HBO’s chief content executive, Casey Bloys, recently expressed how the network is not the least bit insecure about releasing the Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon around the same time as the premieres of Amazon’s Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power or Paramount’s Halo adaptation.

House of the Dragon is set over two centuries before the main events of Game of Thrones. The series roughly adapts George R.R. Martin’s 2018 novel Fire and Blood. It is set to depict the stormy tale of the rise and fall of House Targaryen, the ancestors of Daenerys Targaryen, Mother of Dragons. The show is only one of the many spin-offs of Game of Thrones and Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire books currently under development.

HBO Faces Competition In The Fantasy Genre

House of the Dragon, created by George R.R. Martin and Ryan J. Condal, will include a stellar ensemble of stars. Names like Paddy Considine, Emma D’Arcy, Olivia Cooke, and Matt Smith have increased the hype among the audience. Regardless of the excitement revolving around the Game of Thrones spin-off series, House of the Dragon has chosen an extremely tricky time to make it to the small screen.

The show is not the only new entry falling under the fantasy genre. There are other extravagant, big-scale shows streaming this year as well. Firstly, Paramount+ is all set to release their much anticipated adaptation of Microsoft’s universally popular video game franchise Halo on March 24. Secondly, we have Amazon’s The Rings of Power, a prequel based on J. R. R. Tolkien’s seminal fantasy novels. The epic series is scheduled to premiere on September 2. 

HBO Executive Shows Credence In House Of The Dragon 

House of the Dragon has only recently completed filming. Apart from an undecided idea of it being released later this year, HBO has not given out an official release date for the prequel series yet. While the coming months will be occupied by the shows, fans are concerned about the series overlapping the ratings of The Rings of Power or Halo, whenever it premiered.

Casey Bloys conveyed the network’s indifference in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter. Bloys commented on the matter by saying that HBO is not worried “about what other people have airing” and that “we’ll premiere it when we premiere it”:

A good operating principal is not to worry too much about what other people have airing and to keep your eyes on your own work. I feel very good about House of the Dragon and we’ll premiere it when we premiere it.

It goes without surprise that Bloys never mentions any details about House of the Dragon. The HBO executive remains particularly silent about the release of the show’s official trailer. He only states that HBO will unveil it “soon”.

Clearly, he has faith in the upcoming series. And he is certain about its performance regardless of HBO’s clash with other equally exciting fantasy shows. Also, Bloys also stresses the fact that the show’s future will depend on how the premiere is received. However, he is confident that there is a “good shot that House of the Dragon will get a season 2”.

Also Read : Major Takeaways From The Lord Of The Rings – Rings Of Power First Teaser Trailer

Fan Expectations For House Of The Dragon 

It goes without saying that Game of Thrones fandom is getting impatient about HBO’s House of the Dragon. And Bloys’ well-kept secrecy around the show’s release is getting a little annoying. And yet, since the content chief feels “very good about House of the Dragon”, uncertain fans take the news as a beacon of hope. Especially after the disappointing final season of Game of Thrones, which aired in 2019.

Bloys’ determined faith in the show also comes from the legacy that Game of Thrones’ initial success has cemented. The Rings of Power is getting closer to becoming the most expensive TV series ever produced. Whereas, a Halo adaptation is practically a dream come true for many fans. So, it becomes necessary that HBO’s team shows relentless optimism for House of the Dragon.