HBO's House of the Dragon has added another key cast member. Deadline reports that Fabien Frankel (The Serpent, Last Christmas) has joined the ensemble as Ser Criston Cole.
This take on the character is described as "the common-born son of the steward to the Lord of Blackhaven. Cole has no claim to land or titles; all he has to his name is his honor and his preternatural skill with a sword."
In Westeros history, Cole is said to have played a part in igniting the civil war that came to be known as the Dance of Dragons by convincing Aegon to claim the rule of the Seven Kingdoms, earning him the moniker "Criston the Kingmaker."
It was recently announced that Rhys Ifans, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best and Sonoya Mizuno have also joined the cast as Otto Hightower, Lord Corlys Velaryon, Princess Rhaenys Velaryon and Mysaria, respectively.
They join Paddy Considine (Dead Man's Shoes, The World's End) in the lead role of King Viserys Targaryen, Olivia Cooke (Ready Player One) as Alicent Hightower, Emma D'Arcy (Truth Seekers) as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, and Matt Smith (Doctor Who) as Prince Daemon Targaryen.
House of the Dragon is being developed as a 10-episode first season, co-created by George R.R. Martin and Ryan Condal (Colony). Condal also wrote the script with Sara Lee Hess, and will serve as co-showrunner alongside Miguel Sapochnik. The latter will direct the pilot and additional episodes.
House of the Dragon is set for a 2022 premiere. Production is scheduled to kick off early next year.