George RR Martin on Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon: Very much looking forward to it

George R.R. Martin has given his thoughts on House of the Dragon, the Game of Thrones prequel set to premiere on HBO Max in 2022.

Trailer for "Dragon Family":

In a blog post titled "Very Anticipated" on his website, Martin said: "I saw a rough cut of the first episode. And I loved it. It's very dark, very powerful, and very moving... just the way I like epic fantasy."

Martin also praised show creators Ryan Condal and Miguel Sopochnik for the "amazing job" they've done on the series, adding that the cast is also great, even if not all of them are famous.

“Like Game of Thrones, most people have only heard of a few of the actors, but I think you’re going to fall in love with a lot of them (only to have your heart broken later… but no, that’ll be telling),” he said. “I think the Targaryens will be done justice.”

"Keep looking forward to it. I think you won't be disappointed."

Set hundreds of years before the events of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon will tell the story of House Targaryen. "As King Viserys (Paddy Considine) reports that his reign is coming to an end, a brutal battle begins between his beloved daughter, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy), and the king's second wife, Queen Alison Hightower (Olivia Cooke), who wants her son to take the throne."

Matt Smith, who played the eighth Doctor Who, and Rhys Ifans, who played Luna Lovegood's father in Harry Potter, will also star in the series. House of the Dragon will be available on HBO Max in 2022, but the specific release date has not yet been announced.