HBO's history of periodic medieval dramas centered on warfare strategies inspired the spin-off series House of the Dragon from Game of Thrones. With its captivating narrative structure, the show explores an era predating Game of Thrones while maintaining the same level of anticipation as its predecessor. Now, returning to its foundational essence, Matt Smith recently discussed the shift in tone in the second season of House of the Dragon.

The House of the Dragon is seemingly reverting to the Game of Thrones formula to navigate the second chapter of this medieval warfare saga.

Matt Smith recently attended the premiere of the House of the Dragon season 2 at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City on Monday. Approached by Deadline, the host wanted Smith to address the characteristic tonal change derivative of the second installment of the hit HBO series. The actor responded, highlighting how the second installment falls back on “the formula of Game of Thrones of old”. Smith tried to contrast the character’s exploration from seasons one to two.

The actor illustrated that in the upcoming season, the characters would explore “different worlds” through various pockets of Westeros, like in the Game of Thrones. However, in season one, Smith pointed out the characters were all together most of the time. Moreover, reflecting on the time jump sequences hailed in the first installment, he attained how the tonal shift in the second season will lean towards its parent show.

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During the premiere, Smith further delved into what the upcoming season could mean for his character in a separate interview.

Not so long ago, the showrunner of House of the Dragon, Ryan Condol boasted a super-scaled shooting schedule of the upcoming season, suggesting its production being in full gear. While that easily prompts curiosity about what they plan to bring to the plate, Matt Smith recently satiated that hunger by giving a sneak peek into what his character could bring about in the future. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight at the New York City premiere, Matt Smith, joined by Emma D’Arcy, spoke about their character developments in the forthcoming installment.

As per Smith, their characters, Daemon Targaryen and Princess Rhaenyra, are informed by grief. Hence, the second season picks pace in a “very complicated situation”. D’Arcy echoed Smith in this respect, introspecting how they are warped in the struggle to communicate with each other. Although D’Arcy also remarked that the upcoming season will be “bumpy” for the said characters, because of its lean on the Game of Thrones, fans would not expect anything less than a rollercoaster. 

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What do you think of Matt Smith's confession about House of the Dragon's season 2 focusing on the trademarks of the Game of Thrones? Let us know in the comments below!