HBO gives more info on ‘Game of Thrones’ prequel: Everything to know
What do you mean you don’t care about the Game of Thrones prequel? What you mean is you’ve been waiting for details about the upcoming HBO project, right? Look, we know everybody’s still salty about the way Game of Thrones ended. Nobody cares for Bran. Brienne deserved better. They did Dany dirty. But it’s been two years, guys. Surely we can move on and be excited for a new round of adventures in Westeros?
It’s not like we didn’t have some good times along Game of Thrones’ eight seasons. Come on, let’s see what HBO has planned. A Game of Thrones prequel, if nothing else, already has an end point built-in. You’re not going to be worried about the show outpacing the books, or the showrunners having to make up an ending out of nowhere. So let’s try to be positive!
Valar HBOlis (All men must watch HBO)
Onto the news, then. The Game of Thrones prequel will be called House of the Dragon and will focus on the Targaryen civil war that took place about three hundred years before Ned Stark became Hand of the King. The ten-episode series is co-created by George R.R. Martin & Ryan Condal. Condal is one of the showrunners alongside Miguel Sapochnik.
Sapochnik’s name should be familiar to any Game of Thrones fan worth their salt. The man directed some of the most beloved episodes in the series: “The Bells”, “The Long Night”, “Battle of the Bastards”. . . don’t act like you’re not feeling a tiny bit of excitement now. Ten episodes of Miguel Sapochnik overseeing dragon action? Sold!
That’s right, dragon action. We’re talking about the Targaryen reign, when dragons were a-plenty. See how the “prequel” part of a Game of Thrones prequel can be an awesome thing? It being Game of Thrones, we can also expect plenty of political intrigue, as the plot revolves around different Targaryens battling for the throne. Be ready to become familiar with the names Viserys, Rhaenyra, Daemon, and Aegon. Trust us.
What is dead may never die
Pre production on the Game of Thrones prequel is underway, with production scheduled to start in April. However, House of the Dragon is not the only GoT-related project we might get. Yesterday, HBO dropped new tantalizing tidbits of information during a Television Critics Association panel.
If you’ve read & loved George R.R. Martin’s Tales of Dunk & Egg novellas, rejoice! HBO is indeed developing them as another Game of Thrones prequel prospect. And that’s just one of many options the premium cable network is working on when it comes to exploiting Martin’s work. The goal is to eventually have multiple Game of Thrones series airing at the same time.
HBO isn’t restricting itself to Game of Thrones prequels either. HBO Chief Content Officer Casey Bloys admitted their focus is on the past of the franchise, but didn’t rule out moving into the future with other spinoffs. “We are working with George, it would really be something we talk about with him,” said Bloy, while also praising the expansive backstory Martin has laid out in his fantasy world.
Winter is still coming
It’s impossible to talk about new Game of Thrones content without mentioning how George R.R. Martin still hasn’t delivered the final two books in the series. Even though Martin’s role in House of the Dragon is probably as peripheral as his role in the original show, it’s easy to understand why fans would be upset that the author is devoting time to a Game of Thrones prequel instead of finishing the main story.
But we’re trying to be positive here! Maybe immersing himself in the world of a Game of Thrones prequel is exactly what George R.R. Martin needs. Maybe that’s how he’ll get that much-needed burst of creative energy and take Jon Snow, Daenerys Targaryen, Tyrion Lannister, Sansa Stark, and the rest of the OG gang all the way to the finish line.
Regardless of when we get the final Game of Thrones books, House of the Dragon is happening, and it’s fully plotted out. Going back to Bloys’s TAC panel, the HBO executive made it clear they got everything they needed from Martin’s work: “The good news with the prequels is that there is history that George has laid out.” Good news, indeed. Bring that first Game of Thrones prequel on!
