The House of the Dragon trailer promises a power struggle for the ages

The Game of Thrones prequel looks to be A Song of Fire and… More Fire

Winter is coming all over again. The first full-length trailer for HBO and Sky Atlantic’s greatly hyped Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon, has just been released – and is full of intriguing clues as to what lies in store for the series, set 200 years before Game of Thrones, set to debut on August 21.

With a swelling soundtrack and several angry-looking dragons setting things aflame, it has lots of what Game of Thrones fans loved about the saga (before it went spectacularly off the rails in its final season).

But, given the time difference, there are major distinctions between the Seven Kingdoms as depicted in Game of Thrones and in House of the Dragon. For one thing… no, winter isn’t actually coming. The dire threat of the Night King and the White Walkers is still centuries away. Instead the big talking points of the day are, as ever in Westeros, courtly strife and the bloody struggle for power.

What’s it all about, Aegon? That’s just one of the familiar-ish names that will potentially resurface in the show, based on the Dying of the Dragons novella from George RR Martin’s 2018 bestseller Fire and Blood.

The trailer introduces us to the main characters in this Song of Fire and… More Fire. The Seven Kingdoms are under the rule of the Targaryens – ancestors of Daenerys Targaryen, feared for their ability to control dragons.

Milly Alcock as Young Princess Rhaenyra TargaryenCredit: Sky

HBO has unveiled several other main characters for the series, co-created by Martin and Ryan J Condal. These include Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno), who, in Fire and Blood, is a peasant woman from across the Narrow Sea who becomes trusted adviser to Rhaenyra – fulfilling much the same role as Master of Whispers Varys in Game of Thrones.

Plus we are introduced to Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel), whom Martin describes as a friend and confidante to (and possible lover of) Rhaenyra. And to the husband of Rhaenys, Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint). “The Sea Snake” is an esteemed ocean-going warrior and leader of the richest house in Westeros (a position later taken by the Lannisters).

Yes it’s complicated, and all the names do sound the same. But Game of Thrones fans will experience a shudder of delight as the trailer rushes towards its conclusion and the signature theme tune briefly intrudes on the soundtrack. Along the way we are reacquainted with The Iron Throne – much larger and closer to Martin’s description – and to the Targaryen fortress of Dragonstone (located across Blackwater Bay from the capital King’s Landing, and the castle from which baby Daenerys was smuggled before GoT).

All of this and Smith donning the biggest, shiniest mullet in the Seven Kingdoms. With all of that, Game of Thrones aficionados will be counting down to August and a return to the land of fire, ice, incest and huffing, puffing dragons.

House of the Dragon is on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW from Monday August 22