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‘Game of Thrones’ Prequel, ‘House of Dragon,’ To Roar Onto HBO Max in 2022

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Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen and Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen in HBO Max's upcoming 'House of Dragon,' set for release in 2022.
Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen and Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen in HBO Max’s upcoming ‘House of Dragon,’ set for release in 2022. Ollie Upton/HBO

“Gods didn’t make us kings. Dragons did.”

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Narrated by Matt Smith’s Daemon Targaryen, the first trailer for House of the Dragon is a preview consisting of brief shots that hint at important figures and reveal explosive, violent moments that erupt from rising tension amidst the Targaryens in HBO’s House of Dragon, due to roar onto HBO Max in 2022. 

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Over two years after Game of Thrones cast off its royal reign post an eight-season run, HBO has finally released the first teaser trailer for what will be the streaming service’s first Thrones spinoff, House of the Dragon.

The series is based on author George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire book series and its companion materials, set primarily in Westeros during a time of great internal upheaval,  the infamous Targaryen civil war, “The Dance of the Dragons.” Set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones (according to the teaser), the series tells the story of a turbulent period for House Targaryen, one that set sibling against sibling and dragon against dragon. The point of contention: Who should rule on 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,” Martin teased in his blog, “but 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.”

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Martin and Ryan Condal (Colony, Hercules) serve as co-creators of the series, while Emmy-winning director Miguel Sapochnik (Game of Thrones) and Condal will serve as executive producers. 

With a massive ensemble cast that, like its predecessor, contains few familiar faces, the series aims to hook audiences with a medieval melodrama that has been missing since Thrones left in the streaming universe in 2019. 

“Gods, kings, fire, and blood,” Smith as Targaryen intones over the trailer’s tease.

Though there are no dragons in the teaser, the House Targaryen symbol is still bathed in fire. Violent scenes burst from fantastic political intrigue — sword battles, knights in armor, and jousts that all suggest a battle of family against family. 

There is no specific release date yet set, but House Of The Dragon will be coming to HBO Max sometime in 2022.

Read More: Where to Visit Real-World ‘Game of Thrones’ Locations

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Matthew Denis
Matthew Denis
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Matt Denis is an on-the-go remote multimedia reporter, exploring arts, culture, and the existential in the Pacific Northwest…
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