HBO shares first look at Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon

Emma D'Arcy and Matt Smith in House of the Dragon
(Image credit: HBO)

HBO has shared the first official images from House of the Dragon, giving us our first look at the upcoming Game of Thrones prequel series.

The shots show several of the show's characters against rugged coastal backgrounds, including Matt Smith and Emma D'Arcy as Prince Daemon and Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen. Daemon is the younger brother of King Viserys (Paddy Considine) and heir to the throne, while Rhaenyra is the Viserys' oldest child. That makes Daemon her uncle – oh, and he's also her husband. 

We've already had a sneak peek at these two, albeit in much lower quality, courtesy of some leaked set photos.

Steve Toussaint in House of the Dragon

(Image credit: HBO)

Another image shows Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon, AKA the Sea Snake. He's the most famed nautical adventurer in the history of Westeros and has built House Velaryon into a powerful and wealthy seat that boasts an impressive navy to boot.

The third and final photo features Rhys Ifans and Olivia Cooke as Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King, and his daughter Alicent. Otto believes that Daemon and his position as heir to the throne are the greatest threat to the realm, so it's safe to say these two probably don't get along. 

Olivia Cooke and Rhys Ifans in House of the Dragon

(Image credit: HBO)

Set around 300 years before the events of the original HBO series, House of the Dragon will tell the story of House Targaryen and the famed Targaryen civil war that became known as the 'Dance of the Dragons' – so those fancy costumes probably aren't going to stay pristine for long.

While we wait for House of the Dragon to arrive on our screens, make sure you've caught up on all the best TV shows of 2020 first.

Entertainment Writer

I’m an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering everything film and TV-related across the Total Film and SFX sections. I help bring you all the latest news and also the occasional feature too. I’ve previously written for publications like HuffPost and i-D after getting my NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Journalism.