'Game of Thrones' prequel 'House of the Dragon' to premiere in UAE same day as US

The HBO Original will be available to watch on OSN+ from August 22, with a new episode being released each week

Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen and Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen.

Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower and Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower.

Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen.

Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen in 'Game of Thrones' prequel 'House of the Dragon'. All photos: HBO

Paddy Considine as King Viserys Targaryen.

Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon and Eve Best as Princess Rhaenys Targaryen.

Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole.

Milly Alcock as the young Rhaenyra and Emily Carey as the young Alicent.

Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria.

Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower.

Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower.

Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon.

The prequel to Game of Thrones will be released regionally on OSN+ on the same day the series is set to have its premiere in the US.

House of the Dragon will launch on August 22, with new episodes out weekly.

The 10-episode HBO Original, based on George R R Martin’s Fire & Blood, is set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones. It tells the story of House Targaryen at the brink of its downfall in the wake of a civil war called the Dance of the Dragons.

Paddy Considine stars as King Viserys Targaryen, with Emma D’Arcy as his firstborn daughter Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen and Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen, the king’s younger brother and heir to the throne. Olivia Cooke is Alicent Hightower, while Rhys Ifans plays Otto Hightower, her father and the Hand of the King.

A trailer for House of the Dragon was released on May 5. In the clip, which is about a minute-and-a-half long, viewers are shown King Viserys presenting his daughter, Princess Rhaenyra, as his heir, but not all the residents in Westeros are seemingly willing to accept her as their leader.

In typical fashion, violence ensues. In the final moments, we’re also given a first look at the fire-breathing dragon from the House of Targaryen.

“House of the Dragon is the most awaited series of the summer and showcases [the] OSN+ [platform's] commitment to providing the best-in-class exclusive content for our customers,” said Nick Forward, managing director OSN+ and chief content officer at OSN Group. “The series will be a global ‘must-watch’ — both for Game of Thrones fans or first-time visitors to the world of Westeros.”

The OSN Group overhauled its streaming platform in March. The company said the app marks “a new chapter” for the group as it embraces opportunities presented by the growing subscription video-on-demand landscape in the Middle East and North Africa.

OSN+ houses titles from several leading international studios through exclusive partnerships, such as the one with HBO, the production company behind Game of Thrones and its spin-off.

More information is available at osnplus.com

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