House of the Dragon set photos show Matt Smith in his Targaryen costume for the Game of Thrones prequel

Game of Thrones prequel
(Image credit: HBO)

We’ve now got our first look at Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon – thanks to a series of set photos.

The images, which you can see below, show Matt Smith donning a platinum blonde wig for his portrayal as Daemon Targaryen. Alongside Smith is his on-screen wife (and niece, because this is Westeros), Rhaenyra Targaryen – played by Emma D’Arcy.

House of the Dragon may be taking place hundreds of years prior to the events of Game of Thrones, but it appears to share its penchant for epic landscapes. Both Smith and D’Arcy are seen looking out onto the windswept beach as they share a scene together, Smith in a black garb and sporting a Geralt-like wig; D’Arcy in a more royal red dress.

On the more official side of things, HBO has revealed a look at the cast together for a table read in a recent post on Twitter. Alongside that was news that, as you may have guessed, the series is officially in production.

Premiering on HBO in 2022, House of the Dragon will cover the rise and inevitable fall of the Targaryen dynasty after Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine) breaks with centuries of tradition and names Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne.

If you’ve watched Game of Thrones, you probably have an inkling on how it turns out. Still, the story promises to prove as intriguing – and as bloody – as any in Westerosi history.

Plan ahead for a return to the cinema with our guide to 2021’s movie release dates. If you want to catch up on the original GoT series though, be sure to check out the global options with our how to watch Game of Thrones online guide.

Bradley Russell

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at 12DOVE, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.

Read more
Daemon in House of the Dragon season 2
House of the Dragon season 3 release date speculation, cast, plot, and more news
Rhaenyra in House of the Dragon
House of the Dragon season 3 will start with one of the bloodiest battles ever written by George R.R. Martin
Tommy Lee Royce in Happy Valley with stitches in forehead
House of the Dragon season 3 casts its Ormund Hightower after the character was teased in season 2
Abubakar Salim in House of the Dragon
House of the Dragon season 3's opening battle is "beastly", according to one of the show's stars
House of the Dragon
House of the Dragon showrunner says season 3 will introduce something from George R. R. Martin's books that Game of Thrones left out: "I just thought it was cool"
Dexter Sol Ansell as Egg and Peter Claffey as Dunk in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
HBO boss says new Game of Thrones spin-off's battles "match" the mainline series at a "fraction of the price"
Latest in Fantasy Shows
Dexter Sol Ansell as Egg and Peter Claffey as Dunk in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
HBO boss says new Game of Thrones spin-off's battles "match" the mainline series at a "fraction of the price"
Abubakar Salim in House of the Dragon
House of the Dragon season 3's opening battle is "beastly", according to one of the show's stars
Jamie Campbell Bower in Stranger Things
The Rings of Power newcomer Jamie Campbell Bower has 'revealed' his season 3 character – but it could be a Sauron-style misdirect
Jamie Campbell Bower in Stranger Things 4
Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 3 adds Stranger Things star and Eddie Marsan to cast
Jeff Goldblum in Kaos
Jeff Goldblum's fantasy series Kaos was Netflix's most-watched cancelled show of late 2024
The Wheel of Time season 3
The Wheel of Time showrunner teases future of the Amazon fantasy series beyond season 3: "My job is to do everything I can to get it to the end"
Latest in News
Jordan A. Mun looks at herself in a mirror in just a vest in Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet screenshot
5 years after starting development, Neil Druckmann says Naughty Dog's new game Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is "still evolving and changing as we're making it"
Silent Hill f
After 2 years of silence, the next mainline Silent Hill game is getting a dedicated stream this week with "the latest news"
Original Xbox console
Former Microsoft exec says the first Xbox was killed early in favor of 360 because it was "losing money left right and center," but luckily "we could afford to hemorrhage cash"
A Monster Hunter Wilds character holding binoculars.
Despite Monster Hunter Wilds suffering monstrous performance problems on PC, it still outsold the PS5 and Xbox Series X versions in the US
Jordan A. Mun looks at herself in a mirror in just a vest in Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet screenshot
The Last of Us creator Neil Druckmann says Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet will also be about "being lonely," as if his zombie apocalypse wasn’t isolating enough: "I really want you to be lost"
A screenshot of Jordan drinking a soda during the reveal trailer for Intergalactic: The Hertic Prophet.
Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is "a game about faith and religion," which Neil Druckmann jokes will surely get less hate than The Last of Us 2