'House of the Dragon' returns for more blood and fire

LOS ANGELES

"House of the Dragon" returns next week after a strike-related delay, promising more of the blood, fire and power struggles that fans of the "Game of Thrones" universe have come to expect.

The eight-episode second series kicks off on June 16, plunging fans back into the mythical continent of Westeros, set almost two centuries before the events of "Game of Thrones."

It was pushed back by several months due to the long strike last summer over pay and conditions by Hollywood writers and actors.

"House of the Dragon" picks up with Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) vying for the throne of her late father, King Viserys, against her half-brother Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney).

"This is a deeply immersive world, and I think, while it can be thrilling and filled with spectacle at times, it's hopefully the connections of the characters that keep people coming back for more," showrunner Ryan Condal told AFP.

The first series was a huge hit, attracting nearly 10 million viewers in the United States alone when its first episode aired in 2022, a record for an original series on HBO.

Condal says it is "darker and more solemn" than "Game of Thrones," whose dark humor and salacious sex and violence made it a cultural phenomenon.