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Dracarys! Concept art for 'Game of Thrones' prequel 'House of the Dragon' promises 'Fire Will Reign'
Things are heating up in Westeros again! HBO has announced that House of the Dragon, the prequel series to its juggernaut fantasy show Game of Thrones, will begin production in 2021, with principal photography starting up in the next few months.
But that doesn't mean that fans still can't get a first look at some aspects of the series — namely a glimpse of some of the titular creatures that will no doubt play a big part in the show when it debuts, seeing as how it's set a few hundred years before GoT took place, when dragons were alive and well and flew overhead more often.
HBO shared the concept art of some as-of-yet-unidentified dragons (below) on Twitter, with the caption, "Dragons are coming." The first image, that of a full-bodied, full-grown dragon is set against what appears to be a largely abstract background, though some of the shapes do also resemble what could be a burned down forest. The second is a close-up of a dragon's face, detailing its eyes, fangs, scales, and horns. (Perhaps, this is pre-fire breathing?)
This is the latest bit of "casting" news to come from the series, which hasn't really released much beyond the announcement that Paddy Considine (Peaky Blinders, Hot Fuzz) will be playing King Viserys I, the well-meaning, but weak-willed Targaryen royal at its center.
Based on the novel Fire and Blood by George R. R. Martin, The House of the Dragon tells the story of Viserys I's reign as he inherits a peaceful kingdom from his grandfather Jaehaerys I, only to have it slip into a civil war known as the "Dance of Dragons" despite his best efforts to maintain the peace amidst all the feasts and tournaments. There's also a good chance that the dragon(s) pictured above is none other than Balerion, the dragon Viserys I himself rode, who was also, perhaps, his only true love.
The project is the culmination of a whirlwind effort by HBO to keep the Game of Thrones franchise alive after the end of the original series, so there's certainly a lot riding on this one to keep the hype dragon flying.
The 10-episode series will be shot out of Leavesden Studios in England and was co-created by Martin himself and Ryan Condal (Colony), though it will be co-showrun by Condal and Game of Thrones director Miguel Sapochnik. (Perhaps to give Martin time to finish up Winds of Winter?)
The House of the Dragon is expected to premiere in 2022. You can stream all of Game of Thrones on HBO Max right now.
