HBO’s prequel series House of the Dragon, set to premiere on August 21 this year, will transport fans of the critically acclaimed Game of Thrones universe back to Westeros. Emily Clarke and Lena Headey star as Daenerys Targaryen and Cersei Lannister, respectively, in the series based on George R.R. Martin’s Fire and Blood, which takes place two centuries before the struggle for the Iron Throne took place. The cast & crew of Game of Thrones opened out about the show’s controversial finale and the sexism in Westeros in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. Ryan Condal, who co-created the series alongside Martin, promises that House of the Dragon will not let viewers down. Before the horrific civil conflict known as the Dance of the Dragons, the prequel will trace the Targaryen lineage from Princess Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) and his future spouse Alicent Hightower (Paddy Considine) (Olivia Cooke). When Alicent, Rhaenyra’s stepmother and former closest friend, gives birth to a boy, the reign is thrown into doubt.
A word from Condal about the prequel’s respectful treatment, as well as his expectations for viewers:
“We’ve got a lot of history to carry on. The greatest way to achieve it is in a way that acknowledges the past but also avoids what I believe many sequels do: Here’s [what] you loved in a new package.” Rhaenyra is “pushing at the frontiers of femininity” in a culture that demands little of women other than learning to sew and giving birth. Because of the way males are revered and treated as kings, Rhaenyra, D’Arcy’s Rhaenyra, is “obsessed with masculinity.” For example, in the interview, D’Arcy gave, “she is a person who feels at odds with what people think of her,” which she refers to as Rhaenyra’s rightful throne until an infant boy is born and the way males are given all of her desired power and freedom while she is deprived of it.
It’s been more than 70 years since King Viserys ruled the land, and his reign was marked by luxury and extravagance, as well as many more dragons than the Game of Thrones era could have imagined. In an interview, Condal stated that he wanted to depict the narrative of Rome’s height before its fall and to see the Targaryens at their peak so that we might grasp what was lost when it all came apart. House of the Dragon is concerned with the disillusionment of the patriarchy, which has been happening for hundreds & hundreds of years, & the shattering of that system as those in line fight for the throne, explains Eve Best, who plays the young Princess Rhaenys Targaryen.
An emotional Princess Rhaenys bemoans her niece in the teaser trailer:
Men would rather destroy the kingdom than have a woman on the iron throne
Game of Thrones’s Targaryen dynasty and the other Houses of Westeros will play a significant role in this season’s follow-up. Featuring a wide range of families and characters from Westeros’ past, House of the Dragon is sure to be an exciting return for fans of the series, including those of Rhaenys’ husband Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) and other well-known families. Even though the show is “standing on the shoulders of giants,” viewers are yearning for more fire and blood. Condal acknowledges this. There is a wide-ranging cast in House of Dragons, featuring Emily Carey, Milly Alcock Phoebe Campbell Matt Smith Rhys Ifans Ryan Corr Harry Collett Fabien Frankel On August 21, House of the Dragon will air on HBO.