Pearl Studio’s animated fantasy feature “All Wishes Come True!” took over the top position at the mainland China box office during the July 24–26 weekend, generating RMB314.8 million ($46.3 million) in its second weekend of release.
Directed by Mu Zhengyang, the film now has a cumulative total of $112.5 million. The family-friendly mythological comedy centers on eight ordinary mortals who must combine their wit and courage to outsmart formidable deities, earning the legendary status of the Eight Immortals.
Shenzhen Film Studio’s sports comedy “Kung Fu Soccer” moved to second place in its third weekend, adding $33.9 million. Directed by Stephen Chow, the hit production has reached a cumulative box office total of $286.6 million. The film follows an amateur women’s team as they integrate high-flying martial arts into professional soccer to contend for a major championship.
Damai Entertainment’s sci-fi epic “The Decisive Moment” debuted in third position, bringing in $6.4 million over the weekend. Including early screenings since its July 25 launch, the film has taken $8.6 million to date. Directed by Zhang Disha from a script co-written with Hu Xiaoxi, and produced by industry veteran Huang Jianxin, the high-concept project previously served as the closing film of the Shanghai International Film Festival. Set across dual timelines, the narrative stars Huang Bo, Gao Ye, and Sun Yang as a trio of 2035 Chinese astronauts lost in space during a return mission, whose only lifeline is a mysterious encrypted signal linked back to a 1970 aerospace researcher played by Wu Lei.
Universal’s “Obsession” opened in fourth place, collecting $4.9 million in its weekend debut.
Enlight Pictures’ youth drama “A Part of Me” rounded out the top five, pulling in $2.7 million in its second week of release. Directed by Ma Yingxin and starring Zhang Ruonan and Jolin Jin, the contemporary feature has accumulated $21.6 million as it tracks the emotional journey of a friendship spanning two decades.
Mainland China’s overall weekend grosses reached $102.3 million, while the 2026 year-to-date revenue stands at $3.15 billion, down 33.6% from the same period in 2025.
The U.K. culture secretary Lisa Nandy — who has remained in her post amid a cabinet reshuffle with new Prime Minister Andy Burnham taking office — has previously said she was “minded to intervene” in the $111 billion mega-deal that, if successful, will undoubtedly change not just Hollywood, but the global film and TV industry.
Among a host of issues, the actors cite concerns over the livelihoods of British film and TV crews, independent film financing, and losing public service broadcaster Channel 5 to Hollywood ownership.
“As actors and public figures who have spent our careers in the arts in Britain — working with British crews, on British stages and sets — we have a responsibility to the public who support, enjoy and consume the art we make,” wrote the famed Marvel actors (Cumberbatch and Wong), as well as Cummng (The Traitors), on Monday in a piece titled “A TV and cinema calamity could be disastrous for what you watch and what you know. Act now to stop that.”
“The U.K. is being threatened by a media merger that would harm our workers, our culture and the public — but we can stop it.” They mention that they are encouraged by Nandy’s statements that she wants to investigate the threat to public interest, and acknowledge that she is not acting alone. This month, 12 U.S. states, led by California, sued in federal court to block the merger, warning that it would “raise prices, shrink the number of films made and degrade the quality of what audiences see,” said the men. And over the weekend, news broke that Larry Ellison’s Paramount agreed not to close the takeover until the court decides whether the deal violates antitrust laws.
“Their lawsuit confirms the danger; it cannot, however, do the U.K.’s work for it,” continue Cumberbatch, Cumming and Wong, who add that the EU has conditionally backed the merger and makes its own decisions. “The fight against this merger now runs on two fronts, and Nandy commands one of them. Should her department decide to intervene, it may prove one of the most important decisions any culture secretary has taken for U.K. film, television and media in a generation,” they explain.
“This is why. We have spent our lives working in this industry. We know what it looks like from the inside: the sound stages at Leavesden [studio], the crews who move from production to production, the editors and camera operators and costume designers whose names scroll past in the credits at the end of a film. These are our cherished friends and colleagues, who create the shows we all love, who produce the news that educates the public and film the sport events we enjoy together,” write the actors.
The men say that U.K. film and TV are not just “images on your screens; they are lives and livelihoods of thousands of workers and families, whose work supports local economies.” They cite buoying figures, such as the 180,000 jobs supported through the industry and the £6.8 billion production spend reported last year. “It is one of the things the U.K. still does better than almost anyone, and a cultural heritage we must protect,” they say.
