Where to watch ‘House of the Dragon’ online
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When does House of the Dragon come out?
HBO’s epic series Game of Thrones went out with something of a whimper (or smoky sputter?) in 2019, but the network is banking on a fiery return to glory with its new Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon, which premiered on Sunday, August 21, 2022 in the United States.
Not only does the 10-episode show lean into one of the most popular aspects of GoT—the dragons!—but it is currently helmed by co-showrunner Miguel Sapochnik, the director behind many of GoT’s most legendary episodes, including “Hardhome,” “Battle of the Bastards,” and “The Long Night.”
How to watch House of the Dragon online
In the United States, House of the Dragon airs on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on the cable channel HBO along with its streaming service HBO Max. For a limited time, U.S. viewers can watch the premiere episode of House of the Dragon for free at www.hbomax.com/collections/watch-free. Viewers in Latin America, Scandinavia (and much of the rest of Europe), and Asia should also be able to watch the show on their regional version of HBO.
In Canada the show airs on the streaming service Crave. In the UK, House of the Dragon is on Sky Atlantic and its companion streaming service Now. Fans in Germany, Italy, and New Zealand can also catch the show through their version of Sky (Kiwis can watch it on Neon as well). Similarly, while HBO is not available in France, the streaming platform OCS airs House of the Dragon simultaneously (and it also offers a selection of other shows and movies from HBO).
To watch House of the Dragon in Australia, viewers can choose between the cable service Foxtel or the streaming platform Binge. Due to the time difference, fans in Europe, Asia, and Down Under should note that House of the Dragon will air on Monday mornings.
| Country | Streaming Service |
| United States | HBO / HBO Max |
| UK | NOW, Sky Atlantic |
| Australia | Binge, Foxtel |
| Canada | Crave |
| France | OCS |
| Germany | Sky |
| Italy | Sky |
| New Zealand | Neon, Sky |
When does House of the Dragon take place?
Inspired by George R.R. Martin’s spinoff book Fire & Blood, the 10-episode series is set about 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones and will focus on the machinations of House Targaryen.
What will House of the Dragon be about?
For the completely uninitiated, the Targaryen family is famous for its ability to tame and ride dragons (as well as withstand fire). In fact, the family conquered Westeros (the continent where both shows are primarily set) when Aegon Targaryen and his two sisters, Visenya and Rhaenys, flew over on their dragons and subdued six of the continent’s seven kingdoms. Other things Targaryens were famous for: their silver-blonde hair, and keeping marriage in the family.
While Fire & Blood (so named for the Targaryens’ “house words,” or family motto) traces the family’s history from Aegon’s Conquest, this prequel series will focus on the civil war known as “The Dance of the Dragons” 120 years later, when the Targaryens were at the height of their power and dragons ruled the skies. The central conflict in the show centers on the battle to succeed King Viserys I; while he named his daughter Rhaenyra as his official heir, certain factions objected to a woman sitting on the Iron Throne and began to rally around his younger son, Prince Aegon II. And, as anyone familiar with Game of Thrones would expect, plenty of other power players got involved to improve their own fortunes.
Who’s in the House of the Dragon cast?
Much like Game of Thrones, the sprawling House of the Dragon features a mix of familiar faces and relative unknowns (whose lives are probably about to change forever). Get ready to see a lot of platinum blond wigs.
Perhaps the most recognizable face is Matt Smith (Doctor Who, The Crown), who will play the shifty Daemon Targaryen, brother to King Viserys I. British actor Paddy Considine (Peaky Blinders, The Bourne Ultimatum), who will play the beleaguered king, should also be familiar to most global audiences.
Some relative newcomers will be anchoring the show, however, as it will focus on the relationship between Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (one of two claimants to succession) and her best friend Alicent Hightower, daughter of the ambitious Hand of the King Otto Hightower (portrayed by well-known Welsh actor Rhys Ifans). Australian actress Milly Alcock and British actress Emily Carey will portray Rhaenyra and Alicent as teenagers before the series shifts to their adulthood and actresses Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke take over the respective roles.
Rounding out the main cast will be Tom Glynn-Carney as Princess Rhaenyra’s younger brother and rival for the throne, Prince Aegon, and British TV veteran Steve Toussaint as the legendary Lord Corlys Velaryon, the infamous “Sea Snake” from a prominent ancient Valyrian house.
House of the Dragon FAQ
Can I watch House of the Dragon online for free?
While HBO Max is not currently offering a free trial, for a limited time non-subscribers in the U.S. can stream the first episode for free at https://www.hbomax.com/collections/watch-free. You can also get a 7-day free trial of HBO Max if you sign up for it through Hulu or DirecTV Stream, or three free months if you purchase Chromecast with Google TV (details here).
Is House of the Dragon going to be on Netflix?
No, it will air on HBO and other international rights holders.
Can I watch House of the Dragon without watching Game of Thrones?
We haven’t seen the whole season yet, but given that these events take place 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones—and in fact, some of these events were even referenced on the show—new viewers should be able to enjoy the drama (and the dragons) at face value. House of the Dragon might even be a bit easier to follow than GoT because it focuses mostly on one family, whereas Thrones was all about the many, many families of Westeros constantly jostling for power. That said, if you do decide you want a primer, this is a handy roundup of seven relevant Thrones episodes worth streaming.
How many seasons will House of the Dragon have?
This will probably depend in part on how the first season goes, but according to The Hollywood Reporter, the plan is for it to run three or four seasons. Season 1, which has 10 episodes, spans two decades and apparently features a 10-year time jump. The Dance of the Dragons itself lasted for two years, but the show could ostensibly go back or forward to portray other key events described in George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood.
What about the Jon Snow spinoff on HBO Max?
In June 2022, word leaked that Game of Thrones star Kit Harington is set to reprise his role as Jon Snow for a forthcoming spinoff series that would presumably pick up where GoT left off. Few details are known given that the series is in very early development, but the world was abuzz since this leaves the door open for the return of other fan-favorite characters (wherefore art thou, Drogon?).
Meanwhile, HBO is also working on a few other prequel and spinoff series, including 10,000 Ships (about Princess Nymeria), Voyages (about the aforementioned Sea Snake), and the somewhat lower-stakes Dunk and Egg (inspired by Martin’s eponymous spinoff novella series). On top of that, there are also three animated prequel projects in the works.
Bottom line: Thrones fans have plenty to look forward to—at least when it comes to streaming. As for The Winds of Winter (and the fabled seventh and final book in the Song of Ice and Fire saga)? Basically, we know nothing.