‘Game of Thrones’ Spin-Off ‘House of the Dragon’ Ordered Straight to Series at HBO, Will Follow House Targaryen 300 Years Before the Original Series

game of thrones prequel House Targaryen

Just hours after it was revealed that HBO will not be moving forward with one of their planned Game of Thrones spin-offs, they have officially ordered another one. House of the Dragon, which follows House Targaryen centuries before the events of the original series, has been given a straight to series order, which means we’ll be getting our fair share of fire and blood in the near future.

While the bulk of Warner Bros.’ HBO Max presentation was centered on new shows and films being produced for the upcoming streaming service, core HBO had a big announcement. House of the Dragon, based on George R.R. Martin‘s book Fire and Blood about the early days of House Targaryen and their conquest of Westeros, has been given a 10-episode, straight to series order. This means we’ll be seeing all 10 episodes of this show no matter what, a relief for fans who were disappointed when the other prequel series starring Naomi Watts was canned after the pilot failed to meet expectations.

While original showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have moved on, the new show will feature a few familiar faces. The series was co-created by George R.R. Martin himself. Miguel Sapochnik, who won an Emmy for directing the famed “Battle of the Bastards” episode, will serve as one of the showrunners. The other other co-creator and showrunner is a new face to the series: Ryan Condal, a writer and producer whose credits include Rampage and Colony. Condal will write the series while Sapochnik will direct the pilot and additional episodes in the first season.

Said HBO President or programming Casey Bloys in a press release:

“The ‘Game of Thrones’ universe is so rich with stories. We look forward to exploring the origins of House Targaryen and the earlier days of Westeros along with Miguel, Ryan and George.”

While the only plot details available from HBO note that House of the Dragon will follow House Targaryen centuries before the events of the original series (and centuries before Daenerys Targaryen is even born), the official synopsis for Martin’s Fire and Blood book offers an additional taste of what to expect:

Centuries before the events of A Game of Thrones, House Targaryen—the only family of dragonlords to survive the Doom of Valyria—took up residence on Dragonstone. Fire & Blood begins their tale with the legendary Aegon the Conqueror, creator of the Iron Throne, and goes on to recount the generations of Targaryens who fought to hold that iconic seat, all the way up to the civil war that nearly tore their dynasty apart.

What really happened during the Dance of the Dragons? Why was it so deadly to visit Valyria after the Doom? What were Maegor the Cruel’s worst crimes? What was it like in Westeros when dragons ruled the skies? These are but a few of the questions answered in this essential chronicle, as related by a learned maester of the Citadel and featuring more than eighty all-new black-and-white illustrations by artist Doug Wheatley. Readers have glimpsed small parts of this narrative in such volumes as The World of Ice & Fire, but now, for the first time, the full tapestry of Targaryen history is revealed.

No release window has been offered for the series, but there is this new poster to tide you over for now.

House of the Dragon Series