Game of Thrones & House of the Dragon Prequel About Aegon The Conqueror Being "Actively Discussed" By HBO

HBO is said to be "actively discussing" a new Game of Thrones series that would be a prequel to the current House of the Dragon spinoff, focusing on the very Targaryen who started the dynasty: Aegon the Conqueror. 

The report from Variety notes that this Aegon I Targaryen series is "in its very early stages" of development, and has no writer attached. There is an interesting note that HBO is at least considering doing a feature film project about Aegon the Conqueror that would then lead into the TV series. – though that kind of planning is said to be "in flux at present." 

Thanks to House of the Dragon the story of Aegon I Targaryen has become more well-known than it ever was during the run of Game of Thrones in the 2010s. Aegon is the Targaryen Lord who married both of his sisters, Visenya and Rhaenys, forming a fierce triad along with their dragons, Balerion, Vhagar, and Meraxes. Together with his sister-wives, Aegon conquered six of the seven kingdoms of Westeros (save for Dorne), and ruled them for years, establishing a Targaryen dynasty that would extend for generations. 

The appeal of this series is clear: It would be the most action-heavy Game of Thrones series to date in its first seasons, as Agegon and his sisters (turned sister-wives) set out to conquer Westeros – and then systematically do so. Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin has thoroughly documented the saga of Aegon's conquest in tomes like Fire & Blood (about the Targaryen history) and other works, so fans know from that basic framework that epic battles and political intrigue will be front-loaded into this series. 

Game of Thrones is also all about drama, and the story of Aegon the Conqueror certainly has a well-established family drama for the TV adaptation to mine. There were clear lines of tension between Aegon, Visenya (the eldest), and Rhaenys (the youngest): it's said in the lore that Aegon married Visenya out of duty to his family, but broke tradition and also married Rhaenys, out of his passion for her. As Game of Thrones fans knows all too well, the collision between duty and passion always turns violent, and bloody, with bodies left in the wake. 

So far, following the Targaryen timeline has been a smart play for HBO, as it attempts to expand the Game of Thrones franchise. House of the Dragon was a massive hit in its debut season, even without fully getting into the main attraction for that era of Targaryen history: The Dance of Dragons civil war. The story of how Aegon The Conqueror battled across Westeros and forged the Seven Kingdoms is a story most diehard fans have had at the top of their list for TV adaptation, for quite some time. If Warner Bros. Discovery will invest in what is sure to be the franchise's biggest production effort yet, the returns could actually justify the cost. 

...It's also interesting to see if this prequel affects the Game of Thrones sequel series, which was to focus on the latest Aegon Targaryen in the line: Jon Snow. 

You can stream both Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon on HBO Max.