In a new deep-dive profile exploring the creation of the Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon, the cast and crew discuss getting to this point with Entertainment Weekly. The series is scheduled to premiere on August 21 on HBO.

Out of the gate, House of the Dragon faces a bit of an uphill climb in getting and keeping fan attention. In its final seasons and particularly its finale, Game of Thrones was discussed more in disdainful than excited tones. But in this lengthy piece, both cast and crew speak in a sincerely excited way to also convey that the prequel series--based on George RR Martin's 2018 novel, Fire & Blood adapting the early history of the Targaryens and their infamous civil war--is a major reset and also, somehow, will be even more brutal than Game of Thrones.

"I wanted to tell a story about the height of Rome before the fall and see the Targaryen dynasty at its very apex so that we can understand the thing that was lost when it all fell apart," said showrunner Ryan Condal. "Nobody alive in this story has ever seen a war or a meaningful conflict… We're watching a period of time where every man has been trained for battle since birth, but battle doesn’t happen."