House of the Dragon

This page is about the television series. For the house known as the House of the Dragon, see: House Targaryen

House of the Dragon
Release information
Format	Live-action
Seasons	1 · 2 · 3 · 4
Episodes	34 (18 aired)
Premiere	"The Heirs of the Dragon"
Network(s)	HBO Max
Premiere date	August 21, 2022
Run time	54-70 minutes (per episode)
Production information
Starring	Paddy Considine Matt Smith Emma D'Arcy Olivia Cooke Rhys Ifans Steve Toussaint Eve Best Fabien Frankel Matthew Needham Sonoya Mizuno Milly Alcock Emily Carey Graham McTavish Tom Glynn-Carney Ewan Mitchell Phia Saban Harry Collett Bethany Antonia Phoebe Campbell Jefferson Hall Freddie Fox Gayle Rankin Kurt Egyiawan Abubakar Salim Clinton Liberty Tom Bennett Kieran Bew Tom Taylor Ellora Torchia Simon Russell Beale
Creator(s)	Ryan Condal George R.R. Martin
Executive producers	Miguel Sapochnik Ryan Condal George R.R. Martin Ron Schmidt Jocelyn Diaz Sara Hess Vince Gerardis Kevin de la Noy Melissa Bernstein Alan Taylor Loni Peristere Co-executive producers Greg Yaitanes David Hancock Charmaine DeGraté Ira Parker Philippa Goslett Trina E. Siopy
Writers	Ryan Condal Gabe Fonseca Ira Parker Charmaine DeGraté Sara Hess Kevin Lau Eileen Shim David Hancock Ti Mikkel
Directors	Miguel Sapochnik Greg Yaitanes Clare Kilner Geeta Vasant Patel Alan Taylor Andrij Parekh Loni Peristere
Composer	Ramin Djawadi
In production	March 26, 2021
Based on	Fire & Blood by George R.R. Martin
Chronological information
Year	101 AC (Season 1 prologue) 112-132 AC

"The only thing that could tear down the House of the Dragon was itself."

―Rhaenyra Targaryen

House of the Dragon is the second live-action television series of the World of Westeros. It is the second installment of the franchise overall. It was ordered by HBO in October 2019. The prequel goes back approximately 200 years to center on the beginning of the end of the once all-powerful dynasty that dominated the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.

Ryan Condal and Miguel Sapochnik serve as showrunners and executive producers. George R.R. Martin, Vince Gerardis, Sara Hess, and Ron Schmidt also serve as executive producers, with Greg Yaitanes as co-executive producer.

The first season premiered on August 21, 2022, followed by the second season on June 16, 2024. A day earlier, the series was renewed for a third season, expected to begin filming in the fall of 2024.

Premise

Based on George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, House of the Dragon is set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones and tells the story of House Targaryen.

House of the Dragon stars Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Emma D’Arcy, Eve Best, Steve Toussaint, Fabien Frankel, Ewan Mitchell, Tom Glynn-Carney, Sonoya Mizuno, Rhys Ifans, Harry Collett, Bethany Antonia, Phoebe Campbell, Phia Saban, Jefferson Hall, and Matthew Needham. Additional Season 2 cast includes: Abubakar Salim, Gayle Rankin, Freddie Fox, Simon Russell Beale, Clinton Liberty, Jamie Kenna, Kieran Bew, Tom Bennett, Tom Taylor, and Vincent Regan.

Co-creator/executive producer, George R.R. Martin; co-creator/showrunner/executive producer, Ryan Condal; executive producers, Sara Hess, Alan Taylor, Melissa Bernstein, Kevin de la Noy, Loni Peristere, and Vince Gerardis. Based on George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood.

Seasons

Season	Episodes	Premiere date	Finale date
1	10	August 21, 2022	October 23, 2022
2	8	June 16, 2024	August 4, 2024
3	8
4	8

Cast

Main page: Starring cast (House of the Dragon)

House Targaryen

Main page: House Targaryen/House of the Dragon

• Paddy Considine as King Viserys I Targaryen, the King of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men.
• Siân Brooke as Queen Aemma Arryn, Viserys's first wife.
• Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen, the younger brother and heir presumptive of King Viserys.
• Emma D'Arcy and Milly Alcock as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, the first-born child of King Viserys.
• Tom Glynn-Carney and Ty Tennant as Prince Aegon Targaryen.
• Ewan Mitchell and Leo Ashton as Prince Aemond Targaryen.
• Phia Saban and Evie Allen as Princess Helaena Targaryen.
• Bethany Antonia and Shani Smethurst as Lady Baela Targaryen.
• Phoebe Campbell and Eva Ossei-Gerning as Lady Rhaena Targaryen.

