Game of Thrones prequel spin-off series House of the Dragon will officially start production this spring. Chief Content Officer for HBO and HBO Max Casey Bloys confirmed that showrunners Miguel Sapochnik and Ryan J. Condal have completed drafts for all 10 episodes of season 1 and that the series begins shooting in April of this year.

House of the Dragon is co-created by George R.R. Martin, author of The Song of Ice and Fire novels that served as the basis for HBO's Game of Thrones. The series is a reworking of a previously abandoned spin-off from Game of Thrones writer Bryan Cogman. Martin’s novel Fire & Blood, a companion book to A Song of Ice and Fire, will serve as the template for the series.

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House of the Dragon is set 300 years before the events of Game of Thrones. It will be cantered around the infamous House Targaryen and the civil war that ushered in their downfall. The series will follow the ancestors of Game of Thrones character and mother of dragons Daenerys Targaryen. Although a fan favorite, Daenerys was last seen finally reaching Westeros to reclaim the Iron Throne only to conquer the capital city of Kings Landing in a hell storm of fire and blood, leaving viewers shocked and appalled by a character they once rooted for. Over its 8-season run, Game of Thrones developed a reputation for brutality and pulling the rug out from under its audience's feet, constantly killing off characters whose deaths seemed improbable (RIP to half of House Stark).

Despite some viewers' shock at Daenerys' change of heart after spending eight seasons framing her as a savior and liberator, House Targaryen does have a violent reputation in the books and tv show. After all, her father, the previous ruler, was nicknamed the ‘Mad King’ and attempted to burn everyone in King's Landing. However, House of the Dragon is set many decades before Daenerys' siege on Kings Landing.

One of the key characters in the series is King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine), who’s described in the official character description as "A warm, kind, and decent man" who only wishes to carry forward his grandfather's legacy, but "as we've learned from Game of Thrones, good men do not necessarily make for great kings." Certainly a far cry from the Mad King. Other current cast members include Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen, Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower, and Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen.

House of the Dragon does not currently have an official release date, but it is slated for 2022.

MORE: Second Game Of Thrones Prequel Is In The Works At HBO

Source: TVline