Targaryen is played by Matt Smith, who wears a variety of blonde wigs throughout "House of the Dragon."

House of the Dragon has premiered on HBO and HBO Max. This is certainly a series for Outlander fans to watch to get through Droughtlander.

Then there are the costumes, the use of magic, and the focus on civil war. The HBO series is a prequel to Game of Thrones. Plus, with it getting a weekly release, it’s taking us through to the end of October, so we have something to get us through a little more of Droughtlander. The series is set 200 years before Game of Thrones. It’s been a long wait for the Game of Thrones prequel series, House of the Dragon. Of course, they are big reasons we, as Outlander fans, even considered the series for Droughtlander to start with.

Frankel has only seen the first episode and explained that he is excited for later episodes to be released as a series of new actors will be introduced. fabien ...

[HBO](https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=127X991730&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hbomax.com%2F&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.digitalspy.com%2Ftv%2Fustv%2Fa40948698%2Fhouse-of-dragon-fabien-frankel-important-episode%2F), and on August 22 in the UK on Sky Atlantic and NOW. I hope that they have the same amount of love that I had for Game of Thrones for ours. "It feels so different as a show to the original show. "And actually, the later episodes are amazing because it was a whole new cast of actors who came in. So any of the later episodes as well. It felt like I was going into a different thing."

Tonight marks the launch of House of the Dragon, the first of a number of upcoming Game of Thrones spin-offs. It's a prequel, set long before the original, ...

No one, even Martin, know what other series are actually going to make it to air, but knowing HBO, probably at least a handful, as they want to recapture the lightning in a bottle that was the original Thrones. Everything else is spanning the course of history, probably even more spread out from the movie/show timelines of Star Wars, but certainly more similar to that model. The MCU and Star Wars are two of the most successful, popular IPs in the world. Now, House of the Dragon and a long list of other potential spin-offs in the works are attempting to change that. It was also sheparded directly by author George RR Martin, unlike the final seasons of Game of Thrones, giving some fans hope it could recapture some of that old magic again. It’s a prequel, set long before the original, focused on the Targaryen house.

The Game of Thrones universe is back on screens with House of the Dragon, but does it live up to the huge weight of expectation?

As does [The Wall Street Journal](https://www.wsj.com/articles/house-of-the-dragon-review-game-of-thrones-george-r-r-martin-fire-and-ice-paddy-considine-emily-carey-milly-alcock-emma-darcy-matt-smith-11660859240) (opens in new tab), which states that it’s “a success dramatically, as captivating as any season of Game of Thrones.” My guess: It may leave newcomers wondering what all the Game of Thrones fuss was about.” As Nina Metz of the For fans of Game of Thrones, it’s a cautious thumbs up, especially if you’re patient enough to give it a few episodes to bed in. “Dragon doesn't soar immediately, but no House was built in a day,” it concludes. Critics, after all, have only seen 60% of the series and presumably, there will be a cliffhanger to enjoy at the end of the ten-episode run. And that, after the bizarrely poor finale to what had been a roaring success of a show, is a relief.” The If you’re concerned that this is HBO going rogue with George RR Martin’s world, don’t be: it’s still based on the writer’s work. The first episode is airing at 9 p.m ET on HBO and HBO Max tonight, but is it worth your time? It’s set 200 years before the events that Westeros watchers will be familiar with, and concerns itself with the Daeneyrys’ Targaryen ancestors’ brutal civil war. [LA Times](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2022-08-19/house-of-the-dragon-review-hbo-game-of-thrones) (opens in new tab) agrees, saying that it “recaptures the power, grandeur of the original”.

Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen in a blue robe stands before a temple with a chained. At this time, she and her brother are the last living Targaryens, ...

House of the Dragon will explore the downfall of the house that brings such fear and disdain. The history of the Targaryens help set the world stage for Game of Thrones explaining why the family is something to be feared while the rest of the important families in Westeros also treat the foreigners with disdain. It's important to remember the original series' Targaryen protagonist, Daenerys (Emilia Clarke), beginning to connect House of the Dragon to her and the larger political state Westeros in Game of Thrones, even though this series takes place around 2 centuries before.

Emma D'Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen and Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen discuss their bleach-and-tone routines in HBO's new "House of the Dragon." HBO Max.

