A spectacular drone and fireworks show to promote the highly anticipated debut of Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon lit up Riyadh Boulevard on Thursday.
The show, held at the ongoing Gamers8 festival, was put together by OSN+, which owns the regional streaming rights to the HBO series. It has its premiere on Monday in the Middle East.
Gamers8, pegged as the world's largest esports event, is hosting international players for eight weeks. Besides gaming, the event has hosted a number of concerts, including a performance by Nancy Ajram and Marshmello last week.
Scroll through the gallery below for pictures of Nancy Ajram and Marshmello at Gamers8 Festival
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Lebanese pop star Nancy Ajram performing in Riyadh on August 11. AFP -
Ajram performed her hit single 'Sah Sah' with DJ Marshmello. AFP -
The concert was part of the Gamers8 festival taking place in Riyadh. AFP -
Ajram interacts with the crowd during the show. AFP -
Marshmello is the stage persona of Christopher Comstock, famous for wearing a white helmet that resembles a marshmallow. AFP -
Marshmello revs up the crowd. AFP -
Gamers8 is a massive gaming session taking place in Saudi Arabia. AFP -
'Sah Sah' has become a hit and is the first Arabic-language song to make it into the Top 10 iTunes chart. AFP -
The song topped the iTunes electro-dance category in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. AFP -
Ajram with Egyptian rapper Marwan Pablo. AFP -
Marwan Pablo performs to the crowd. AFP -
Fans cheer for Ajram and Marshmello. AFP -
A view of the arena. AFP
Visitors watched as more than 1,000 drones filled the sky, forming characters and elements from House of the Dragon. The show was then followed by a fireworks display.
Based on George R R Martin's 2018 novel Fire & Blood, House of the Dragon takes place 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones. It tells the story of House Targaryen's rise and fall, following a civil war called the Dance of Dragons breaks out.
The story centres on Princess Rhaenyra, who is named the sole heir to the Iron Throne by her father King Viserys, despite major opposition from the councilmen of Westeros and her uncle Daemon Targaryen — who don’t believe a woman can, or should, rule. Princess Rhaenyra is also opposed by her childhood best friend, Alicent Hightower, who has married her father and conceived a son.
Speaking to The National earlier this month, showrunner Miguel Sapochnik said he understood the weight of comparison to the record-breaking Game of Thrones.
“I certainly think that we have felt the responsibility to make a good show but the important thing really is to focus on what we are doing and not what has been," he said.
“What we have to do is tell a good story, and what you hope is, in the telling of the story, that people will find it interesting or engaging.”
'House of the Dragon' is released on HBO on Sunday and simultaneously across the Middle East on OSN+ on Monday.
Scroll through the gallery below for more stills from 'House of the Dragon'
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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.
