From the main characters and key locations to the new showrunners and potential storylines — we tell you about the series House of the Dragon, approved by George R.R. Martin himself.

A recent HBO Max teaser confirmed that the premiere of House of the Dragon, a prequel to the already legendary fantasy series Game of Thrones, will take place in 2022. Also, from the latest casting news, we know that the series will star Olivia Cooke (Ready Player One), Emma D'Arcy (Misbehaviour), and Matt Smith (Doctor Who, The Crown).

Cooke will play the role of Alicent Hightower, wife of King Viserys Targaryen. D'Arcy will also be in the spotlight, playing Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, Viserys's eldest daughter. Smith will play Prince Daemon Targaryen, Viserys's younger brother.

Production of the series will begin in 2021, as the creators announced on Twitter, where they also shared concept art of a dragon.

The spin-off will be based on the book George R.R. Martin Fire & Blood — the action will take place 300 years before the events of Game of Thrones and will tell the story of House Targaryen.

House of the Dragon has been in development for several years (though the title has changed several times throughout the process), Martin wrote on his blog. In fact, it was the first concept I pitched to HBO when we were discussing a successor show, back in the summer of 2016.

What Will the Series Be About?

The story is set during a turbulent period for House Targaryen, where brother fought against brother and dragon against dragon. The crux of the conflict: who should rule the Iron Throne.

If you want to know a little more about what the show will be about… well, I can't really blab much, Martin teased on his blog, but you might want to read the anthology Dangerous Women, and then move on to the story by Archmaester Gyldayn — Fire & Blood.

The Princess and the Queen is the story of the Dance of the Dragons — the Targaryen civil war associated with the extinction of dragons in the Seven Kingdoms.

The Rogue Prince, or, the King's Brother is a tale about the reign of King Viserys I of House Targaryen. The central plot theme is the relationship between the king and his younger brother Daemon. The Rogue Prince sets up the conflict that finds its resolution in the story The Princess and the Queen.

And finally, the novel Fire & Blood. The first half of the first volume, titled Blood of the Dragons, was published in Russian at the end of November 2018. The second half, under the title Dance of Death, was published at the end of January 2019. Its description states: how King's Landing became the capital of capitals, how glorious feats beyond imagination were accomplished, and how brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers lost their minds in a bloody struggle for power, how the dragon kind gradually gave way to dragons in human form.

Fire & Blood begins its story with the legendary Aegon the Conqueror, creator of the Iron Throne, and continues to tell of the generations of Targaryens who fought for that seat, up to the Civil War that nearly tore their dynasty apart.

Who Are the Creators?

George R.R. Martin and Ryan Condal (Colony) serve as co-creators of the series, while Emmy Award-winning director Miguel Sapochnik (Game of Thrones) and Condal will also be showrunners and executive producers. Martin, Vince Gerardis, Sara Lee Hess, and Ron Schmidt are also executive producers. Sapochnik will direct the pilot and one other episode of the series.

Also among the directors are Clare Kilner (The Alienist: Angel of Darkness), Geeta Patel (The Witcher), and Greg Yaitanes (Banshee). On his blog, Martin introduced another team of co-writers: Wes Tooke (Colony), Claire Kiechel (The OA), and Ti Mikkel.

Even Aegon's dragon could not conquer the Seven Kingdoms alone, Martin wrote. He needed the help of his sisters — Rhaenys and Visenya. Ryan and I also received great help, and I would like to crown three talented and hardworking young writers who helped bring the book to life.

Who Is in the Cast?

Casting began in July 2020, and here is how HBO describes the main roles:

Paddy Considine as King Viserys Targaryen. Viserys was chosen by the lords of Westeros to succeed the old king, Jaehaerys Targaryen, at the Great Council at Harrenhal. He is a kind and decent man. Viserys only wants to continue his grandfather's legacy, but as we learned from Game of Thrones, good men do not necessarily make great kings.

Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower. She is the daughter of Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King, and the most beautiful woman in the Seven Kingdoms. Raised in the Red Keep, close to the king and his inner circle, she possesses both courtly grace and sharp political acumen.

Emma D'Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen. The king's firstborn. She has pure Valyrian blood and is a dragonrider. Many would say Rhaenyra was born with every advantage... but she was not born a man.

Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen. King Viserys's younger brother and heir to the throne. Daemon is an unmatched warrior and dragonrider. But they say that every time a new Targaryen is born, the gods toss a coin.

When Is the Premiere?

The teaser for HBO Max confirmed that House of the Dragon will be released in 2022. The teaser only shows a dragon and a new gold logo.

Possible Events

The Targaryens landed on Dragonstone. The Dance of the Dragons was a war of succession fought from 129 to 131 AC, after Aegon I's conquest of Westeros.

The Targaryen civil war began with a conflict over the system of succession: primogeniture, or the firstborn, usually a son. The firstborn inherits their father's castle and lands, regardless of circumstances. But there were exceptions in history, in the person of King Jaehaerys I.

