Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon to air "sometime" in 2022

Announced shortly after the cancellation of a different Thrones prequel last year, the series will be based on George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood, exploring the early days of the Targaryen family.

In an interview with Deadline, President of HBO Programming Casey Bloys estimated that the series would be ready "sometime in 2022."

The long wait isn't surprising, given that the show is yet to assemble its cast, while the creatives are only in the early stages of scriptwriting.

"Obviously it’s a big, complicated show," Bloys added, referencing the 736 page historical novel that functions as its primary source material, not to mention the wider Westeros tapestry it sits within.

• What will Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon be about?

House of the Dragon comes from writer Ryan Condal (Colony), Battle of the Bastards director Miguel Sapochnik and original Thrones scribe George R.R. Martin.

Martin has previously stated that he will not be writing any scripts for the show until he finishes the final instalments in the Song of Ice and Fire book series.

No characters from the original series are expected to reprise their roles in the new show, as it will be set hundreds of years earlier.

In the UK, the prequel will air on Sky Atlantic and NOW TV, just as Game of Thrones did.

House of the Dragon is aiming for a 2022 premiere