Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage has said he thinks the prequel House of The Dragon could feel like a 'money grab' if the team simply recreate the original series.
The 52-year-old took on the role of Tyrion Lannister on the HBO series and even won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series four times.
But now, the series is getting a prequel which is expected to be released at some stage this year, and he has explained what he hopes will come from the show.
Speaking to the Independent, he said: "I think the trick is not to try to recreate Thrones. If you try to recreate it, that feels like a money grab.
"With a lot of sequels, the reason for them is that the first one made a lot of money, which is why they aren’t as strong. But I am excited to watch the House of the Dragon, purely as a viewer, not knowing what will happen next.”
One person who does know what's going on is George R.R. Martin, writer of House of the Dragon, and he says the first episode is 'dark and powerful'.
In a blog post on his website, the author was 'chuffed' to see House of the Dragon was rated as one of the most anticipated TV shows of 2022 alongside Amazon's Lord of the Rings series, as well as the other Marvel and Star Wars projects.
He wrote: "I am anticipating HOUSE OF THE DRAGON pretty eagerly myself, for what it's worth.
"Okay, I am hardly objective. And I know a lot of what you will be seeing. (I, um, wrote the book). Also... mum's the word now, don't tell anyone... I've seen a rough cut of the first episode.
"And loved it. It's dark, it's powerful, it's visceral... just the way I like my epic fantasy."
House of the Dragon has been adapted from Martin's book Fire & Blood, which takes place hundreds of years before Game of Thrones.
It dives into the Targaryen family, their relationship with dragons, and how they became one of the most powerful and feared families in Westeros and the Seven Kingdoms.
Topics: Game of Thrones, TV and Film
Rebecca Shepherd