When King Jaehaerys I's eldest son, Prince Aemon, died, he left behind a daughter, Rhaenys. King Jaehaerys I chose his next eldest son, Prince Baelon, as the new Prince of Dragonstone and heir to the throne, which displeased Queen Alysanne. When Baelon unexpectedly died — along with Queen Alysanne and one of their daughters — a grief-stricken Jaehaerys called a Great Council to vote on the succession, and the council chose Baelon's son, Viserys, over Rhaenys's son, Laenor.

During his reign, Viserys named Rhaenyra, his daughter from his first wife, as his heir, but after Viserys's death, his eldest son Aegon from his second wife ascended the throne, causing a great rift in the kingdom. By this time, Rhaenyra was already married to her uncle, the rogue prince Daemon Targaryen, who himself had long desired the throne.

Who Enters the Game?

King Viserys I (103-129 AC) — his death in early 129 AC began the great struggle for succession between Rhaenyra and his firstborn Aegon. Viserys's dragon is especially familiar to Game of Thrones fans: Balerion, the Black Dread, on which King Aegon I Targaryen flew during the conquest of Westeros. Born in Valyria, Balerion was the last living dragon to have seen the Freehold, which the Targaryens left 12 years before its fall. He was covered in black scales with black wings and even possessed black fire that burned so hot it melted the stone towers of Harrenhal (we saw the ruins when Arya Stark served Tywin Lannister). Balerion died around 94 AC, less than a year after Prince Viserys claimed him, when the prince was still very young. Therefore, it is unlikely we will see Balerion alive in House of the Dragon, except perhaps in flashbacks.

Alicent Hightower — the second wife of Viserys I. Her followers were called the greens after the green dress the queen wore during a great tournament.

Daemon Targaryen — Viserys I's brother, was mad and dangerous to those around him, but also a skilled warrior and frequenter of dubious establishments. Rumors circulated that he deflowered his niece, Rhaenyra, in her adolescence, for which Viserys sent him into exile. Many years later, he married Rhaenyra, and after Viserys's death, crowned his own wife, sparking a bloody civil war. His dragon: the lean but fearsome red Caraxes, also called the Blood Wyrm.

Rhaenyra — Viserys I's daughter and firstborn from Aemma Arryn, Viserys I's first wife, who died in childbirth with their second child. Rhaenyra was beautiful and a favorite of her father and the people. In her youth, she was called the Realm's Delight. As she grew older, she became stubborn and rivaled her ambitious stepmother Alicent. Her followers called themselves the blacks after the dress the princess wore at the tournament. Her dragon: the young yellow-scaled Syrax.

Ser Laenor Velaryon — married his cousin Rhaenyra, who wrote to her father: my half-brothers would be more to his taste. Dragon: Seasmoke.

Rhaenys Targaryen and Lord Corlys Velaryon — Laenor's parents. Rhaenys was known as the Queen Who Never Was because she was passed over as heir to the throne in favor of her uncle. Corlys was known as the Sea Snake for his successes in naval battles.

Harwin Strong — son of Lord Lyonel Strong and heir to Harrenhal, he was Rhaenyra's lover while she was married to Laenor.

Princes Jacaerys (Jace), Lucerys (Luke), and Joffrey (Joff) Velaryon — Rhaenyra and Laenor's children, though rumored to be fathered by Harwin Strong. The boys' dragons were Vermax, Arrax, and Tyraxes, respectively.

King Aegon II (129-131 AC) — Viserys I's eldest son by Alicent, married his sister. His dragon: Sunfyre, or the Golden.

Helaena — Aegon II's sister-wife, bore him three children. Dragon: Dreamfyre.

Aegon III (131-157 AC) — son of Daemon and Rhaenyra Targaryen, he ruled after his uncle Aegon II, and married his cousin Jaehaera at a very young age. His reign marked the end of the Dance of the Dragons. He had five children by his second wife, Daenera Velaryon. As a child, he fell into melancholy after escaping a naval attack by climbing onto his dragon but leaving his brother Viserys behind in battle. Dragon: Stormcloud.

Dragonseeds — this is what commoners on the island of Dragonstone are called who have Targaryen blood in their veins — whether bastards of nobles who exercised the right of the first night, or descendants of those bastards. As bearers of Targaryen dragon blood, the dragonseeds could tame dragons and become their riders.

Hugh Hammer, a blacksmith's bastard of great physical strength, rider of the dragon Vermithor.

Ulf the White, an illiterate, drunken man-at-arms serving at Dragonstone castle, rider of the dragon Silverwing.

Addam Velaryon, also known as Addam of Hull, rider of the dragon Seasmoke. Corlys Velaryon secured his legitimization and named him his heir.

Nettles, a peasant girl of obscure origin, rider of the wild dragon Sheepstealer, and possibly Daemon Targaryen's lover. When Rhaenyra Targaryen wanted her dead, Nettles and her dragon disappeared in an unknown direction.

Alyn Velaryon, nicknamed Oakenfist, brother of Addam Velaryon. He failed to tame a dragon during the Dance of the Dragons, but was legitimized, inherited the title of Lord Velaryon, and later became famous as an admiral and explorer.

What Lands Will We See?

All the main events take place in King's Landing and Dragonstone, but the fighting and bloodshed are mostly in the Riverlands (House Tully at Riverrun). Major battles are also expected around Harrenhal and the God's Eye.