'Game of Thrones' prequel 'House of the Dragon' to hit screens August 21

NEW YORK, United States —"House of the Dragon," the new HBO series set 200 years before the events of the mega-hit show "Game of Thrones" will premiere August 21, the network announced Wednesday.

The 10-episode drama series debuts Sunday, August 21 on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max in the United States and in other countries where the WarnerMedia platform is available, a statement said.

"House of the Dragon" is based on the book "Fire and Blood" by George R.R. Martin, and tells the story of the Targaryen family -- relatives of a key "Game of Thrones" character, Daenerys Targaryen.

Stars of the new series include Emma D'Arcy of "Wanderlust", Matt Smith of "Doctor Who" and "The Crown", Rhys Ifans from "The King's Man" and "Spiderman" and Olivia Cooke, known for appearances in "Bates Motel and "Ready Player One."

A global success that commanded legions of fans and was showered with awards, "Game of Thrones" made television series history with its mix of fantasy and medieval worlds over eight seasons that aired from 2011 to 2019, though the show's non-stop sex and gore also sparked controversy.

The new show's release date gives HBO the jump on rival streamer Amazon's release of its big-budget fantasy series adapted from J.R.R. Tolkien's saga "The Lord of the Rings," scheduled for a September 2 debut.