House of the Dragon star Matt Smith teases Game of Thrones prequel series
"I think it's really different to the original series."
Matt Smith has spoken on the upcoming Game of Thrones prequel show House of the Dragon, teasing a “really different” series.
The former Doctor Who star will take on the role of Prince Daemon Targaryen in the new HBO show, which is set 200 years before its predecessor and focuses on the Targaryen family and the events leading to the ‘Dance of the Dragons’ civil war.
Reflecting on the series, Smith contrasted it to Game of Thrones, noting that it had to distinguish itself from its huge sister show.
“I think it’s really different to the original series, to be honest with you,” he told ComicBook.com. “I mean it has to be. The original series was its own thing and it was, it was so brilliant and, and sort of left a mark in a way that it would be impossible to repeat.
“So, I don’t know. The truth is I haven’t seen any so it’s difficult for me. Essentially it’s in the same world, it has to take on a slightly different identity. But who knows? I have no idea.”
It comes a few months after House of the Dragon’s co-showrunner Miguel Sapochnik spoke on how the show will differ from Game of Thrones.
“I think we were very respectful of what the original show is,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. “It wasn’t broken, so we’re not trying to reinvent the wheel. House of the Dragon has its own tone that will evolve and emerge over the course of the show.
“But first, it’s very important to pay respects and homage to the original series, which was pretty groundbreaking. We’re standing on the shoulders of that show and we’re only here because of that show.
“So the most important thing for us to do is to respect that show as much as possible and try and complement it rather than reinvent it.”
Meanwhile, given the secretive nature of the Game of Thrones universe, Smith appears an easy fit to keep big spoilers under wraps, noting his own experience in the Whoniverse.
“I think when I was making Doctor Who, that felt like – I was younger then as well – and there were so many episodic storylines that it built up to that you just could not reveal what was going on and it was. I remember feeling that one,” he said.
“I got the part for that nearly six to seven months before it was announced so I had to keep it a secret for like seven months that I was going to be in it; people going like, ‘What are you gonna do next?’ I was like, ‘I don’t know,’ but I knew I was going to play the Doctor. So that was probably the most difficult one to keep.”