- Alicent Hightower is Viserys' second wife and stepmother to Rhaenyra. - King Viserys I is the current king of Westeros. No wonder they all went mad. Are your wheels completely greased for a new era of "Game of Thrones?" - Prince Daemon is Viserys' brother and Rhaenyra's uncle. So at this point in the game, when HoD takes place, the current political system has only seen Targaryen rulers. Another good thing to remember is that many people in Westeros believe the Targaryens have a genetic tendency towards insanity. She is Aegon II's mother and has designs to be Westeros' first queen regnant, so she doesn't get along with her stepdaughter. He's your typical Hamlet-y "always a prince, never a king" kind of figure. Their scaled steeds brought the family from their original home of Valyria and helped them conquer all of Westeros. (The Targaryen family tree is very narrow, yet complicated. Here is everything you need to know before you watch so you can avoid common confusions like "Why are all of these blonde people so sad?"

House of the Dragon stars Paddy Considine, Emma D'Arcy, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke and Steve Toussaint among others. The inaugural season comprises 10 ...

Created by Martin and Ryan J Condal, the show is set two hundred years before Game of Thrones and focuses on House Targaryen. Tell me where do you want me to come': Manish Sisodia on reports of CBI’s lookout notice](https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/manish-sisodia-cbi-lookout-notice-reports-8102570/) [Alia Bhatt reveals she was paid Rs 15 lakh for SOTY, said she handed cheque to mom Soni Razdan: 'Till date, my mother handles my money'](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/alia-bhatt-student-of-the-year-cheque-soni-razdan-8102495/) [Who is Alexander Dugin, backer of Putin's Ukraine war whose daughter was killed in a car blast?](https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-global/alexander-dugin-backer-putins-ukraine-war-daughter-killed-car-blast-8103517/) [Tamils & the many wars of Independence, pre-1857](https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/tamils-the-many-wars-of-independence-pre-1857-8102183/) [CRED’s Freedom Fest 2022 is now live: Don’t miss out on curated rewards, deals, and offers](https://indianexpress.com/article/branded-content/creds-freedom-fest-2022-is-now-live-dont-miss-out-on-curated-rewards-deals-and-offers-8088027/) [Latest News](/latest-news/) [House of the Dragon premiere: When and where to watch](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/house-of-the-dragon-premiere-when-and-where-to-watch-8103565/) [Who’s afraid of Bhim Army? Chandrashekhar Azad again turned back from a Rajasthan airport](https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/bhim-army-chandrashekhar-azad-turned-back-from-rajasthan-airport-8103552/) [Dolo 650 maker Micro Labs rejects allegations of Rs 1,000 cr worth freebies to doctors](https://indianexpress.com/article/india/dolo-650-maker-micro-labs-rejects-allegations-of-rs-1000-cr-worth-freebies-to-doctors-8103557/) [Singapore will decriminalise sex between men: PM Lee Hsien Loong](https://indianexpress.com/article/world/singapore-decriminalise-sex-between-men-pm-lee-hsien-loong-8103558/) [‘Derriere la scene’: Book pays tribute to Coco Chanel through untold stories of women personalities](https://indianexpress.com/article/books-and-literature/derriere-la-scene-book-pays-tribute-to-coco-chanel-8103412/) [Uttarakhand cloudbursts: 3 bodies found, 5 missing as rescue ops continue](https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/city-others/uttarakhand-cloudbursts-3-bodies-found-5-missing-as-rescue-ops-continue-8103523/) [Madhavan’s heartwarming birthday wish for son Vedaant: ‘A big year ahead for both of us…’](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/madhavans-heartwarming-birthday-wish-for-son-vedaant-8103484/) [With MPs leading offensive, Delhi BJP tries to trump AAP in narrative war](https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/with-mps-leading-offensive-delhi-bjp-tries-to-trump-aap-in-narrative-war-8103511/) [Explained: Who is Alexander Dugin, a prominent backer of Putin’s Ukraine war whose daughter was killed in a car blast?](https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-global/alexander-dugin-backer-putins-ukraine-war-daughter-killed-car-blast-8103517/) [Freedom’s questions](https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/freedoms-questions-express-opinion-8103357/) [Kolkata to get virtual Partition museum](https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/art-and-culture/kolkata-virtual-partition-museum-8103218/) [Rahul Dholakia on how Bollywood can revive its fortunes: ‘Stop being arrogant’](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/rrahul-dholakia-on-how-bollywood-can-revive-its-fortunes-8103314/) House of the Dragon is based on portions of George RR Martin’s 2018 novel Fire and Blood. It also marked the breakthrough of all its cast members especially Lit Harington, Peter Dinklage, Emilia Clarke, Richard Madden, Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams. The show began filming in 2020 in the United Kingdom.

