The highly anticipated Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon, has started production.
The news was confirmed by network HBO, which marked the occasion by sharing a picture from a table read with some of the stars of the series, including Matt Smith and Paddy Considine.
Set 300 years before the events of Game of Thrones, the series will tell the story of the Targaryen family, based on George R R Martin's 2018 novel Fire & Blood.
House of the Dragon is created by Martin, alongside showrunners Ryan J Condal and Miguel Sapochnik, and is scheduled for release on streaming service HBO Max in 2022.
Doctor Who star Smith will play Prince Daemon Targaryen in the series, while Considine will star as King Viserys Targaryen.
Also set to star are Rhys Ifans (Otto Hightower), Emma D'Arcy (Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen), Steve Toussaint (The Sea Snake), and Olivia Cooke (Alicent Hightower).
Game of Thrones fans will recognise the Targaryen name. One of the family's descendants Daenerys Targaryen, played by Emilia Clarke, was a major character in all eight seasons of the show, which aired its final season in 2019.
Producers will be hoping House of the Dragon mirrors the success of the original series, which was one of the most successful series in the history of television, scooping close to 60 Emmy awards.
The prequel is one of a number of Game of Thrones spin-offs in the works. As well as a number of other television series, a stage show is also set to hit Broadway and London's West End in the coming years.
The performance will bring some of the novels' and TV series' well-known characters to the stage, though no casting decisions have been announced.
Author Martin is working with award-winning playwright Duncan Macmillan and director Dominic Cooke to create the theatrical production, with the first show expected to launch in 2023.
The play will take place during "a pivotal moment in the history of the series", Martin revealed, and will be set more than a decade before the events in his novels.
The five pillars of Islam
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Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
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Results
5.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,400m
Winner Spirit Of Light, Clement Lecoeuvre (jockey), Erwan Charpy (trainer)
6.05pm Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner Bright Start, Pat Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor
6.40pm Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (D) 2,000m
Winner Twelfthofneverland, Nathan Crosse, Satish Seemar
7.15pm Handicap (TB) Dh85,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner Imperial Empire, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
7.50pm Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (T) 2,000m
Winner Record Man, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
8.25pm Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (D) 1,600m
Winner Celtic Prince, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly
If you go...
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Results
2.15pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,200m
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2.45pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,200m
Winner: Mamia Al Reef, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami.
3.15pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 2,000m
Winner: Jaahiz, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel.
3.45pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,000m
Winner: Qanoon, Szczepan Mazur, Irfan Ellahi.
4.15pm: Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Cup Handicap (TB) Dh200,000 1,700m.
Winner: Philosopher, Tadhg O’Shea, Salem bin Ghadayer.
54.45pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,700m
Winner: Jap Al Yassoob, Fernando Jara, Irfan Ellahi.
Full Party in the Park line-up
2pm – Andreah
3pm – Supernovas
4.30pm – The Boxtones
5.30pm – Lighthouse Family
7pm – Step On DJs
8pm – Richard Ashcroft
9.30pm – Chris Wright
10pm – Fatboy Slim
11pm – Hollaphonic
Key facilities
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- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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The biog
Profession: Senior sports presenter and producer
Marital status: Single
Favourite book: Al Nabi by Jibran Khalil Jibran
Favourite food: Italian and Lebanese food
Favourite football player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Languages: Arabic, French, English, Portuguese and some Spanish
Website: www.liliane-tannoury.com
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5