House Hightower

Main page: House Hightower/House of the Dragon

• Rhys Ifans as Ser Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King to King Viserys.
• Olivia Cooke and Emily Carey as Alicent Hightower, the daughter of Otto.
• Steffan Rhodri as Lord Hobert Hightower, the Lord of Oldtown.
• Freddie Fox as Ser Gwayne Hightower, the son of Otto and brother to Alicent.

House Velaryon

Main page: House Velaryon

• Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon, "the Sea Snake", the Lord of the Tides.
• Eve Best as Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, "the Queen Who Never Was", the wife of Lord Corlys.
• Nanna Blondell, Savannah Steyn, and Nova Foueillis-Mosé as Lady Laena Velaryon, the daughter of Lord Corlys and Princess Rhaenys.
• John Macmillan, Theo Nate, and Matthew Carver as Ser Laenor Velaryon, the son of Lord Corlys and Princess Rhaenys.
• Wil Johnson as Ser Vaemond Velaryon, the younger brother of Lord Corlys and commander in the Velaryon navy.
• Harry Collett and Leo Hart as Prince Jacaerys Velaryon.
• Elliot Grihault and Harvey Sadler as Prince Lucerys Velaryon.
• Oscar Eskinazi as Prince Joffrey Velaryon.

House Strong

Main page: House Strong

• Gavin Spokes as Lord Lyonel Strong, the Lord of Harrenhal and Master of Laws to King Viserys.
• Ryan Corr as Ser Harwin Strong, "Breakbones", the eldest son of Lord Lyonel and heir to Harrenhal.
• Matthew Needham as Larys Strong, the younger son of Lord Lyonel.
• Simon Russell Beale as Ser Simon Strong, the uncle of Lyonel Strong and great-uncle of Larys and Harwin, who serves as castellan of Harrenhal.
• Graeme McKnight as Paxter Strong, a cousin of Harwin and Larys.

House Lannister

Main page: House Lannister/House of the Dragon

• Jefferson Hall as Lord Jason Lannister, the Master of Casterly Rock and twin to Ser Tyland.
• Jefferson Hall as Ser Tyland Lannister, twin to Lord Jason.

House Baratheon

Main page: House Baratheon/House of the Dragon

• Julian Lewis Jones as Lord Boremund Baratheon, Lord of Storm's End.
• Roger Evans as Borros Baratheon, Boremund's son and heir.

House Stark

• Tom Taylor as Cregan Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North.

House Arryn

• Amanda Collin as Jeyne Arryn, Lady of the Eyrie, Defender of the Vale, Wardeness of the East.

In King's Landing

• Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole, the common-born son of the steward to the Lord of Blackhaven.
• Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria, the most trusted ally of Prince Daemon.
• David Horovitch as Grand Maester Mellos, a trusted advisor to King Viserys.
• Graham McTavish as Ser Harrold Westerling, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard.
• Garry Cooper as Ser Ryam Redwyne, Harrold's predecessor.
• Anthony Flanagan as Ser Steffon Darklyn, a knight of the Kingsguard.
• Luke Tittensor as Ser Arryk Cargyll, a knight of the Kingsguard, twin to Ser Erryk.
• Elliott Tittensor as Ser Erryk Cargyll, a knight of the Kingsguard, twin to Ser Arryk.
• Max Wrottesley as Ser Lorent Marbrand, a knight of the Kingsguard.
• Vincent Regan as Ser Rickard Thorne, a knight of the Kingsguard.
• Bill Paterson as Lord Lyman Beesbury, the Lord of Honeyholt and Master of Coin to King Viserys.
• Kurt Egyiawan as Orwyle, a maester.
• Paul Kennedy as Lord Jasper Wylde, the head of House Wylde.
• Maddie Evans as Dyana, a servant of Aegon and Helaena Targaryen.
• Mark Stobbart as Cheese, a ratcatcher in the Red Keep.
• Sam C. Wilson as Blood, a member of the City Watch of King's Landing.
• Tom Bennett as Ulf, a denizen of Kings Landing known as a sot and raconteur among the smallfolk.
• Kieran Bew as Hugh, a blacksmith from King's Landing.
• Ellora Torchia as Kat, Hugh’s wife and a devoted mother to their sick daughter.

