‘Game of Thrones’ Prequel ‘House of the Dragon’ Announces More Cast Members and Details
Game of Thrones fans will soon get their fix as the prequel series, House of the Dragon, is starting to make fast new progress at HBO. The premium cable network announced who will play some of the additional characters in the series and we are finally getting more information about how things are going to shape up.
The first prequel in development did not move forward at the network
House of the Dragon was not the first Game of Thrones spinoff or prequel to get developed. A pilot was shot for another one set 10,000 years before the events of Game of Thrones.
Per its logline: Only one thing is for sure: From the horrifying secrets of Westeros’ history to the true origin of the White Walkers, the mysteries of the East to the Starks of legend — it’s not the story we think we know.”
The cast included Naomi Ackie, Marquis Rodriguez, Sheila Atim, Ivanno Jeremiah, Miranda Richardson, Josh Whitehouse, Denise Gough, Jamie Campbell Bower, Alex Sharp, Georgie Henley, Dixie Egerickx, John Simm, Richard McCabe and Toby Regbo.
HBO ended up not moving forward with the series.
What is ‘House of the Dragon’ about?
According to the official description listed by HBO: “Based on George R.R. Martin’s book Fire & Blood, the series will tell the story of House Targaryen (a.k.a. the House that gave us the Mother of Dragons herself, Daenerys Targaryen) and take place 300 years before the events of Game of Thrones.”
Martin and Ryan Condal co-created the series and Condal and Miguel Sapochnik will be the showrunners. They will executive produce with Martin, Vince Gerardis, Sara Lee Hess and Ron Schmidt.
Other directors include Clare Kilner and Geeta V. Patel. Greg Yaitanes is also a director and will be a co-executive producer.
The newly-announced stars of the series
Paddy Considine was the first cast in the series as King Viserys Targaryen, who was “chosen by the lords of Westeros to succeed the Old King, Jaehaerys Targaryen, at the Great Council at Harrenhal.” The character is described in HBO’s official release 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 three new actors that have been added to the series are Sound of Metal star Olivia Cooke, Truth Seekers star Emma D’Arcy, and The Crown star Matt Smith.
Cooke will play Alicent Hightower, the daughter of the Hand of the King, Otto Hightower Described as the “most comely woman in the Seven Kingdoms,” she was raised in the Red Keep, close to the king and his innermost circle.” She is also said to “possesses both a courtly grace and a keen political acumen.”
D’Arcy is Rhaenyra Targaryen, the king’s first-born child. She is pure Valyrian and a dragonrider. However, though she is the king’s first-born, she is still a woman which may be an impediment to her ascent.
Lastly, Smith will be Prince Daemon Targaryen King Viserys younger brother and heir to the throne. He’s described as “a peerless warrior and a dragonrider who possesses the true blood of the dragon.”
