New Game of Thrones series begins production - cast image teased

Game of Thrones may have fizzled out thanks to a rather rushed ending but in its heyday it was the biggest - and most loved - show on television.

The adaptation of George RR Martin's unfinished A Song of Ice and Fire series of books was so successful that HBO revealed all manner of TV spin-offs that were going to come out of the fantasy world once the show ended.

While some of these have already fizzled out, we have our first glimpse of House of the Dragon. This Game of Thrones prequel, according to HBO is "based on George R.R. Martin’s book Fire & Blood, the series will tell the story of House Targaryen (a.k.a. the House that gave us the Mother of Dragons herself, Daenerys Targaryen) and take place 300 years before the events of Game of Thrones."

It's co-creators are Martin and Ryan Condal (who made Colony) and composer Ramin Djawadi is back for the theme tune.

The show stars a number of famous faces, including: Paddy Considine (HBO’s The Third Day and The Outsider), Olivia Cooke (Ready Player One), Emma D’Arcy (Truth Seekers), Matt Smith and Rhys Ifans (Notting Hill).

Paddy Considine is playing King Viserys Targaryen, Matt Smith his younger brother Prince Daemon Targaryen - the family that will eventually birth dragon pilot Daenerys Targaryen.

Fire will reign
The @HBO original series #HouseoftheDragon is officially in production. Coming soon to @HBOMax in 2022. pic.twitter.com/tPX8n2IvGW
— House of the Dragon (@HouseofDragon) April 26, 2021

And now we have a picture of some of the cast in a table read, alongside the official announcement that production has begun. In the pic, you can see some of the cast reading their lines (all Covid friendly) in some fancy room. We have a House of the Dragon release date, too - it's coming in 2022.

• The best Game of Thrones episodes revealed.