Production has started on Game Of Thrones prequel House Of The Dragon, HBO has announced.
The network shared the news on Twitter alongside a photo of cast members before rehearsals.
The picture showed a socially-distanced table read with stars including Paddy Considine and Matt Smith.
House Of The Dragon is set 300 years before the events of Game Of Thrones and will tell the story of the Targaryen family, reports Wales Online.
One of their descendants, Daenerys Targaryen, was a major character in the main series and was played by Emilia Clarke.
The picture tweeted by HBO featured the cast going over the script while seated at separate tables.
Stars Emma D’Arcy, Steve Toussaint and Olivia Cooke were all at the table read.
Considine, 47, will play the “warm, kind and decent” King Viserys Targaryen in House Of The Dragon. Smith, 38, will star as Prince Daemon Targaryen.
Fans of George RR Martin’s books will know the Targaryen family becomes embroiled in a deadly civil war.
House Of The Dragon is one of many Game Of Thrones TV projects HBO has in the works, while a stage show for the West End is also in production.
Game Of Thrones was a pop culture phenomenon during its eight-season run but its critically panned finale in 2019 left a sour taste in the mouths of many fans.
