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Maisie Williams On If She'll Watch HBO's Game of Thrones Spinoff
Maisie Williams discusses whether she'll be watching the upcoming HBO Game of Thrones spinoff House of the Dragon. After first premiering in 2011, Game of Thrones concluded in 2019 with a finale that proved incredibly divisive among fans. Based on the George R. R. Martin book series, A Song of Ice and Fire, the ending to Game of Thrones concluded the storylines of a host of fan-favorite characters, including Williams' beloved Arya, who set off to explore unknown lands beyond Westeros.
Not long after the conclusion of Game of Thrones, HBO announced that a number of spinoffs were in the works. Although not all of the planned spinoffs have panned out, House of the Dragon is set to premiere later this summer. The show is set 300 years before the events of Game of Thrones and chronicles the Targaryen civil war. Due to the time period, it's unlikely that any characters from Game of Thrones will be showing up in House of the Dragon, but the show does feature an impressive new cast, including Olivia Cooke, Matt Smith, Graham McTavish, Emma D'Arcy, and Paddy Constantine.
In a new interview with Variety, Williams weighs in on whether she'll be turning in for House of the Dragon, expressing that she's looking forward to it. Williams explains that Cooke is a friend of hers and that she's looking forward to experiencing a Game of Thrones-type show without actually being a part of it. Check out Williams' full comment below:
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"Yes. I’m really looking forward to it, actually. My friend Olivia [Cooke] is in it, and it’s been really interesting just chatting to her about the experience. I think it’s actually a lot more pressure. All of the hung-over concerns of our show are now just being piled onto this new cast of people who had nothing to do with it. I want to be as supportive as possible to her as an actress, but also, I’m just really curious. I’m kind of looking forward to watching “Game of Thrones” — even though it’s not “Game of Thrones” — and experiencing it as a person that’s not on it. ‘Cause all I’ve done is meet people who have done just that, and I never really was able to relate to it."
At its height, Game of Thrones was a global phenomenon, but, as a star in the show, Williams was always at the center of the hype, instead of on the outside looking in. With Game of Thrones now concluded, it would seem that the actor will finally get a chance to experience Martin's vast universe as a fan instead of a participant. It remains to be seen whether House of the Dragon will live up to fans' expectations but, clearly, Williams is excited to find out.
With Game of Thrones ending on a sour note for many fans, Williams also brings up a good point about the struggle that House of the Dragon continues to face. Despite not even being out yet and being steered by new showrunners, many fans are already worried that the new show will disappoint, something that Williams clearly believes to be unjust. Regardless of whether House of the Dragon is a hit or not, Williams will definitely be tuning in, not only to support a friend but also to maybe finally understand what it felt like to be a Game of Thrones fan.
