The "Game of Thrones" spin-off series is almost here. You can stream the first episode of "House of the Dragon" on August 21 on HBO Max ($10/month).
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"House of the Dragon" hits HBO and HBO Max on August 21. The highly anticipated show is HBO's first "Game of Thrones" spin-off.
The prequel series focuses on an event known as the Dance of the Dragons, which was a catastrophic civil war between the Targaryen family 200 years before "Game of Thrones."
When the show begins, the Targaryens are at the height of their power with over a dozen dragons, but the realm is thrown into chaos when the succession of King Viserys (Paddy Considine) is contested. Season one sets the tone as Westeros decides whether it would rather have bloodshed… or a woman on the Iron Throne.
Milly Alcock stars as young Princess Rhaenyra, while Emma D'Arcy plays an older version of the character. Similarly, young Alicent Hightower is played by Emily Carey, while Olivia Cooke plays Alicent as an adult. Matt Smith, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, and Rhys Ifans also star in main roles.
You can watch "House of the Dragon" exclusively on HBO and HBO Max. The first episode will start streaming on August 21 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
Subscriptions to HBO Max start at $10 a month (with ads) or $15 a month (ad-free). Annual plans usually cost $100 (with ads) or $150 (ad-free), but HBO is running a limited-time promotion that brings the cost down to $70 (with ads) or $105 (ad-free) for your first year. If you do the math, that means you can save over 40% going with an annual plan versus 12 months with a monthly subscription.
HBO Max is compatible with most smart TVs, Apple and Android mobile devices, Mac and PC browsers, Roku and Fire TV products, video game consoles, and Chromecast. Check out the full list of supported devices on HBO Max's website.
As of August 19, "House of the Dragon" holds an "80% Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 195 reviews from critics. Though not as high as the "90% Fresh" rating "Game of Thrones" earned for its first season, the early reviews indicate that "House of the Dragon" is off to a strong start.
Author George R.R. Martin, who wrote the books that inspired "Game of Thrones" and its spin-off, has also applauded the new show's take on his characters. Other early reactions to "House of the Dragon" have described it as a worthy successor to "Game of Thrones."
"House of the Dragon" season one has a total of 10 episodes. "Game of Thrones" fans will recall that the first six seasons of the original show also featured 10 episodes each.
Each season one episode is set to be approximately one hour in length.
After the August 21 series premiere of "House of the Dragon," the remaining nine episodes will be released weekly on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET.
New "House of the Dragon" episodes will be released on HBO's cable channel and the HBO Max streaming service at the same time. The season one finale is expected to air on October 23 at 9 p.m. ET.
HBO's "House of the Dragon" is a prequel series set approximately 200 years before "Game of Thrones." While "Game of Thrones" begins with the Targaryen family no longer in power, "House of the Dragon" follows the Targaryens at the peak of their reign.
The prequel will bring to life many historic figures, triumphs, and tragedies spoken about by characters in "Game of Thrones."
"House of the Dragon" is not expected to feature any characters from "Game of Thrones." The prequel boasts a brand-new cast with characters that died over a century before the story in "Game of Thrones" begins.
That said, many of the characters in "House of the Dragon" are ancestors of the characters we meet in "Game of Thrones."
"House of the Dragon" is adapted from George R.R. Martin's book "Fire & Blood," which describes the history of House Targaryen's reign in Westeros. The spin-off is based on the book's extended section about the Dance of the Dragons civil war.
"House of the Dragon" also features storylines that tie into various references made in HBO's "Game of Thrones" and Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" book series.
