House of the Dragon already boasts a stellar ensemble cast and fan-pleasing call-backs, or flash-forwards in the case.
The prequel series sees Doctor Who star Matt Smith step into the Game of Thrones (GoT) universe, alongside Sound of Metal’s Olivia Cooke and Truth Seekers’ Emma D’Arcy, among many other big names.
We are now living in the age of cameos and references, which is in part thanks to the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and other interconnected franchises such as Star Wars.
The GoT franchise is now trying the same thing, offering viewers a prequel series set 200 years before the events of the original show.
It has been in development for a few years now, with the producers making a few changes along the way.
One change was a cut cameo from George RR Martin, the author of A Song of Ice and Fire, the novel series that inspired the show.
George RR Martin’s cameo
The production process on any TV show or film is a long, complicated journey that is subject to change at any moment.
Despite rigorous pre-production, various unintended factors can alter filming from budget constraints to weather conditions.
The editing process in post-production is similarly fraught with challenges, as making the footage work in a cohesive manner is not as simple as it may seem.
Many scenes and sequences can be left on the cutting room floor and for one major cameo in House of the Dragon, that was just the case.
George RR Martin revealed at San Diego Comic-Con earlier this year that he had shot a cameo for the prequel series.
He said that the editors had “left my part on the cutting room floor”.
The author didn’t go into detail on what that cameo involved, or how impactful it was in the story.
GoT fans will remember Ed Sheeran ’s appearance in the show, which saw the musician sing, far more than a simple wink at the camera moment.
Speaking of sitting through the editing process of House of the Dragon, George said: "I've now watched rough cuts of nine of the ten episodes, and I continue to be impressed.
"I cannot speak to the SFX, many of which are not in yet, but the look of it is great, and the acting, the directing, and writing are first rate. And yes, for all you book fans, it IS my story.
“Sure, there are some changes from Fire & Blood [source material novel] — we could not present three alternative versions of every major event, not and keep our sanity — but I think Ryan Condal and his writers made good choices. Even some improvements.
“Heresy, I know, but being the author, I am allowed to say so."
House of the Dragon release date
House of the Dragon will premiere on HBO Max in the USA on August 21 and on Sky Atlantic on August 22 in the UK.
Episodes will release weekly, with 10 in total coming in the first season.
For UK viewers, you can also watch it on NOW via the Entertainment package, which is available for £9.99 per month.