House of the Dragon,” the “Game of Thrones” author's preferred spinoff, premieres on Sunday night. “It had everything that I thought we needed for a ...

And even some of the things I told them are changing as I do the writing. Let’s say “House of the Dragon” is a hit. I always knew once the show got beyond my books — which honestly I did not anticipate — they would start going in directions that the books are not going to go in. The Long Night is mentioned in my books here and there, but it’s an ancient event that people tell stories about — it’s like the Garden of Eden or a biblical flood. As you know, “The Winds of Winter” is very, very late — the last book was 11 years ago, and people are very angry about that. I do like what Marvel is doing because I like the variety of the shows. And the one that really excited me was “Lou Grant.” They took this character from a sitcom and they made him the hero of a serious journalism show. “Game of Thrones” and my book version of it, “A Song of Ice and Fire,” is, in some ways, a classic high fantasy in the mode of Tolkien and many, many writers who followed. [“House of the Dragon”](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/10/arts/television/house-of-the-dragon-hbo-got.html) was ordered straight to series in late 2019. It had dragons — a lot of dragons — and battles and betrayals. And [the “Game of Thrones” creators David Benioff and Dan Weiss] for years were saying they wanted to wrap it up in seven seasons. Martin kept pushing: his rise-and-fall tale of the dragon-riding Targaryen family, set nearly 200 years before the events of “Game of Thrones.”

Others also playing principal parts in the show include Paddy Considine as King Viserys, Matt Smith as Prince Daemon, and Emily Carey and Olivia Cooke as the ...

[enraged at worst](https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/a27522397/game-of-thrones-finale-plot-holes-twitter-reactions/), by [GoT](https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/a32600339/game-of-thrones-finale-one-year-later/) ['s divisive series finale](https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/a32600339/game-of-thrones-finale-one-year-later/). Still, “I don’t think anybody is thinking this show will pick up, from a ratings perspective, right where Thrones left off,” HBO's EVP and Head of Drama told the magazine. Production on the series began in 2021, with Milly Alcock and Emma D'Arcy recruited to play the younger and older version of Princess Rhaenyra, respectively. But we tend to like things to air and give it some time. "That said, if I were betting, I’d say there’s a pretty good shot that House of the Dragon will get a season two. The 10-episode series, based off of George R.R.

Which characters matter? Which Houses are a factor? Why are their names so hard to spell? We have viewers of the 'Game of Thrones' prequel covered.

The influential family is a key ally of House Targaryen, so their prosperity — and family trees — are intertwined. The Hightowers are known for their wealth and are affiliated with the Tyrells, a house “Game of Thrones” fans are likely more familiar with. A close friend of Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen and Ser Otto Hightower’s daughter, Alicent grew up in the Red Keep. King Jaehaerys Targaryen’s grandchild who, as his oldest living descendant, had a claim to the Iron Throne. A formidable warrior, Prince Daemon serves as the commander of the City Watch of King’s Landing. The clan of dragon-riders became the first ruling house of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros thanks to a successful conquest led by King Aegon Targaryen; the family ruled over Westeros for almost 300 years.

When is episode 1 of House of the Dragon Season 1 airing? Where can you watch this fantasy drama? Here's everything we know:

House of the Dragon is available to watch on the HBO channel and HBO Max. House of the Dragon is the long-awaited prequel to Game of Thrones, taking place 200 years before the War of the Five Kings. What do you hope to see as the series progresses?

House of the Dragon showrunners Ryan Condal & Miguel Sapochnik on telling a unique story with prequel series and the possibility of future seasons.

