Channel has given green light to House of the Dragon series, set 300 years before original blockbuster, reportedly after ditching another option

This article is more than 10 months old

This article is more than 10 months old

HBO is green-lighting a new Game of Thrones prequel after reportedly canceling another that starred Naomi Watts.

The cable channel said on Tuesday that it has given a 10-episode order to House of the Dragon, set 300 years before the original series that ended its eight-season run in May.

The prequel is based on George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, HBO said.

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It will focus on House Targaryen, made famous in Game of Thrones by Emilia Clarke’s Daenerys and her fearsome dragons. Casting and an air date were not announced.

The series was announced by HBO programming president Casey Bloys during a presentation for HBO Max, the streaming service launching in May 2020. A spinoff of HBO hit Game of Thrones would be a key attraction in the increasingly crowded streaming marketplace.

HBO declined to comment on reports on Tuesday that it had dropped another Game of Thrones prequel starring Naomi Watts that was set thousands of years before the original. A pilot episode starring Watts had been filmed in Northern Ireland.