On Dragonstone

• Phil Daniels as Gerardys, a maester.
• Jordan Stevens as Elinda Massey, a trusted handmaiden to Rhaenyra.
• Nicholas Jones as Lord Bartimos Celtigar, the head of House Celtigar.
• Michael Elwyn as Lord Simon Staunton, the head of House Staunton.
• Jamie Kenna as Ser Alfred Broome, the most senior knight of Dragonstone, sworn to House Targaryen.
• James Dreyfus as Lord Gormon Massey, the head of House Massey and father to Rhaenyra's lady in waiting, Elinda.

On Driftmark

• Solly McLeod as Ser Joffrey Lonmouth, "the Knight of Kisses", a sworn sword of House Velaryon.
• Abubakar Salim as Alyn of Hull, a sailor in the Velaryon fleet.
• Clinton Liberty as Addam of Hull, older brother of Alyn.

At Harrenhal

• Gayle Rankin as Alys Rivers, a healer who resides at Harrenhal.

In the Vale

• Rachel Redford as Rhea Royce, Daemon's first wife and heir to Runestone.
• Owen Oakeshott as Gerold Royce, Rhea's cousin.

Crew

Producers

• Ryan Condal: co-creator, showrunner, executive producer
• George R.R. Martin: co-creator, executive producer
• Miguel Sapochnik: showrunner, (season 1) executive producer
• Vince Gerardis: executive producer (co-executive in season 1)
• Sara Hess: executive producer
• Ron Schmidt: executive producer (season 1)
• Jocelyn Diaz: executive producer (season 1)
• Alan Taylor: executive producer (season 2)
• Melissa Bernstein: executive producer (season 2)
• Kevin de la Noy: executive producer (season 2)
• Loni Peristere: executive producer (season 2)
• Ira Parker: co-executive producer (season 1)
• Greg Yaitanes: co-executive producer (season 1)
• David Hancock: co-executive producer

Writers

• Ryan Condal: episodes 1, 2, 3, 10, 11, and 14
• Gabe Fonseca: episode 3
• Ira Parker: episode 4
• Charmaine DeGraté: episode 5
• Sara Hess: episodes 6, 9, 12, and 18
• Kevin Lau: episode 7
• Eileen Shim: episodes 8 and 16
• David Hancock: episodes 13 and 17
• Ti Mikkel: episode 15

Directors

• Miguel Sapochnik: episodes 1, 6, and 7
• Greg Yaitanes: episodes 2, 3, and 10
• Clare Kilner: episodes 4, 5, 9, 12, and 15
• Geeta Vasant Patel: episodes 8, 13, and 18
• Alan Taylor: episodes 11 and 14
• Andrij Parekh: episode 16
• Loni Peristere: episode 17

Cinematographers

Each cinematographer (director of photography) is paired with a specific director's filming unit:

• Fabian Wagner (with Miguel Sapochnik)
• Pepe Avila del Pino (with Greg Yaitanes)
• Alejandro Martínez (with Clare Kilner)
• Catherine Goldschmidt (with Geeta Vasant Patel)

Staff

• Ramin Djawadi: composer
• Jany Temime: costume designer
• Jim Clay: production designer
• Tim Porter: film editor
• Crispin Green: film editor
• Lauren DeSantis: virtual production coordinator
• Simon Brindle: costume armor supervisor
• David J. Peterson: language consultant
• Michael Dawson: visual effects supervisor
• Daren Bailey: marine coordinator
• Steve Weightman: key grip
• Jack Parry: best boy grip
• Clive Williams: Libra Head technician
• Kate Rhodes James: casting director

Production

The concept for House of the Dragon was first pitched by George R.R. Martin in the summer of 2016, with the working title The Dance of the Dragons. It was initially helmed by Carly Wray, and then by Bryan Cogman, and finally Ryan Condal and Miguel Sapochnik. With the launch of HBO Max in May 2020, the House of the Dragon prequel is based on Martin's bestselling Fire & Blood. The first installment in the prequel book series was published in November 2018. It received a 10-episode straight-to-series order. Miguel Sapochnik directed the pilot and additional episodes.

The title of the show derives from a passage from A Game of Thrones Chapter 3, Daenerys I: The water was scalding hot, but Daenerys did not flinch or cry out. She liked the heat. It made her feel clean. Besides, her brother had often told her that it was never too hot for a Targaryen. "Ours is the house of the dragon," he would say. "The fire is in our blood."

George R.R. Martin has stated that it will take four 10-episode seasons to do the Dance of the Dragons justice, though it has so far only been renewed for one more season.

Filming locations

Main page: Filming locations (House of the Dragon)

External links

• House of the Dragon on A Wiki of Ice and Fire
• House of the Dragon on HBO
• House of the Dragon on IMDb
• House of the Dragon on Max
• House of the Dragon on Wikipedia