The first episode of House of the Dragon is now available to watch on HBO (NOW TV in the UK and Ireland), and the network has released a new trailer highlighting what viewers can expect from the Game of Thrones prequel series in the weeks to come.
Spoilers follow.
Towards the end of the season premiere, King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine) names his his daughter Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock) as his heir over his more volatile and ruthless brother Daemon (Matt Smith). This sews the seeds of civil war in Westeros, and if this the new trailer is any indication, there will be plenty of fire and blood to go around!
Though things probably won't play out exactly as you'd expect (no book spoilers here), it's clear that these brothers are going to clash, as we see Viserys hold a blade to Daemon's throat. Elsewhere, tensions mount between the now adult Rhaenyra and her one-time friend Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke), who becomes the King's new bride.
Check out the trailer below, and let us know what you made of the first episode of House of the Dragon in the comments.
"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.