Dramatic First Trailer For Game Of Thrones Spin-Off House Of The Dragon Has Arrived

The full House of the Dragon trailer has finally been released, one month before the Game of Thrones prequel hits HBO Max. Watch below:

The explosive trailer opens with actor Matt Smith - who plays Prince Daemon, Viserys’ younger brother - solemnly saying: “War is afoot,” before the camera flashes to a great, hulking dragon twirling in the sky.

Narrating the trailer, Prince Daemon continues: “The dream, it was clearer than a memory. When I heard the sound of thundering hooves, splintering shields and ringing swords, and I placed my heir upon the iron throne, and all the dragons roared as one.”

The trailer also shows a council meeting taking place, in which the rightful heir to the throne is discussed, but let’s just say it doesn’t run very smoothly. 

HBO

House of the Dragon is set 200 years before Game of Thrones and tells the story of House Targaryen under the rule of King Viserys I. Just like GOT, there’s only one thing on the characters’ minds: that damned iron throne. 

Aside from Smith, House of the Dragon also stars Paddy Considine as King Viserys I and Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra, Viserys’ first child.

Other cast members include Rhys Ifans as Ser Otto Hightower, Olivia Cooke as Otto's daughter Lady Alicent Hightower, Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole, Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon, Eve Best as Princess Rhaenys Velaryon and Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria.

Alamy

Set to start airing on HBO and HBO Max on 21 August in the US and on Sky Atlantic and Now in the UK on 22 August, House of the Dragon set creators back under $20 million per episode, a source told Variety, compared to $15m per episode for the final series of Game of Thrones and $6m per episode in series one.

The budget isn't the only thing that's changed either, as Smith told Comicbook in March, saying the upcoming series is 'really different to the original'.

He revealed: "I mean it has to be. The original series was its own thing and it was, it was so brilliant and, and sort of left a mark in a way that it would be impossible to repeat. So, I don't know.

"The truth is I haven't seen any so it's difficult for me. Essentially it's in the same world, it has to take on a slightly different identity. But who knows? I have no idea."