GoT fans given first glimpse of Ifans’ Ser Otto
GAME of Thrones fans have been treated to the first trailer from HBO’s big-budget prequel House of the Dragon – and a first glimpse of Rhys Ifans’ character.
Ifans, who was born in Haverfordwest and grew up in Ruthin, will play Ser Otto Hightower, Hand of trhe King and father to Lady Alicient’s, played by Olivia Cooke.
The actor, best-known for his roles in Twin Town and Notting Hill, features briefly as he prepares to do battle with Doctor Who star Matt Smith’s character, Daemon Targaryen.
The two eye each other up as they look set to go head to head. The synopsis for Ifans’ character reveals that Ser Otto is a “bitter political rival of Prince Daemon”. The new series promises lots of combat, tyranny and, of course, dragons.
“We play an ugly game. You have the determination to win it,” Ser Otto tells his daughter during the short trailer. Showrunner Miguel Sapochink previously told the Hollywood Reporter that the new show “is something else and should be something else”.
He has stressed that he wants to “complement” the original show, rather than emulate it.
The synopsis for the new show reveals that House of the Dragon tells the story of the Targaryen Civil War that took place 300 years before the events of Game of Thrones.
Co-star Paddy Considine called House of the Dragon, “the most demanding show” he’s ever worked on.
For Ifans, this isn’t his first foray into big franchises. Last year, he notably reprised his role as Curt Connors/The Lizard in the blockbuster, Spider-Man: No Way Home.
The series, which premieres on August 21 is a major initiative for HBO, which hopes to recapture the magic of Game of Thrones, which represented more than $1bn in revenue during its run from 2011 to 2019.
The company also has several other prequel projects set in the world of Westeros in various stages of development.