Could the highly anticipated Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon right the wrong of its predecessor?
A new trailer of the upcoming series, streaming Aug. 21 on HBO Max, promises to do just that.
“I’m excited,” A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin says in the trailer. “It’s always a little apprehensive when you turn your baby over to foster parents, but I’m involved in this.”
Martin says he’s confident in the abilities of House of the Dragon co-showrunners Ryan Condal and Miguel Sapochnik to remain faithful to the source material and create a truly immersive world.
“I think I’m in good hands with Ryan and Miguel,” Martin concludes.
There’s no arguing that Game of Thrones has been a pop culture juggernaut since its premiere in 2011. Still, the final season garnered significant backlash for its reduced length and creative decisions, with many considering it a disappointing conclusion and something Martin would never write.
The blame falls squarely on showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, but to be fair, they didn’t exactly have a roadmap to follow after Martin’s novel A Dance with Dragons, which came out in 2011. The author still hasn’t released the last two novels in his Song of Ice and Fire epic.
However, the prequel series, which tells the story of House Targaryen 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, hopes to preempt any controversy by assuring fans Martin approves of the show.
“I feel incredibly loyal and responsible to the original show,” says Sapochnik, who realizes the “responsibility that’s on [his] shoulders.”