Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon casts Paddy Considine as King Viserys Targaryen

Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon casts Paddy Considine as King Viserys Targaryen

HBO has added its first cast member for the highly-anticipated Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon, with Paddy Considine signing on.

Considine, 47, has signed on to play the lead role of King Viserys Targaryen in the series, which is set 300 years before the events of the iconic Game of Thrones TV series.

The show is based on author George R.R. Martin’s companion novel Fire & Blood, which chronicles the rise of House Targaryen, which ruled over Westeros for hundreds of years. 

Cast member: HBO has added its first cast member for the highly-anticipated Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon, with Paddy Considine signing on

Considine’s character Viserys Targaryen is chosen by the lords of Westeros to succeed the Old King, Jaehaerys Targaryen, at the Great Council at Harrenhal. 

Viserys is described as, ‘a warm, kind and decent man,’ whose true desire to take the throne is soley, ‘to carry forward his grandfather’s legacy.’ 

The description cryptically added, ‘But good men do not necessarily make for great kings,’ indicating the throne may be too much for Viserys.

House: Considine's character Viserys Targaryen is chosen by the lords of Westeros to succeed the Old King, Jaehaerys Targaryen, at the Great Council at Harrenhal

House: Considine’s character Viserys Targaryen is chosen by the lords of Westeros to succeed the Old King, Jaehaerys Targaryen, at the Great Council at Harrenhal

The series is created by Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin and Ryan Condal (Colony), with the latter writing the pilot script that lead to the straight-to-series order from HBO, bypassing the pilot phase.

Miguel Sapochnik, who directed some of Game of Thrones’ most memorable episodes including The Battle of the Bastards and The Long Night, is directing the pilot episode and several other episodes throughout the first season.

Sapochnik will also serve as co-showrunner of House of the Dragon with Condal on the 10-episode first season.

Author: The series is created by Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin and Ryan Condal (Colony), with the latter writing the pilot script that lead to the straight-to-series order from HBO, bypassing the pilot phase

Author: The series is created by Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin and Ryan Condal (Colony), with the latter writing the pilot script that lead to the straight-to-series order from HBO, bypassing the pilot phase

Also executive producing are Vince Gerardis and Sara Lee Hess, who has also joined the show on the writing staff.

There is no indication when production may begin on House of the Dragon, or when the rest of the cast will come together.

HBO hasn’t revealed exactly when House of the Dragon may debut on the pay cable network quite yet. 

Producers: Also executive producing are Vince Gerardis and Sara Lee Hess, who has also joined the show on the writing staff

Producers: Also executive producing are Vince Gerardis and Sara Lee Hess, who has also joined the show on the writing staff

Game of Thrones, based on George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, debuted in 2011.

The show takes place several years after the reign of  House Targaryen, who ruled through their control of fire-breathing dragons, which hadn’t been seen in Westeros for centuries until Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) and her dragon eggs were hatched at the end of the first season.

The show ended its epic eight-season run in May 2019.

Considine most recently starred in a pair of HBO shows, The Outsider and  The Third Day.

Dragons: The show takes place several years after the reign of House Targaryen, who ruled through their control of fire-breathing dragons, which hadn't been seen in Westeros for centuries until Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) and her dragon eggs were hatched at the end of the first season

Dragons: The show takes place several years after the reign of House Targaryen, who ruled through their control of fire-breathing dragons, which hadn’t been seen in Westeros for centuries until Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) and her dragon eggs were hatched at the end of the first season

HBO: Considine most recently starred in a pair of HBO shows, The Outsider and The Third Day

HBO: Considine most recently starred in a pair of HBO shows, The Outsider and The Third Day