And then, when we finished Game of Thrones, I remember going to Francesca Orsi at HBO and saying, “You should really consider Ryan Condal to write something.” Ryan has read the books and is an encyclopaedia of knowledge of that world. There is really 300 years of Targaryen history to explore, and there are many stories within there that are really fascinating. Plans like that always have to be fairly broad, yet you have an idea of landmarks, and places that you want to go, and a sense of an end point, which I think is really important, particularly with this story. There’s the story of the conquest, the story before the conquest, the Targaryens leaving Old Valyria. CONDAL: I think it was our combined experience, me as a fan of the original books and the original show, and Miguel having made some of the most successful episodes of the original show. I remember really wanting to do that pilot, but it had been taken by the guy called Jeffrey Reiner. Let’s not just make a prequel because there’s a desire to make more money off of Game of Thrones. Our first challenge was to figure out what not to change and what we had to carry forward, as far as the tone, voice, look and feel of the show, the spectacle and the elegance of it. Now, later in my career, I’m more established and trying to find good work and pro projects to work on that I would be proud of and proud to have created. That was before I was married. When you throw in powerful dragons, it becomes impossible to know who to trust or where loyalties lie, and the Iron Throne that they’re all fighting for is not kind in its embrace of whoever sits upon it. At that point, I was really much more focused on just trying to find work.

The “Game of Thrones” spinoff tries to recapture the magic through nostalgic detail, family fights, and grisly scenes of childbirth.

Rhaenyra’s voice-over tells us that the old king knew that “the only thing that could tear down the House of the Dragon was itself.” Ain’t that the truth, king. Like the infamous final season of “Thrones,” “Dragon” doesn’t always make the most of its story’s assets. There’s funny dialogue, but mostly of the unintentional variety: “Laughing with your whores and your lickspittles!” the king yells to a relative, in a rage. Will “House of the Dragon” have us obsessing about the Crabfeeder? “Game of Thrones,” for all its flaws, was a Sunday-night treasure for a reason: its wild inventiveness and beauty, its overstuffed intrigue and action, its humor, its characters. (Did they always sound so Wookiee-like?) And it’s hard not to love a show in which hundreds of flickering votive candles surround not rose petals and a proposal but a dragon skull the size of a Humvee. The Daemon-Rhaenyra dynamic, and Daemon’s flaxen wig and eyes narrowed in constant scheming, recalls the Targaryens we know best: Daenerys and her brother, also named Viserys, whose death in “Thrones” involved our rejoicing while he encountered a faceful of molten gold. “Dragon” swiftly provides some of the old “Thrones” pleasures. Inside the palace, Rhaenyra and her friend Alicent Hightower visit the hugely pregnant queen (“This discomfort is how we serve the realm,” she says, proud and grim), and then Rhaenyra zips off to a meeting of the king and his advisers, where, as she pours water for them, undercover-Arya style, she listens to the proceedings: reports that begin “We’ve all been poring over the moon charts”; a discussion of a pirate-punishing madman called the Crabfeeder. Martin’s “ [Fire and Blood](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0593598008),” tells the story of House Targaryen in an era well before our old friends showed up—a hundred and seventy-two years before the death of the Mad King, the opening titles inform us, and the birth of his daughter Daenerys Targaryen. Like Rhaenyra, he’s a dragon rider—not just anybody can pilot those things—and, also like her, he’s a possible contender for the Iron Throne. The show opens not with a grim ice-monster sequence, as “Thrones” did—hat tip to that—but with the announcement, in a grand hall, of Prince Viserys (Paddy Considine) as the next king.

The Australian actress Milly Alcock plays a young Princess Rhaenyra in the Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon. Here, everything you need to know ...

Her bio reads, "Extremely underwhelming in real life 🙇🏼♀️" and she writes her name is "Mils," a nickname for Milly. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at [Hey Alma](https://www.heyalma.com/), a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on [Twitter ](https://twitter.com/emburack)and "It was a big change but I just told myself, 'Okay for whatever reason they believe in me, so I have to believe in myself,'" she told Wonderland. [the Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon](https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/arts-and-culture/a39612186/house-of-the-dragon-game-of-thrones-prequel/), which will tell the story of the Targaryen civil war, and is based on [George R.R. (No word on what restaurant she was working in.) So every time I go in for an audition, I think 'I either get this and things will change or I don’t and things stay the same. I was like: ‘No, this is what I’ve been working towards and I’ve been given this amazing opportunity with this amazing cast, with this beautiful script.’ I couldn’t say no and I couldn’t let the fear and anxiety of not finishing school haunt me, because that would have defeated the whole purpose of leaving." "I never doubted it for a second," she said of leaving Newton High School. Her first role was "Teen Girl 1" in Wonderland, an Australian romcom TV show. However, her breakout role was in Upright as Meg, a runaway teenager. Alcock and Carey are sure to be two of the breakout stars of House of the Dragon.

