22-year-old Australian actor the star as HBO boosts Game of Thrones prequel

The first poster from the highly anticipated prequel to Game of Thrones has been released, featuring Australian actor Milly Alcock in the role of young Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen.

The series, House of the Dragon, premieres later this year but the US broadcaster HBO has released the poster art ahead of a major marketing campaign aimed at building momentum around the show’s launch.

Milly Alcock in the Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon.Credit: HBO

The “key art” is a set of posters featuring the key characters of the story; Alcock was revealed as a member of the cast last year, though HBO has been tight-lipped about any specific story details.

The series is based on George R.R. Martin’s book Fire & Blood, which is set in Westeros, the same world as Game of Thrones, but is not part of the book-cycle on which the Game of Thrones series was based.

House of the Dragon tells the story of House Targaryen, the same ruling house which will later produce Daenerys Targaryen, who was played by Emilia Clarke in Game of Thrones. The series is set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones.

Alcock, 22, is best known for roles in the television series The Gloaming, Reckoning and Upright. She also had roles in A Place to Call Home, Janet King and Wonderland.

The official House of the Dragon Twitter account shared the new poster featuring Alcock and the show’s tagline “Fire will reign”.

The House of the Dragon cast includes Paddy Considine, who will play King Viserys I Targaryen, Emma D’Arcy, who will play the older Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, Viserys’s firstborn child, and Matt Smith, who will play Prince Daemon Targaryen, Viserys’ brother and the heir presumptive to the Iron Throne.

Alcock is not the only Australian actor featuring in the series; it will also star Packed to the Rafters actor Ryan Corr as Ser Harwin “Breakbones” Strong. Ser Harwin is the eldest son of Master of Laws Lyonel Strong, and reputed to be the strongest man in the Seven Kingdoms.

In Australia, Foxtel has the TV rights to the series as part of its output agreement with the US cable giant HBO. Notably, Foxtel will broadcast the series in 4K Ultra HD, with enhanced Dolby Digital sound.

Foxtel will also update the back catalogue of Game of Thrones episodes with remastered 4K Ultra HD prints ahead of the launch of House of the Dragon, as part of a wider investment in 4K content.

House of the Dragon will premiere on Foxtel on Monday, August 22, and will air in simulcast with the US. It will also stream on Binge.