They add that they have watched “with growing alarm” what consolidation does to the “breadth and depth of the work we produce,” before recognizing that independent film acquisitions at the leading independent film festival, Sundance, fell by half between 2019 and 2025. “Award-winning documentaries – films that won Oscars and topped festival juries – have struggled to find commercial distribution because they touched subjects the remaining handful of buyers found inconvenient. Every merger of this kind narrows the funnel through which stories can reach audiences.”
To service Warner Bros.’ estimated $84 billion in debt, executives have promised investors around $6bn in “synergies,” Cumberbatch, Cumming and Wong mention. “In plain English, that means redundancies, cancelled productions, fewer films commissioned and fewer risks taken,” they add.
“That is precisely what makes the Paramount-WBD merger so dangerous,” they write, adding that it has happened so many times before, such as Discovery’s merging with WarnerMedia in 2022, which led to the shelving of finished films and thousands of job losses, or Skydance’s merger with Paramount last year when around 2,000 people were laid off.
They admit they are extremely concerned about Paramount’s acquisition of Channel 5, one of the U.K.’s public service broadcasters, as well as CNN International. “The CNN and CBS news archives [are] among the world’s most important broadcast news collections, with more than 4.25m videos, images and media spanning nearly half a century of history. If one commercially interested owner controls access to both, they control the raw material of our historical memory… Fold those newsrooms into a single company, and one boardroom’s commercial anxieties — or political debts — determine what millions of people see and what they never learn existed.”
“And we know something about this particular proprietor’s intentions. Paramount’s chief executive reportedly told Donald Trump that he would make ‘sweeping changes’ to CNN if the deal went through,” they add.
“Actors are often told to stay out of legal arguments,” write Cumberbatch, Cumming and Wong. “We understand the instinct. But we have spent our lives on enough U.K. sets, worked alongside enough U.K. crews and watched enough brilliant work from the U.K. struggle to find a buyer to know that this is not someone else’s argument. It is ours.”
Prime Video will globally premiere Season 2 of “The Traitors,” its Indian adaptation of the hit international reality format in August, with new episodes streaming every Thursday.
Karan Johar returns to host the season, in which 21 celebrities from various fields will compete in a game built around trust, betrayal and deception. The series is produced by Dharmatic Entertainment, Dharma Productions’ digital content studio, in collaboration with All3Media International, which oversees the Indian version of the BAFTA and Emmy-winning format created by IDTV. “The Traitors” has now been adapted in more than 40 territories worldwide.
“The response to the first season of ‘The Traitors’ exceeded all expectations – it didn’t just entertain; it became a cultural moment,” said Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals, Prime Video India. “‘The Traitors’ has become one of Prime Video India’s most defining reality franchises, transforming the genre with its unique blend of intelligent gameplay, psychological strategy, and riveting entertainment.”
Madhok added that the new season raises the stakes with sharper gameplay and a new line-up of players.
“The Indian adaptation of ‘The Traitors’ struck a powerful chord with viewers in its very first season, and we couldn’t be more delighted to see it return for another thrilling chapter,” added Sabrina Duguet, executive VP, APAC, All3Media International.
Dharmatic Entertainment, in a statement, said the first season “ignited a nationwide obsession” and that the new run aims to stay true to the show’s “raw, unpredictable, and psychologically gripping essence.”
Season 2 premieres Aug. 13.
Formed in 2018, Dharmatic Entertainment has produced more than 25 titles, including “Call Me Bae” and “Love Storiyaan.” “The Traitors” is among its upcoming slate alongside a global game show format also hosted by Johar.
All3Media International, which distributes programming to more than 1,000 broadcasters and platforms worldwide, has licensed “The Traitors” format to more than 30 territories for local versions, while episodes have aired via tape sales in more than 50 others. The distributor’s catalogue spans more than 35,000 hours of content, including scripted series such as “Liar” and “The Assassin,” alongside unscripted formats including “Race Across the World” and “Cash Cab.” All3Media recently completed a $8 billion merger with Banijay Entertainment.
Prime Video’s Indian slate also includes “Mirzapur,” “The Family Man,” “Panchayat,” “Paatal Lok” and “Rise & Fall,” among other Originals.
Science-fiction thriller “Hope” maintained its powerful grip on the top spot at the South Korean box office during the weekend of Jul. 24–26.
According to data from KOBIS, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council, the big-budget film generated $5.5 million from 767,366 admissions over the three-day window, securing a commanding 66.8% share of total market revenue.
