Return of the dragons

Everything you need to know about upcoming Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon...

- SEAN MARLAND

NEW FANTASY DRAMA House of the Dragon From Monday 22 August, Sky Atlantic

Game of Thrones was the one of the most successful TV shows of all time, and while some viewers were left a little underwhelmed by its 2019 finale, fans have been desperate to see more of George RR Martin's fantasy world set around the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.

That wait is almost over, with the show's highly anticipated spin-off, House of the Dragon, landing on our screens from Monday 22 August. The fire-scorched prequel series will explore Daenerys Targaryen's family history and her ancestors' fight for the Iron Throne.

Here's our sneak peek at what's in store...

THE LOCATIONS

The cast and crew spent several weeks filming in Cornwall last year, with the island castle of St Michael's Mount doubling for Driftmark, ancestral seat of House Velaryon. Matt Smith and Emma D'Arcy were also spotted on Holywell Bay Beach, near Newquay, while the location also provided the backdrop for a battle scene believed to be set in the Stepstones of Westeros.

Other scenes were shot in Derbyshire, Spain and Portugal, plus a large bulk of the series was filmed at Leavesden Studios in Hertfordshire, where a new state-of-the-art virtual production facility was built to accommodate the series.

THE STORYLINE