House of the Dragon: New Hit Or Flop?!!

House of the Dragon

Who still remembers the final season disappointment of Game of Thrones? Well, it is still fresh in our minds as far as I’m concerned. Actually, if I’m to be generous, the last two seasons of the cult classic HBO series were lackluster. The unconvincing ending left a bitter taste. So, a prequel series gives a dilemma of hopes and skepticism.

HBO has announced House of the Dragon in late March. The premier date is said to be on 21^st August 2022. The adaptation is based on the Song of Fire and Ice and companion materials by acclaimed author George R. R. Martin. We know that the show has been in the works for years; as Martin wrote on his blog, “It was actually the first concept I pitched to HBO when we started talking about a successor show, way back in the summer of 2016.”.

Plot Preview

The events occurred centuries before the original GoT series when the Targaryens landed on Dragonstone. It was the most turbulent period for House Targaryen; as siblings fought siblings, dragons killed dragons, and friends conspired against friends. All of it was for the sake of the Iron Throne, of course!

“If you’d like to know a bit more of what the show will be about… well, I can’t actually spill those beans! You might want to pick up a copy of two anthologies I did with Gardner Dozois, Dangerous Women and Rogues, and then move on to Archmaester Gyldayn’s history, Fire & Blood.” Martin teased us so in his blog.

Dangerous Women includes a novella called The Princess and the Queen. It is about the Dance of the Dragons. Describes the vast civil war that tore Westeros apart nearly two centuries before the events of A Game of Thrones.

Rogues, meanwhile, includes The Rogue Prince. It chronicles the early life, adventures, misdeeds, and marriages of Prince Daemon Targaryen. Daemon is considered one of the biggest rogues in the entire history of Ice and Fire.

Lastly, Fire & Blood is the first novel of a two-part history of the Targaryens in Westeros. “Fire & Blood begins the tale with the legendary Aegon the Conqueror, creator of the Iron Throne. It recounts the generations of Targaryens who fought to hold that iconic seat, all the way up to the civil war that nearly tore their dynasty apart.”, according to the author’s site.

The Creators

Martin and Ryan Condal are the co-creators. Emmy-winning director Miguel Sapochnik and Condal will be the showrunners. Martin, Vince Gerardis, Sara Lee Hess, and Ron Schmidt are executive producers.

Sapochnik will direct the pilot and additional series episodes, and Condal will write them. Clare Kilner and Geeta V. Patel will also direct the series. Greg Yaitanes will also direct and is also a co-executive producer. Since it’s Sapochnik who directed The Battle of The Bastards, some breathtaking visuals may be seen.

And it is up to Game of Thrones composer Ramin Djawadi to score House of the Dragon. We can expect some glamorous melodies. Also, the accompanying music will be something to look forward to.

Meet the Cast

Paddy Considine as King Viserys Targaryen.

Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower.

Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen.

Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen.

Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King.

Eve Best as Princess Rhaenys Velaryon.

Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria.

Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon aka The Sea Snake.

Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole.

These are some talented actors. So, we can hope for potent character portrayals. However, will their acting actually bring out the true potential of the characters remains to be seen!

What to expect

Another heart wrenching tale set in the mysterious lands of Westeros takes the expectation levels to new heights, although the disappointment of the last show is still fresh in our memories. Well, there’s a saying that “We shouldn’t judge someone/something based on their predecessors’ crimes/faults!”. So we can give this upcoming drama…ling a chance so it may grow to give us the ultimate spectacle.

Also, the thought of witnessing King’s Landing, Dragonstone, Dorne, Harrenhal, and other iconic locations in a different setting is something to lust for. Let’s wait and see what House of the Dragon has in store for us!        

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