Particle.news
Download on the App Store

HBO Max Debuts in Italy With Rome Premiere for Game of Thrones Prequel

Warner Bros. Discovery presents a unified hub for its HBO/Warner Bros. catalog with plans to expand Italian originals.

Overview

  • The service launched on January 13 and was showcased at a January 15 gala in Rome attended by showrunner Ira Parker, star Peter Claffey, and executives Casey Bloys and JB Perrette.
  • A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms adapts George R.R. Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg set about a century before Game of Thrones, featuring Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell.
  • Parker says the new series focuses on smaller-scale heroism with no dragons, signaling a tonal shift from the franchise’s larger battles.
  • Most coverage cites a January 19 debut for the prequel on HBO Max in Italy, though one outlet reports December 19, reflecting a date discrepancy.
  • Industry, including season four and previously unavailable seasons, is now on the platform, as executives tout a single home for HBO and Warner Bros. titles and flag more Italian originals such as Marco Bellocchio’s Portobello on February 20.