Game Of Thrones has proved to be one of the finest pieces of escapist fiction over the last decade. It wonderfully succeeded at distracting from the vast list of perfectly rational reasons they ought be angry about the state of the world and instead, through the largely underwhelming nature of the last season's finale, providing a focal point for a slew of entirely irrational, generated anger. Millions of people, rather than rail against the systemic economic and social injustices that blight the world, instead focused their energies on being profoundly furious about some fictitious dragons and people wearing woollen cloaks. It was a masterstroke.
And now, HBO have officially confirmed that they are working on a follow-on series, which wille act as a prequel to the Game Of Thrones show proper. That's right, rather than let old dogs lie, they have decided that it would be far too fiscally foolhardy to let such a popular franchise languor on the verges of culture for more than a few months. They have decreed that all possible value must be eked from the husk of a once-beloved franchise, until it lies withered, dessicated and no longer profitable - at which point, they will leave it for a couple of years, allow some modicum of appetite for the brand to resurface, before announcing a reboot. Such is the cycle of media that now exists.
That said, it behooves me, as a purveyor of online media content, to cease prattling on and instead provide you with some more concrete details about the aforementioned prequel. House Of The Dragon will be set some 300 years before the events of Game Of Thrones and will focus on the Targaryens in Westeros. HBO announced the show as part of their new streaming platform, HBO Max.
The first series of the show will consist of 10 episodes and will be produced in conjunction with Game Of Thrones author, George RR Martin. No details have been announced thus far regarding the show's casting or relase date.
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An alternate prequel series had a pilot developed, starring Naomi Watts. However, HBO have decided to shelve that project in favour of House Of The Dragon.
