House of the Dragon Season two fortuitously continues production amidst US strikes

One of the most eagerly awaited high-quality US television shows of the previous year, House of the Dragon, will progress despite Hollywood coming to a standstill. For months, members of the Writers’ Guild of America have been striking, and in July, well-known stars from the Screen Actors’ Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists joined them.

Fortunately for some films and programmes being produced, while the US often proves to be the biggest market, it’s not the sole one, and definitely not the only one with unionised actors and writers. HBO has reaped benefits from this, and has managed to maintain optimism both for the quality and timely release of the second series of House of the Dragon. As part of an epic fantasy media world, the broadcaster may even see its prestigious programme arrive on screens while all its competitors either grapple to complete production or fail to produce anything at all.

An immense series to keep going

House of the Dragon faced hot debate prior to its release due to the conclusion of its predecessor, Game of Thrones. An infamous disappointing last couple of seasons tarnished its once-flawless reputation, and yet, several years after its conclusion, the original show set in Westeros remains rather fondly remembered, and certainly acknowledged for its significance to many. There’s undeniably a lasting legacy that extends far beyond the TV screen. One only has to consider the vast array of merchandise that continues to sell well, from shirts to dragon egg candles and replica swords.

The influence of the original programme remains profound. Numerous travel companies still promote their ‘Game of Thrones Tours,’ primarily focusing on exploring Northern Ireland, Croatia, and Iceland, and the logo itself continues to be a key selling point for other entertainment formats.

In the realm of online gaming, the components that immediately attract the attention of potential players are the welcome bonuses. As listed by CasinoBonusCA, players can secure plays on the most popular games. For regulars, the most popular games are the likes of Book of Dead. Yet, when they are available on some of the sites with the leading promotions, it’ll be titles like the many Game of Thrones games that offer brand recognition and get many clicks. It’s a similar situation in the congested field of mobile app gaming. Here, the city-building Game of Thrones: Conquest is estimated to have grossed over $125 million globally.

The first season of House of the Dragon was a sturdy starting point for the spin-off. Now, it’ll aspire to soar a little higher to reach the bar set by its predecessor.

Progressing while the competition is on strike

Unsurprisingly, House of the Dragon has been nominated for the best drama award at the Emmys this year, with Succession, Better Call Saul, and possibly The Last of Us being its main rivals. Oddly, however, all of the actor categories overlooked the remarkable performances from the likes of Paddy Considine, Emma D’Arcy, Matt Smith, and Olivia Cooke. Some may argue that their performances wouldn’t qualify for lead awards as it’s a sprawling cast, with some not featuring throughout due to the time jumps, but at the very least, Considine should have been acknowledged.

In any case, the formidable cast that’ll include Simon Russell Beale, Abubakar Salim, Freddie Fox, and Gayle Rankin will return fresh off of a strong first performance. Even better, the scripts for season two had all been approved before the writers’ strike, and the actors aren’t tied to the American guild. Instead, most actors in the series are based in the UK and are members of the local union Equity. Thus, they can continue to work. By comparison, the show billed as HotD’s main competition, Rings of Power, concluded filming without writers or showrunners.

Prepared and ready to go, House of the Dragon enjoyed an opening season that successfully invited millions back to Westeros, and the production of its second series has been impeccably timed amidst the US strike action.

The editorial unit