It would be an understatement to say that the Game of Thrones finale went down like a pile of dragon dung, but spin-off show House of the Dragon is looking to avoid the same fate.
By the time it came to an end, Game of Thrones had long been producing new episodes quicker than George RR Martin’s fantasy source material was being published, forcing producers to create their own ending. Fans were left disappointed with an ending that – spoiler warning – felt rushed and ill-conceived.
House of the Dragon is the first of many planned spin-off projects, with the epic prequel series based on Martin’s Fire & Blood book, which tells the origins of the Targaryen family and how their empire fell.
Show runners Ryan Condal and Miguel Sapochnik have the benefit of already-published source material. While they’ve promised some surprises that will differ from the book, it’s likely that the main plot points will be largely the same.
This means no shock ending that will leave fans burning their books in anger, with the duo saying they have a ‘precise’ plan for the show’s future.
‘We have a very, very precise idea of where we want to go with it, but we can’t tell you,’ Sapochnik tells Comic Book.
‘Think of this as the Star Wars Episode IV. So we’re in the middle of a history that is rich and full of stories to tell, and it’s a good place to start.’
Condal says that House of the Dragon makes sense as the first Game of Thrones spin-off due.
‘We didn’t [really] get to know anything about the Targaryens in the original series,’ he says. ‘I mean, we got to know Daenerys very well and Viserys a little bit, until he was melted.
‘It’s fascinating to show the Targaryens at the height of their power. To see what it was actually like when they were in power with dragons.’
Keen Game of Thrones fans will no doubt have already hauled an improvised Iron Throne in front of their tellies, but in case you’re wondering, House of the Dragon airs in the US on HBO every Sunday from August 21. In the UK, you can catch it on demand via NOW from Monday morning, or on Sky Atlantic at 9pm.
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