After one abandoned attempt, HBO is moving quickly to make its first official Game Of Thrones prequel series, House Of The Dragon. The cast is expanding to include Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke and Emma D'Arcy.
Created by novelist George RR Martin, and Colony's Ryan Condal, House Of The Dragon is set several hundred years before the main GOT story and follows the story of House Targaryen. Paddy Considine will be King Viserys I, who 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...
In the 10-episode first season, Cooke plays Alicent Hightower, the daughter of Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King, and the most attractive 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.
D’Arcy’s Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen is 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.
Smith is 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. Oh, and a final key role – that of Lord Corlys Velaryon, known as the Sea Snake, who becomes Hand to Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen during the Dance of the Dragons, has Danny Sapani in talks.
Thrones veteran shot-caller Miguel Sapochnik is kicking the series off, with Clare Kilner, Geeta V. Patel and Greg Yaitanes joining as fellow directors.