Topline
The Game Of Thrones prequel House Of The Dragon premiere episode has been seen by 20 million viewers, HBO announced Friday, as it renewed the series for a second season after just one episode.
Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen in a scene from “House of the Dragon,” a prequel to “Game of … [+]
Key Facts
The new count, based on a combination of in-house and Nielsen data, includes viewers across HBO, on-demand and HBO Max.
One day after its Sunday premiere, HBO said it was seen by 10 million viewers, becoming the largest series premiere in the cable network’s history.
The House Of The Dragon premiere topped the viewership for the 2019 Game of Thrones finale, which was seen by 19.3 million viewers, a record for the series.
Key Background
House Of The Dragon takes place 200 years before Game Of Thrones starts, and focuses on the House Targaryen. The series reportedly received the largest marketing budget ever from HBO, with a cost of $100 million, Deadline reported.
Tangent
Some fans and advocacy groups have complained that House Of The Dragon should use trigger warnings, after the first episode featured a particularly graphic scene involving c-section and a fatal birth. Game Of Thrones was known for its intense depictions of murder and sexual assault.
Further Reading
‘House Of The Dragon’ Earns Largest Premiere In HBO History (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/08/26/house-of-the-dragon-has-now-been-seen-by-20-million-viewers-and-is-already-renewed-for-second-season/