HBO announced that a Game of Thrones prequel spinoff, centered on the Targaryens who lived generations before Daenerys fought for the Iron Throne, back in 2019, but there were only estimates of when it might hit the airwaves to deliver some dragon action. Called House of the Dragon, the show has added some stars in recent weeks without confirming when the show would be ready to launch. Well, thanks to an HBO Max clip hyping the biggest and best on the way to HBO (seen above), we have our first clip and a confirmed date.
The video reveals the first look at House of the Dragon at about 49 seconds in, with a shot confirming that the Game of Thrones spinoff is indeed "COMING IN 2022," which corroborates what HBO President of Programming Casey Bloys estimated to Deadline back in January 2020. Obviously a lot has happened in the months since that has resulted in delays and halts throughout the entertainment industry, but apparently House of the Dragon is in fact still slated for a 2022 premiere despite everything.
Unfortunately, the clip of the fierce Targaryen dragon doesn't reveal a precise date, but the confirmation of 2022 is likely the best that could be hoped for with the cast seemingly still being finalized and production only officially starting in 2021. That said, enough production has happened that House of the Dragon was able to create a few seconds of dragon action to hype the series.
The footage is too dark to identify the dragon, but based on the art for House of the Dragon that was previously released combined with who Doctor Who alum Matt Smith will be playing, my money is on this dragon being none other than the mighty Caraxes. Still, with House of the Dragon incorporating many Targaryens, many of whom were dragonriders, this fire-breathing creature could be one of many. Whichever dragon it is, it promises plenty of fire to fit with the Targaryen motto of "fire and blood"!
The good news for HBO fans is that the video also confirmed some upcoming projects to fill the time during the wait for 2022. The footage also hypes the upcoming arrival of Wonder Woman 1984 on December 25, the Snyder Cut of Justice League in March, Kate Winslet's Mare of Easttown, The Nevers, Tiger (based on Tiger Woods), more Euphoria after the recent special, the returns of Insecure and Succession, the reboot of Gossip Girl, the Nikki Minaj docuseries, No Sudden Move, and of course the long-awaited Friends reunion special.
Wonder Woman 1984 is the big HBO Max release coming the soonest, but there is clearly a lot to be excited about on the way. On the Game of Thrones front, you can always watch and rewatch the eight-season run on the HBO streaming service as well. For some additional viewing options in the new year, check out our 2020 winter and spring premiere schedule.
