Comic-Con 2022: ‘House Of The Dragon’ Panel

Cast members including Matt Smith, Steve Toussaint, Paddy Considine plus co-creator Ryan Condal were on hand to introduce the new show.

Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole in 'House of the Dragon.' Photograph by Gary Moyes/HBO.

‘Game of Thrones’ was aways one of the shows big enough to break through to the massive Hall H at the San Diego Comic-Con.

So it was not surprising that prequel series ‘House of the Dragon’ came roaring to the con to fill the same cavernous space.

‘House of the Dragon’, like its progenitor, is also based on George R.R. Martin’s books, this time the 2018 novel ‘Fire & Blood’, which chronicled the history of House Targaryen, the family seen via Emilia Clarke’s Daenerys Targaryen in ‘Thrones’. The series itself comes from Martin, ‘Colony’ co-creator Ryan Condal and ‘Thrones’ show veteran Miguel Sapochnik, who is an executive producer and director.

The setting here is 200 years before the events chronicled in the original series.

(L to R) Emma D’Arcy as "Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen" and Matt Smith as "Prince Daemon Targaryen" in 'House of the Dragon.' Photograph by Ollie Upton/HBO.

‘Dragon’s team kicked things off with some footage (it doesn’t do to show up at the Con with nothing) and then the panel got into full swing.

Present were Matt Smith, Steve Toussaint, Paddy Considine, Olivia Cooke, Eve Best, Fabien Frankel, Emma D’Arcy, Emily Carey, co-creator Ryan Condal, Mily Alcock, and Martin. Showrunner Miguel Sapochnik, sadly, was diagnosed with COVID and sent his hello to Hall H through a statement read by D’Arcy.

One of the highlights of the panel was the presence of several Brits among the cast, which meant that, like the ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ and ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ panels, there were some good jokes flying around.

Asked what he wanted as a set memento, Paddy Considine had a quick answer. “My knife. I wanted to keep it,” he told the crowd. “Trying to nick one was hard. I thought they’d give me it at the end. If anyone from HBO is listening, give me the fucking knife!”

Paddy Considine as King Viserys Targaryen in 'House of the Dragon.' Photograph by Ollie Upton/HBO.

He went on to admit he did take something, but wouldn’t specify, since no one had noticed it missing yet. If anyone sees a dragon in the vicinity of Paddy Considine’s house, please call the ASPD (the American Society for the Protection of Dragons).

Matt Smith, meanwhile, complained about his long, blond wig. “It looks great but it’s a pain in the arse to put on. It takes an hour and a half,” he said. “I’d decree they could dye their hair.”

With fan questions talking up coffee cups (following the infamous incident where one appeared on screen during ‘Thrones’ final season), Smith assured everyone that they were not banned from set.

Martin was also god value, owning up to his inspirations – “‘Game of Thrones’ was based on the War of the Roses, this is based on an earlier period called the Anarchy. I pilfer freely from history,” he quipped – while admitting that he had yet to make a cameo on the new show because he’s been a bit busy working on a certain book. “It’s a little late,” he admits of the latest ‘Thrones’ novel.

Though the new footage screened at the Con hasn’t shown up online, we don’t have too long to wait – ‘House of the Dragon’ launches on HBO on August 21st.