No one can ever truly tell from the very beginning how something like HBO’s Game of Thrones is going to land. Looking back, the eight-season run that eventually birthed House of the Dragon’s return on the 2024 TV schedule is something to behold. But for actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, it all sounded rather absurd at the time he was about to step into the role of Jaime Lannister.
The actor admitted as much to Deadline, while promoting his latest series: Optimist’s Guide To The Planet with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau. When it came to his first impression of George R.R. Martin’s fantasy novels being adapted for television, the absurdity came out in comparing its unassuming beginnings as part of the following assessment:
...a fantasy show about a girl who gave birth to three dragons and spoke in a made-up language would 11 years later have won more Emmys than any other show in history.
I mean, when you put it like that, I can totally see why Game of Thrones may have seemed like a long shot in the beginning. Even after the fantasy boom that the Lord of the Rings movies triggered took place at the turn of the 21st century, the HBO series probably still felt like a bit of a gamble. Although that did find itself returning much later in the show’s lifespan, despite its own success.
After Game of Thrones' controversial final season, HBO changed course on its initial spinoff plans. Because if there’s anything more absurd than underestimating a hit show, I'd say that it’s thinking it’ll be easy to cash in on that success a second time around.
Luckily for the Max subscription base, as well as those who still watch HBO through cable, House of the Dragon seems to be sticking the landing, to the point where some new spinoffs, like a Jon Snow-centric story and a Dunk and Egg series, are now in development.
Still, placing yourself into Nikolaj Coster-Waldau’s shoes, you’d probably have thought Game of Thrones’ eventual mythic success was an absurd prospect as well. While no one really can predict the future, at least he owns up to it fully. It’s a refreshing move that also seems to reflect the current climate of Westeros at HBO, as House of the Dragon looks to be bringing the fire and fury enjoyed by the earlier eras of its predecessor.
As we wait for HBO to announce an official premiere date for House of the Dragon Season 2, there are still more Game of Thrones spinoffs waiting in the development wings. How they’ll be affected by the prequel series remains to be seen, but if you’re looking to take a trip down memory lane, the entirety of Game of Thrones, as well as Season 1 of House of the Dragon, wait to be streamed on Max.
