“House of the Dragon” Trailer Promises a GoT Prequel Worthy of Westeros

Ahead of House of the Dragon‘s appearance at Comic-Con, HBO released the series’ official trailer, and it doesn’t disappoint.

House of the Dragon, set 200 years before the events in Game of Thrones will focus on the volatile House Targaryen in the lead-up to the civil war that tore Westeros apart. House of the Dragon‘s Comic-Con appearance marks the first time the Game of Thrones franchise has graced San Diego’s marquee summer event since the series’ final season back in 2019. House of the Dragon is the result of a long, hard-fought internal struggle within HBO to make sure their first Game of Thrones spinoff was worthy of the original, with creators vying for the chance to continue the saga. We recommend you check out The Hollywood Reporter‘s deep dive into the long road to getting to House of Dragon.

House of the Dragon‘s main creative minds are co-creators and showrunners Miguel Sapochnik, a Game of Thrones alum, and Ryan Condal. The series arrives, at long last, on August 21.

Here are the main cast’s character descriptions:

Paddy Considine as King Viserys Targaryen, chosen by the lords of Westeros to succeed the Old King, Jaehaerys Targaryen, at the Great Council at Harrenhal. A warm, kind, and decent man, Viserys only wishes to carry forward his grandfather’s legacy. But good men do not necessarily make for great kings.

Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen, younger brother to King Viserys and heir to the throne. A peerless warrior and a dragonrider, Daemon possesses the true blood of the dragon. But it is said that whenever a Targaryen is born, the gods toss a coin in the air…

Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower, the daughter of Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King, and the most comely woman in the Seven Kingdoms. She was raised in the Red Keep, close to the king and his innermost circle; she possesses both a courtly grace and a keen political acumen.

Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, the king’s first-born child, she is of pure Valyrian blood, and she is a dragonrider. Many would say that Rhaenyra was born with everything… but she was not born a man.

Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon, “The Sea Snake.” Lord of House Velaryon, a Valyrian bloodline as old as House Targaryen. As “The Sea Snake,” the most famed nautical adventurer in the history of Westeros, Lord Corlys built his house into a powerful seat that is even richer than the Lannisters and that claims the largest navy in the world.

Eve Best as Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, a dragonrider and wife to Lord Corlys Velaryon, “The Queen Who Never Was” was passed over as heir to the throne at the Great Council because the realm favored her cousin, Viserys, simply for being male.

Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole, of Dornish descent, the common-born son of the steward to the Lord of Blackhaven. Cole has no claim to land or titles; all he has to his name is his honor and his preternatural skill with a sword.

Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria, who came to Westeros with nothing, sold more times than she can recall. She could have wilted… but instead she rose to become the most trusted — and most unlikely — ally of Prince Daemon Targaryen, the heir to the throne.

Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower. The Hand of the King, Ser Otto loyally and faithfully serves both his king and his realm. As the Hand sees it, the greatest threat to the realm is the king’s brother, Daemon, and his position as heir to the throne.

For more on House of the Dragon, check out these stories:

“House of the Dragon” Video Reveals New Dragons & a New Reign

Dragons, Deceit, & Danger Highlight Official “House of the Dragon” Trailer

“Game of Thrones” Prequel “House of the Dragon” Premiering in August

New “House of the Dragon” Video Teases HBO Max’s “Game of Thrones” Prequel

Featured image: Emma D’Arcy as “Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen” and Matt Smith as “Prince Daemon Targaryen.” Photograph by Ollie Upton/HBO

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The Credits

The Credits is an online magazine that tells the story behind the story to celebrate our large and diverse creative community. Focusing on profiles of below-the-line filmmakers, The Credits celebrates the often uncelebrated individuals who are indispensable to the films and TV shows we love.