Game of Thrones is undeniably one of the best television offerings to exist this century, and naturally, the House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan J. Condal is feeling the pressure ahead of the release of the prequel.
During a chat with The Hollywood Reporter, Condal admitted that the upcoming prequel is a “big responsibility to take on,” and while the GOT universe has so much potential, its commercial success will greatly determine if HBO decides to explore further.
“It’s a big responsibility to take on. Because I feel like the success of this show will dictate how deep the exploration of this universe goes. I think there’s a lot of interest in seeing other corners of this world [but] I think all that will rely heavily on House of the Dragon doing what it needs to do commercially for HBO.”
With the recent and ongoing slashing at the streaming giant’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, ears and eyes remain raised as to which series or film will receive the boot next. Also, following the mixed response to Game of Thrones’ eighth and final season, as well as the uncertainty of a series renewal, the pressure is definitely on for the incoming prequel to deliver.
House of the Dragon will chronicle the events that led to the fall of the mighty House Targaryen, led by Emilia Clarke as Queen Daenerys in the original. Paddy Considine, Emma D’Arcy, Matt Smith, and Eve Best will star as various members of the royal Targaryen family, while Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans, Steve Toussaint, Fabien Frankel, and Sonoya Mizuno round out the main cast.
Condal is hopeful that the fantasy adventure will become a huge hit with viewers and is interested in covering many more stories from the acclaimed novels by George R. R. Martin. House of the Dragon will debut on Sunday, Aug. 21 on HBO.