‘House of the Dragon’ Episode 1 Release Date and Time: Watch the Premiere
House of the Dragon makes its debut on Aug. 21, and the Game of Thrones prequel promises to throw fans into another fight for the Iron Throne — this time between the prominent members of House Targaryen. The House of the Dragon premiere will no doubt set the stage for the confrontation to come, but what time will episode 1 arrive on HBO and HBO Max? Here’s when fans can tune in.
‘House of the Dragon’ Episode 1 release date and time on HBO
Just like Game of Thrones, new episodes of HBO’s prequel House of the Dragon will debut on Sundays. House of the Dragon Episode 1 kicks off on Aug. 21, with the premiere boasting an air time of 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO. Later chapters will continue to debut on Sundays at that time, right up until the season 1 finale, which is slated for Oct. 23.
According to CNET, new episodes of House of the Dragon will also stream on HBO Max at 9 p.m. ET. That means those on the west coast can tune in a little early if they’re subscribed to the platform. For them, the latest installments should be available around 6 p.m. PT.
What is ‘House of the Dragon’ about?
If you’re still on the fence about tuning in for the House of the Dragon premiere, let’s dive into what the prequel will cover. House of the Dragon Episode 1 will take viewers back in time, delivering a narrative that takes place 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones. This story is pulled from the pages of George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, which chronicles the history of House Targaryen.
Specifically, House of the Dragon will focus on a Targaryen civil war dubbed The Dance of Dragons. The series will likely tackle the lead-up to this event, as well as the confrontation itself.
The major players in this fight for the Iron Throne include Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock/Emma D’Arcy), Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith), and Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey/Olivia Cooke). All three are vying for power as King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine) names his successor.
What to expect from episode 1 of the ‘Game of Thrones’ prequel
The release date and time for House of the Dragon Episode 1 are almost here, but the premiere may not throw fans directly into the action and drama. So, what can viewers expect from the show’s opening? According to IGN, it will clock in at around 1 hour and six minutes.
The title of the prequel’s premiere is “The Heirs of the Dragon,” and per Fandom.com, its official synopsis reads as follows: “Set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, this epic series tells the story of House Targaryen.” That doesn’t give much away, but we can likely expect a lot of setup from episode 1.
Like Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon features a wide range of characters and storylines. So, the premiere will spend much of its time introducing those things. Fortunately, the 10-episode first season will have plenty of time to elaborate on them later.
Don’t miss House of the Dragon, which debuts on HBO on Aug. 21 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
