Whenever there are two series in a similar, high-concept genre on TV at the same time, comparisons are inevitable. Such is the case with Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and HBO's Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon. Though the two aren't really comparable beyond both being big-budget and high fantasy, it does make one wonder: would any denizens of Middle Earth stand a chance at taking the Iron Throne?
In a conversation with Collider's own Maggie Lovitt at New York Comic Con, Ben Walker, who plays Elven king Gil-galad, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, who plays Numenor's Queen Regent Miriel, and Daniel Weyman, who plays a mysterious man known only as The Stranger were all asked whether their characters would be able to take the menacing seat for themselves. For Walker, there's no question that Gil-galad would be successful, with the actor quipping "100 percent. I would have all the dragons. I mean, I'm biased." Walker even shared that during San Diego Comic-Con he ran into House of the Dragon's Matt Smith, who he ironically shared a role with in the stage adaptation of American Psycho.
Addai-Robinson feels similarly about Miriel's chances, saying "I feel I would." She then went on to add that the connections between Middle Earth and Westeros run deeper than Iron Throne-related speculation, as the cast do cross over in real life:
It's really funny because I actually keep forgetting this, but you know, not to plug another project, but I have another one coming out called The People We Hate at the Wedding, and the amazing, lovely actor who's playing my husband is John MacMillan, who is currently on the House of the Dragon. His character's name is escaping me, but he's the son of the Sea Snake. But it's funny because we have this joke where like, "Oh, this is kind of this funny crossover that we're married in this wedding comedy.”
So is there a rivalry between the casts of television's two biggest fantasy dramas right now? Though Addai-Robinson jokingly calls them "The Jets and the Sharks," according to Weyman the casts actually mostly know one another and get along:
"There's a lot of love to be had. So it's like that party where the two PR teams were trying to get the two casts together at San Diego Comic Con. And they were sort of really wanting this. We're going to face off."
Though the face-off never came to be, there's always the opportunity for a — joking — showdown next year, as both series head into production on their second seasons.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power streams on Prime Video.