The Game of Thrones ending left plenty cold, but HBO is hoping House of the Dragon will warm everyone up to Westeros again. Here's what you need to know.

Given what we've seen in trailers, House of the Dragon's first season looks like it'll focus on arranging all these new pieces on the grand playing field that is the game of thrones. While the story doesn't have a happy ending, it does have an ending already written (and a pretty dramatic one at that). There were more than 20 dragons still alive in Westeros (you would have spotted plenty during the trailer for House of the Dragon) during this time. Without a son from that marriage to succeed him, Viserys's younger brother Prince Daemon (played by Matt Smith) assumes he will be the one to ascend the Iron Throne upon the eventual death of his older brother, as was Westerosi custom. Before he died though, Viserys married Alicent Hightower and had four more children, making the question of succession complicated, and bloody. Basically, it's going to help answer the "why was Dany the last Targaryen?" Just a few generations removed from the conquest of Aegon, the ranks of the dynasty of silver-haired dragon riders had swelled to have more than enough members to fill a Westerosi football team … Like most things in Westeros, the conflict at the heart of this story is over power. and more than enough bastards and side branches to fill the stands. And unlike the final seasons of Game of Thrones, smug book readers once again have a heads-up on what's about to play out before it happens on your screen. It's set more than 150 years before everything that made up the Game of Thrones you know. Basically, it's one for the uber fans, and

Here's when to plan your weekly watch parties (and avoid Twitter spoilers) for the highly-anticipated 'Game of Thrones' prequel.

The series is also available to rent on Amazon Prime Video, iTunes, Google Play, and Vudu. - Episode 8 — October 9 Each episode is set to drop on HBO Max globally at the same time they air on cable. See the titles and release dates for all the episodes below. The series will introduce the ailing King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine), who is forced to choose name either his daughter, Rhaenyra (first Milly Alcock, then Emma D'Arcy), or his younger brother, Daemon (Matt Smith), as heir to the kingdom, a conflict leads to a family civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons. Martin's Fire & Blood, the series is set nearly 200 years before the events of the [original series](https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/g27546066/shows-like-game-of-thrones/), at a time where the Targaryens (and their platinum-blonde hairstyles) were at their most powerful, and their own familial discord was the biggest threat to their reign.

Join House Perk as we raise our banner to celebrate the premiere of House of the Dragon. Streaming tonight at 9PM on @HBOMax.

[@hbomax]. [August 21, 2022] [@HBOMax]. Thus, they’ve enlisted the shows under the WBD purview to create banners for their “houses” to help drive awareness of tonight’s debut. [House of the Dragon](https://deadline.com/tag/house-of-the-dragon/) bows tonight on the cable channel and its streaming companion, [HBO Max](https://deadline.com/tag/hbo-max/). But even with a purported [$100 million marketing campaign](https://deadline.com/2022/08/house-of-the-dragon-hbo-biggest-marketing-campaign-1235096571/) behind tonight’s launch of the Game of Thrones prequel, the Warner Bros.

Milly Alcock as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, a highlight of House of the Dragon's opening episodes. HBO. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. The opening ...

As the first episode of House of the Dragons finished, I asked myself whether it was as captivating as Game of Thrones' first. Even after six episodes of the show, House of the Dragon's scope is still mysterious. But the shining star of House of the Dragon's opening episodes is surely Milly Alcock as Rhaenyra. In contrast, House of the Dragon is all about the internecine conflict generated by different Targaryens all laying claim to the same Iron Throne. Much of Game of Thrones centered on the combative houses of Westeros vying to become the dominant clan. Perhaps more importantly, House of the Dragon will give lapsed Game of Thrones fans reason to love again.