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House of the Dragon is gearing up for the release of their second season in June. Lord Corlys "The Sea Snake" Velaryon actor Steve Toussaint talked about the upcoming season during a panel meet at the CCXP Mexico City last weekend.
House of the Dragon is a fantasy action drama series from HBO. The series was created by Ryan Condal alongside George R.R. Martin, the author of the A Song of Ice and Fire series. Based in the same universe, the series is an adaptation of Martin's 2018 novel, Fire & Blood. House of the Dragon was first released in 2022 as a spin-off prequel to HBO's extremely popular series, Game of Thrones.
House of the Dragon features an ensemble cast including the likes of Matt Smith, Emma D'Arcy, Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans, Graham McTavish, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Fabien Frankel, and others in pivotal roles. A short synopsis for the series reads as follows:
"House of the Dragon is set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones and tells the story of House Targaryen."
House of the Dragon borrowed the fan base that Game of Thrones had created throughout the 2010s and did justice to its legacy. The series received universal praise from critics as well as the audience. And now, after almost two years since its premiere, House of the Dragon is gearing up for the release of its second season.
As announced by HBO, the premiere of the second season is just a month away, on June 16, 2024. However, for the fans who are getting a bit restless, we have curated a list of titles that they could tune into while waiting for the second season of House of the Dragon to arrive.
The Witcher, Vikings, and more - The 10 best shows to watch if you love House of the Dragon
1) The Witcher
The Witcher is a fantasy adventure drama series from Netflix that premiered in 2019. The series is developed for the screen by Lauren Schmidt Hissrich as an adaptation of Andrzej Sapkowski's fantasy novel series of the same name.
The Witcher follows the adventures of Geralt of Rivia, a witcher traveling through a dangerous continent with the responsibility of slaying monsters. However, he gets involved in politics, magical conflicts, and, not to forget, monsters. The iconic titular character was played by Henry Cavill for three seasons. However, the actor has been replaced by Liam Hemsworth, who will play the character in the final two seasons.
Just like House of the Dragon, the world of The Witcher is one of fantasy and shares elements of magic, politics, and warfare.
2) Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is another fantasy drama series from Prime Video. Just like House of the Dragon, this is also an adaptation of an epic novel. Created for the screen by John D. Payne and Patrick McKay, it is based on J.R.R. Tolkien's high fantasy epic novel, The Lord of the Rings.
The Rings of Power premiered on Prime Video in 2022 and is set to release a second season very soon, estimated around the summer of 2024. The official synopsis for the series reads as follows:
"Set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, this epic drama follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth."
3) Vikings
Vikings is a historical action drama series originally from History. Created and written by Michael Hirst, the series arrived on the History channel in 2013. Vikings aired for a total of six seasons until 2020, with the second part of the final season moving to Prime Video.
Vikings was a hit among critics and the audience, gaining praise for its cinematography, character study, and portrayal of the medieval era. The official synopsis for the series reads as follows:
"Vikings follows the adventures of Ragnar Lothbrok the greatest hero of his age. The series tells the sagas of Ragnar's band of Viking brothers and his family, as he rises to become King of the Viking tribes. As well as being a fearless warrior, Ragnar embodies the Norse traditions of devotion to the gods, legend has it that he was a direct descendant of Odin, the god of war and warriors."
Set in the early medieval era and revolving around the warring Viking tribes, the show does have a certain charm to it, which puts it in a similar bracket as shows like House of the Dragon and The Rings of Power. While it is not a fantasy story of any sort, it still has the central elements of war, politics, and survival.
4) Vikings: Valhalla
Vikings: Valhalla is a historical action drama series from Netflix. Created by Jeb Stuart, the series premiered on Netflix in 2022 as a spin-off sequel to The History Channel's Vikings. The show has aired two seasons to date, with a third and final season set to conclude the series in 2024.The official synopsis for the series reads as follows:
"A century after "Vikings," a new generation of heroes and kings seizes its destiny in a society now divided between old gods and a new religion."
Being the sequel to Vikings, Valhalla shares the same DNA and is also a great option for those who love House of the Dragon.
5) Troy: Fall of a City
Troy: Fall of a City is a British-American historical fantasy drama from Netflix. The series was created by David Farr, with the screenplay being written by Nancy Harris, Mika Watkins, and Joe Barton alongside Ferr. The series premiered on Netflix in 2018.
