Earlier this year, HBO began looking at actors to join the cast of its new Game of Thrones prequel series, House of the Dragon. Now, the show’s first key role has been filled. Variety brings word that Paddy Considine has been chosen to lead the series as King Viserys Targaryen I.
Considine currently appears on the HBO miniseries The Third Day. He was also part of the main cast for the network’s adaptation of Stephen King’s The Outsider, which concluded its first and possibly only season back in March. On the big screen, Considine has had roles in The Death of Stalin, The Bourne Ultimatum, and Hot Fuzz.
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House of the Dragon draws influence from George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood companion novel, which traces the Targaryen family history through the ages. Presumably, the series will explore the Targaryen civil war that was mentioned several times throughout Game of Thrones’ eight-year run. According to his official description, Viserys was “chosen by the lords of Westeros to succeed the Old King, Jaehaerys Targaryen, at the Great Council at Harrenhal. A warm, kind, and decent man, Viserys only wishes to carry forward his grandfather’s legacy. But good men do not necessarily make for great kings.”
House of the Dragon marks HBO’s second attempt at continuing the Game of Thrones franchise with a prequel series. Previously, Jane Goldman was spearheading her own prequel that would have featured a cast led by Naomi Watts. It’s been almost a year since HBO decided not to move forward with this series. But in a recent interview with Collider, Watts revealed that she still can’t talk about what could have been.
House of the Dragon will premiere on HBO in 2022.
What are your thoughts on Considine playing Viserys I on the series? Let us know in the comment section below!
Recommended Reading: Fire & Blood: 300 Years Before A Game of Thrones
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