How to Watch House of the Dragon: Where is the Prequel Streaming?

Let the games begin...again. The Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon is blazing towards its August 21 premiere date as millions of GOT fans hungrily await its arrival. A fiery imagining of events unfolding two hundred years before Jon Snow fought the Night King and Daenerys Targaryen had dreams of claiming the Iron Throne, the series will delve into the complicated history of the Targaryen dynasty. It’s no secret that the upcoming prequel is a make-or-break moment for the GOT franchise, and a significant portion of its success relies on its predecessor.

Game of Thrones aired its series finale over three years ago in May 2019, and to say it had a controversial ending is an understatement. Never had a finale for a show as big as Game of Thrones received such extreme reactions since The Sopranos finale aired back in 2007, another HBO series whose viewers found themselves staring at their black television screens in shock as the final moments played out. Adapted from the novels written by George R. R. Martin, some GOT fans felt the final season was too short and rushed into its conclusion. The eighth season was six episodes compared to the previous ten-episode season arcs, and a lot was packed into hour-long installments which caused a divide amongst fans. Some went so far as to even create a petition for creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss to re-do the entire season, but despite all the controversy HBO is heading back into the fire in hopes of another hit that could lead to more spin-offs within the franchise.

House of the Dragon is created by author Martin and Ryan J. Condal. The prequel series is based upon Martin’s novel Fire & Blood, the prequel to the first novel within the Game of Thrones series, A Song of Fire and Ice. Martin and Condol also co-executive produce alongside series showrunner Miguel Sapochnik. Already familiar with the source material, Sapochnik is best known for directing the epic Game of Thrones episode, “Battle of the Bastards,” one of the series' most acclaimed installments. He'd go on to win the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series.

Like Game of Thrones, the prequel series has a large ensemble cast with various Targaryens, friends, and foes. Leading the pack is English actor Paddy Considine (The Outsider), who is starring as King Viserys I Targaryen, the fifth king of the Seven Kingdoms. Emma D’Arcy is co-starring as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, his firstborn child who dreams of becoming Queen, and Milly Alcock plays her younger self. Matt Smith is portraying Prince Daemon Targaryen, younger brother to King Viserys and assumed heir to the throne. Smith is one of the most well-known actors starring in the series and is best known for his work in Doctor Who and The Crown. Olivia Cooke (Bates Motel) plays the cunning Lady Alicent Hightower, the sought-after daughter of Ser Otto Hightower and confidant within the King’s inner circle.

The rest of the cast features Eve Best (Nurse Jackie) as Princess Rhaenys Velaryon, Steve Toussaint (It’s a Sin) as Corlys Velaryon, Sonoya Mizuno (Crazy Rich Asians) as Mysaria, Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole, and Rhys Ifans (The Amazing Spider-Man) as Ser Otto Hightower, Hand of the King. Only weeks away, here’s all the information you need to tune in to watch House of the Dragon.

When and Where Can I Watch House of Dragon?

House of the Dragon will premiere Sunday, August 21 at 9 p.m. ET on both HBO and HBO Max. It’s exclusively available to watch on both HBO and HBO Max with appropriate subscriptions for each service. HBO Max currently offers two subscription options, which includes a $10/$100 monthly subscription with ad-services, or an ad-free option for a $15 monthly/ $150 yearly subscription. HBO Max is also available through a premium Hulu subscription and the Roku Channel. There will be a total of ten episodes in season one, and each one will clock in at around an hour in length, similar to Game of Thrones. After its debut episode, entitled “The Heirs of the Dragon” airs on August 21, episodes will be released weekly on Sundays up through its finale on October 23.

Watch the Trailer for House of the Dragon

We are introduced to a new crew of players vying for a chance at power in the full-length trailer for House of the Dragon. Silver hair is everywhere you look, and Paddy Considine rules as King Viserys I Targaryen amongst his antsy and loyal followers. Emma D’Arcy is introduced as his daughter, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, and throughout the trailer, she’s already plotting ways in which she can succeed her father as Queen when the time presents itself. But she has many other contenders to deal with, including King Viserys’s younger brother, Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith). With his mane of silver hair, Smith slithers across the trailer as he also dreams of seizing control of the throne and has the advantage thanks to his gender. And then there are, of course, dragons. Set hundreds of years before Game of Thrones, we see dragons prosper as they breathe fire during the peak of the Targaryen family reign.

What is the General Plot of House of the Dragon?

At the series center, House of the Dragon is essentially a very, very dysfunctional family drama with some dragons, Kings, and Queens sprinkled on top. The series tells the complex, tortured history of the House of Targaryen as they begin to see their rule over the Iron Throne disintegrate. This leads to a brutal civil war within the Targaryen family as multiple family members attempt to seize power, and it’s referred to as the “Dance of the Dragons.” The series draws directly from the prequel novel, Fire & Blood, and begins when the House of Targaryen is at the height of its power before its inevitable fall.

More Fantasy Titles to Watch Like House of the Dragon

The Sandman - For another sprawling, epic take on a beloved literary classic, try the new Netflix original fantasy series, The Sandman. Just debuting season one this month on August 5, the series has become an instant hit and the number one most watched show on the streamer. Based upon renowned British novelist Neil Gaiman’s graphic comic book novel series starring the Lord of Dreams (also known as Dreams or Morpheus), he goes on various quests across different realms as he seeks to maintain control over both the waking and dream world. Tom Sturridge stars as Dream, and season one spans across 10 episodes as he escapes captivity after over 100 years in isolation and sets out on a journey to restore order amongst dreams and nightmares.

His Dark Materials - If you don’t want to leave HBO Max and want to accompany House of the Dragon with another bewitching fantasy series, His Dark Materials is a great choice. Based upon The Golden Compass book trilogy written by Phillip Pullman, His Dark Materials is a lighter fantasy series well suited for a broader age group that tells the story of the orphaned Lyra (Daphne Keen) and her many alternate-universe adventures as she goes on a mission to rescue her missing friend. As Lyra uncovers a much larger plot and a mysterious Dust-like substance in this dystopian universe where people's souls take the form of various animals, she stumbles upon new worlds while the corrupt adults around her begin to view Lyra as a threat. Seasons one and two have already aired, and it’s been renewed for a third and final season based upon the last book in the trilogy, The Amber Spyglass.

Salem - A wild interpretation of what caused the Salem Witch Trials in Salem, Massachusetts during the 1600s, Salem is the rare fantasy series in which the world is set within a matriarchy, and the men are left to fight for a chance at power. Though women have been at the forefront within the Game of Thrones universe and wielded some of the genre’s most iconic heroes such as Arya Stark and Brienne of Tarth in addition to the villains Cersei and Daenerys Targaryen, they are still very much living in a man’s world where they play second string to the Jon Snows' and Jeffrey Lannisters'. In the gothic, horror fantasy series Salem, women are the ones in control wreaking havoc upon those who’ve done them wrong. Janet Montgomery stars as the all-powerful Mary Sibley, a witch seeking vengeance upon a town that’s done nothing but take advantage of her for her entire life. With the help of fellow witches in town, she casts disturbing spells upon town members that bring upon exorcisms, devil worshipping in the woods, and frenzied witch trials.