While it did take inspiration from Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, it had a more original approach, with fantastical elements like mythical creatures and Greek gods woven into the story. This makes it a great option for those who loved House of the Dragon.
The official synopsis reads as follows:
"Searching for the woman promised to him by Aphrodite, herdsman Paris learns his true identity and falls for Helen of Sparta, igniting the Trojan War."
6) Shadow and Bone
Shadow and Bone is a fantasy adventure series from Netflix. The series was developed for the screen by Eric Heisserer and is based on Grishaverse, Leigh Bardugo's fantasy young-adult novel series.
The series streamed two seasons on Netflix between 2021 and 2023 before getting canceled. However, Prime Video is working on another Grishaverse adaptation, Ninth House, which is set to release in the near future.
The official synopsis for the series reads as follows:
"A young mapmaker discovers she possesses a rare power that could change the fate of the world. Will she embrace her destiny or succumb to the shadows?"
Similar to House of the Dragon, the Grishaverse also has elements of magic, politics, and mystery. Although targeted at a younger audience, it could be a good option for those who liked House of the Dragon.
7) His Dark Materials
His Dark Materials is a fantasy drama series from HBO. The series was created and written by Jack Thorne, basing it on Philip Pullman's late 1990s fantasy novel trilogy of the same name. The show premiered in 2019 and aired for three seasons before concluding in 2022.
The official synopsis reads as follows:
"...this compelling HBO Original series that follows young orphan Lyra on an incredible adventure into a parallel world where a human's soul exists outside one's body — in the form of a talking animal."
Similar to House of the Dragon, His Dark Materials also focuses on social politics, drawing parallels to the very society we live in. And for those who don't want to delve into that, it still has a mystical and fantastical world to enjoy.
8) The Wheel of Time
The Wheel of Time is a high fantasy drama series from Prime Video. The series is developed for the screen by Rafe Judkins as an adaptation of Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson's novel series of the same name. The show premiered on Prime Video in 2021 and has aired two seasons to date. A third season is currently in the works.
The official synopsis for the series reads as follows:
"The lives of five young villagers change forever when a strange and powerful woman arrives, claiming one of them is the child of an ancient prophecy with the power to tip the balance between Light and Dark forever. They must choose whether to trust this stranger - and each other - with the fate of the world before the Dark One breaks out of His prison, and the Last Battle begins."
Similar to House of the Dragons, The Wheel of Time has its roots in high fantasy novels. And for those who enjoy the genre and such adaptations, it is a perfect title to add to their watchlist.
9) Becoming Elizabeth
Becoming Elizabeth is a historical drama series from Starz. The show was created by Anya Reiss and premiered on Starz with an eight-episode season in mid-2022. Although the series received positive feedback from critics, it couldn't hit a chord with the larger audience. According to Deadline, the show got canceled before getting a second season due to low viewership.
The official synopsis for the title reads as follows:
"Follow Elizabeth Tudor, an orphaned teenager, who becomes embroiled in the political and sexual politics of the English court on her journey to secure the crown."
While Becoming Elizabeth is not a fantasy title like House of the Dragon, they both have elements of court politics and power struggles at their hearts.
10) Game of Thrones
Finally, we cannot forget to add the original fantasy series from HBO that started it all, Game of Thrones. The series was created by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss as an adaptation of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire novel series. The show premiered on HBO in 2011 and aired eight seasons before concluding in 2019.
Game of Thrones was one of the most popular titles of the last decade and has received equivalent praise and attention from critics and the audience. House of the Dragon has capitalized on it and continued the legacy into the 2020s. So for somebody who hasn't watched it yet, Game of Thrones is a no-brainer option for anybody who has loved House of the Dragon.
The official synopsis for the series reads as follows:
"Trouble is brewing in Westeros. For the inhabitants of this world, control of the Iron Throne holds the lure of great power. But in a land where seasons can last a lifetime, winter is coming...and beyond the Great Wall that protects them, a forgotten evil has returned."
These are our top picks of shows that we think will be right up your alley if you are a fan of House of the Dragon. With the release date for the second season of the series still a month away, you may as well binge on some of these shows.
