House of the Dragon, the mega-successfulGame of Thronesspin-off, is one of the most high-profile projects that is continuing to film despite the dual SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America strikes which are currently ongoing. Writer and executive producerGeorge R. R. Martinconfirmed the series was continuing work, and revealed that filming was “half done” on the second season of the series.
However, there appears to be a surprising deviation to the plot taking place in the upcoming season, as some set photography has now revealed. TheGame of Thronesfan siteWinterIsComing.net has posted exclusive video footageand photography that shows set preparations for a section of The Wall to be used for filming on the sets at Leavesden Studios. The Wall, as you may remember, was built to protect humanity from the White Walkers and was a significant location during the events ofGame of Thrones.
The section ofFire and Blood, the book from whichHouse of the Dragonhas been adapted, never actually features The Wall at any point, which indicates that there will be something of a narrative shift in the series going forward, even if only for a brief period. That said, it should be easy enough to incorporate a brief trip to the Wall within the plot of the show.
In the dramatic finale of the first season, Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) sends her son, Jacaerys Velaryon (Harry Collett), on a vital mission to Winterfell, aiming to secure the loyalty of the young ruler,Lord Cregan Stark. True to the events in the book, Jace successfully accomplishes this task and forges a strong friendship with Cregan. It’s possible that the show could take creative liberty and visit the Wall, which could be especially exciting if it features a thrilling joyride on Jace’s dragon, Vermax.
Why IsHouse of the DragonStill Filming During The Strike?
The series is mostly shot in the United Kingdom, and other European locations, which is why filming has continued.As Martin explained in a blog post: “The actors are members of the British union, Equity, not SAG-AFTRA, and though Equity strongly supports their American cousins (they have a big rally planned to show that support), British law forbids them from staging a sympathy strike. If they walk, they have no protection against being fired for breach of contract, or even sued.”
House of the Dragon’s second season is due to be released in2024.
