‘Thrones’ Prequel ‘House of the Dragon’ Holds World Premiere

Paddy Considine attends the premiere of Game of Thrones House of the Dragon at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, California, US, 27 July 2022. (EPA)
Paddy Considine attends the premiere of Game of Thrones House of the Dragon at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, California, US, 27 July 2022. (EPA)
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‘Thrones’ Prequel ‘House of the Dragon’ Holds World Premiere

Paddy Considine attends the premiere of Game of Thrones House of the Dragon at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, California, US, 27 July 2022. (EPA)
Paddy Considine attends the premiere of Game of Thrones House of the Dragon at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, California, US, 27 July 2022. (EPA)

"House of the Dragon" creators and stars were eager to leave behind the difficult final season of "Game of Thrones" as they launched its prequel at a glittering world premiere in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

The original "Thrones," with its unique blend of fantasy, violence, medieval politics and dragons, became a global phenomenon that hooked audiences and swept television awards, but its finale was panned by fans and critics.

"It's a real shame that they were so disappointed -- but it has been four years, and this is a different story," said Miguel Sapochnik, the director of several much-loved "Thrones" episodes, who returned for the prequel.

"So now they get the chance to have a different experience. I hope they will," he told AFP on the premiere's red carpet.

Reviews and plot details of the first episode of "House of the Dragon," out August 21, are under embargo, but its screening drew a glowing reception at the recently opened Academy Museum in Los Angeles.

Set years earlier in the same universe of George R.R. Martin's fantasy books, "House of the Dragon" depicts the glory days of the ancestors of popular "Thrones" characters, such as Daenerys Targaryen.

"Whereas the original 'Game of Thrones' was about multiple different families that are spread over multiple continents, ours is a much more intimate story," said Sapochnik.

"It's really about the dissolution of one family. So in a way, it wasn't hard for it to be different."

Ryan Condal, who serves as the new series' showrunner along with Sapochnik, told AFP that it had been "very difficult" to end the original "Thrones" but that its prequel is "a totally new deal, it's 170 years in the past."

"I think there was a grieving process for the fans," he said. "They had spent 10 years with these characters, they'd grown up with them."

Condal said he believed there was still "a really strong underlying fan base" for the new series.

In "House of the Dragon," Paddy Considine plays the kindly King Viserys, while Matt Smith is cast as his ambitious brother Prince Daemon.

Milly Alcock and Emma D'Arcy play younger and older versions of the king's only child Princess Rhaenyra, with the show's timeline spanning at least a decade.

Olivia Cooke, who plays a key role as Rhaenyra's best friend Alicent Hightower, said it was "scary" to dwell on how the original series' ending had been received, or could impact its successor.

"It's hard to please everyone," she said.

"I haven't really thought about that at all... I'm super proud of this."



Disney Brings the Grid, and the Light Bikes, with ‘Tron: Ares’ Footage at Comic-Con

 Atmosphere at the "Tron: Ares" panel in Hall H of the convention center during Comic Con International in San Diego, California on July 25, 2025. (AFP)
Atmosphere at the "Tron: Ares" panel in Hall H of the convention center during Comic Con International in San Diego, California on July 25, 2025. (AFP)
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Disney Brings the Grid, and the Light Bikes, with ‘Tron: Ares’ Footage at Comic-Con

 Atmosphere at the "Tron: Ares" panel in Hall H of the convention center during Comic Con International in San Diego, California on July 25, 2025. (AFP)
Atmosphere at the "Tron: Ares" panel in Hall H of the convention center during Comic Con International in San Diego, California on July 25, 2025. (AFP)

The Grid took over Comic-Con on Friday, bringing the stars of the new "Tron: Ares" films to unveil footage and reveal the story behind the franchise's third movie.

The film stars Jared Leto, Jeff Bridges, Greta Lee and Jodie Turner-Smith as the story brings the virtual environment of the Grid, complete with light bikes, into the real world.

Disney showed off several minutes of footage, including a light bike chase scene in the real world and another in the red-hued Grid. Propelling the onscreen action is a propulsive Nine Inch Nails soundtrack.

"It’s fun to see it on the big screen for the first time," said director Joachim Rønning.

Disney turned the Hall H panel into a spectacle, with red lasers filling the room and characters in suits with red lights entering the massive hall.

Asked what excited her about joining the "Tron" franchise, Lee responded: "I just wanted to ride a light cycle."

Friday's panel ended with the premiere of the music video for "As Alive as You Need Me to Be," the first Nine Inch Nails song from the soundtrack.

"Tron" has never been in the top tier of sci-fi franchises. The original 1982 film starring Bridges as Kevin Flynn, a man sucked into a computer vortex known as the Grid, was admired for its ground-breaking concept and effects, and was a modest hit with moderately good reviews.

Perhaps more importantly, it won a cult following and has been maintained enough in cultural memory to remain a valuable property for Disney.

The 2010 film "Tron: Legacy," starring Bridges and Garrett Hedlund, made more than $400 million globally. A TV show that followed, "Tron: Uprising," lasted just one season.

Norwegian director Joachim Rønning has helmed other Disney franchise films: 2017’s "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" and 2019’s "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil."

Leto and Bridges are both Oscar winners, and Rønning is an Oscar nominee.