Game Of Thrones star Emilia Clarke says she has “avoided” watching spin-off House Of The Dragon as it’s “too weird”.
The spin-off series is one of many Thrones-related projects in the works at HBO, and shared its first season last year.
House Of The Dragon, adapted from Martin’s novel Fire & Blood, is set 200 years before events in Game Of Thrones. The show, which follows a war of succession among House Targaryen, stars Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Emma D’Arcy, Olivia Cooke and Rhys Ifans.
In a four-star review, NME wrote: “What is reassuring is that House Of The Dragon feels as though it is walking on solid ground: the bubbling rivalries, the jostling for power, the eruptions of violence; six episodes in, it is all coming together to create a rich stew.”
Speaking to Variety, Clarke – who starred as Daenerys Targaryen in Game Of Thrones – said she is “over the moon” that the show exists, but can’t bring herself to watch it personally.
“No! Can you [forgive me]?” Clarke responded when asked whether she has watched the show. “It’s too weird. I’m so happy it’s happening. I’m over the moon about all the awards… I just can’t do it. It’s so weird. It’s so strange.
“It’s kind of like someone saying, ‘You want to go to this school reunion that’s not your year? Want to go to that school reunion?’ That’s how it feels. I’m avoiding it.”
HBO renewed House Of The Dragon for a second season on August 26, after the show’s first episode racked up 20million viewers in the US.
Back in 2021, Clarke said she supports the raft of spin-off series’ in the works, calling them “inevitable”. “Godspeed, everyone!” the actor said to the creators of the spin-offs in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, before quoting the immortal Mean Girls line: “You do you, you go, Glenn Coco!
“You can’t create something that big and not have people go, ‘And? What else? This is really good! Let’s do loads more!’”
However, last month, Game Of Thrones author George R.R. Martin said that a number of future spin-offs of the show have been “shelved” by HBO.
In a new blog post posted on his website, Martin said that structural changes at streaming service HBO Max have impacted the development of a number of planned spin-offs, and while a number are “shelved,” they are “not dead” in the author’s opinion.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, HBO compiled 15 possible prequel concepts based on Martin’s collective works, with Bloodmoon, a spin-off set in the Age of Heroes, being cancelled in 2019 following a pilot.
Most recently, a Jon Snow sequel series was announced, while shows based on Dunk And Egg, The Sea Snake and Ten Thousand Ships, are all in early stages of development. There are also three animated shows in the works, including The Golden Empire, set in the land of Yi Ti.
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