Though some believed a new Game of Thrones series would never be a major ratings draw after what was widely perceived as a disappointing final season, prequel series House of the Dragon has just given HBO its biggest premiere ever.
Almost 10 million viewers (9.99 million, to be exact) tuned in to witness the beginning of the end of House Targaryen, officially making the episode the network's most-watched series premiere of all time.
“It was wonderful to see millions of Game of Thrones fans return with us to Westeros last night,” HBO and HBO Max chief content officer Casey Bloys said in a statement. "House of the Dragon features an incredibly talented cast and crew who poured their heart and soul into the production, and we’re ecstatic with viewers’ positive response. We look forward to sharing with audiences what else George [R.R. Martin], Ryan [Condal] and Miguel [Sapochnik] have in store for them this season.”
HBO hasn't released any figures, but according to THR, the episode was also the best series launch to date on HBO Max in the United States, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
It'll be interesting to see if this viewership holds, but these kingly figures already bode well for a season 2 renewal.
"The prequel series finds the Targaryen dynasty at the absolute apex of its power, with more than 15 dragons under their yoke. Most empires—real and imagined—crumble from such heights. In the case of the Targaryens, their slow fall begins almost 193 years before the events of Game of Thrones, when King Viserys Targaryen breaks with a century of tradition by naming his daughter Rhaenyra heir to the Iron Throne. But when Viserys later fathers a son, the court is shocked when Rhaenyra retains her status as his heir, and seeds of division sow friction across the realm."
House of the Dragon stars Paddy Considine (Peaky Blinders) as King Viserys Targaryen, Olivia Cooke (Ready Player One) as Alicent Hightower, Emma D’Arcy (Wanderlust) as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen and Matt Smith (Doctor Who) as Prince Daemon Targaryen. The show is set to premiere on August 21.