Directed by Na Hong-Jin, the film features an ensemble cast led by Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, Jung Ho-yeon, Michael Fassbender, and Alicia Vikander. The narrative chronicles the desperate struggle for survival in a secluded harbor town after residents discover a mysterious alien entity on their outskirts. Following its record-setting opening frame, the local tentpole has now accumulated a gross of $25.3 million from 3,415,707 total viewers.
“Minions & Monsters” was in second place, pulling in $793,103 from 117,916 admissions over the weekend. The film has lifted its cumulative total to $3.9 million from 562,965 total ticket buyers since its Jul. 15 debut.
Disney’s live-action musical adaptation “Moana” took third place in its third weekend of release, collecting $593,187 from 87,033 admissions. The Pacific island adventure has reached an overall haul of $6.6 million from 909,270 admissions.
“Toy Story 5” took fourth place, bringing in $376,522 from 53,975 ticket buyers. The animation is now nearing the $20 million mark in South Korea, boasting a local cumulative total of $19.8 million from 2,837,123 viewers since its mid-June launch.
Faith-based animated production “David” claimed fifth place, adding $302,409 from 46,493 admissions over the frame. The biblical story of the shepherd boy turned king has pushed its local cume to $1.4 million from 220,351 viewers.
Local psychological thriller “The Eyes” placed sixth, generating $269,004 from 37,141 admissions. Directed by Yeom Ji-ho and starring Shin Min-ah and Kim Nam-hee, the Korean remake of the Spanish thriller “Julia’s Eyes” has a gross of $10.6 million from 1,511,619 ticket buyers.
Japanese anime feature “Dream Animals The Movie” debuted in seventh place, drawing $92,720 from 15,300 admissions over its opening weekend. Directed by Hitoshi Takekiyo and based on Ginbis’s popular long-selling animal biscuit brand, the animated adventure follows the colorful biscuit characters on a fantasy journey. Including previews, the title has earned $148,892 from 24,404 viewers.
Josh Safdie’s table tennis comedy-drama “Marty Supreme,” starring Timothée Chalamet and Gwyneth Paltrow, took eighth place with a weekend gross of $37,623, bringing its total local cume to $923,581.
Showbox’s action-horror hit “Colony,” directed by Yeon Sang-ho and starring Jun Ji-hyun, Koo Kyo-hwan, and Ji Chang-wook, took ninth place with $27,867, lifting its lifetime haul to $42.6 million from 5,949,979 total admissions since its May 21 rollout.
Rounding out the top 10 was thehorror feature “Hokum,” which opened to $22,398 from 3,322 admissions over the frame. Since its Jul. 22 launch, the film has collected $50,203 from 7,972 viewers.
The overall market collective gross for the weekend was $8.2 million, plummeting from last week’s $17.1 million.
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Shark Week returns with its most sweeping schedule to date, starting off Sunday, July 26 with a KPop Demon Hunters-meets-documentary special, K-Pop Shark Heroes, starring actor and comedian Ken Jeong and singer Rei Ami, two of the film’s voice actors. Kicking off at 8 p.m. PT/ET on Discovery, the 38th annual week-long event can be livestreamed on any streaming service that carries said network, namely DirecTV (with a five-day free trial), Philo (with a seven-day free trial), Sling and Hulu + Live TV.
Shark Week 2026 begins on Sunday, July 26 and runs through Saturday, Aug. 1 on Discovery Channel. Three back-to-back hour-long specials will air each night between 8 p.m. PT/ET and 11 p.m. PT/ET, except for the final night, Aug. 1, which includes two specials, concluding at 10 p.m. PT/ET that evening.
More on each live TV streaming option — and their new subscriber discounts — below.
DirecTV
Five-day free trial; packages from $19.99 per month
Discovery is included in any of DirecTV’s signature packages: Entertainment, Choice, Ultimate or Premier. Plus, DirecTV offers a five-day free trial for its streaming service, meaning new subscribers can tune in to nearly all of the 2026 Shark Week programming at no cost.
Learn more about each plan option, including how to build your own channel lineup (starting at just $19.99 per month), at directv.com.
Philo
Philo
Seven-day free trial; packages from $25 per month
Watch Discovery on Philo, one of the most affordable cable alternatives. Following the Essential plan’s seven-day free trial period, a subscription costs just $25 per month for 70-plus channels.
Sling
Plans from $4.99 per day or $19.99 per month
Discovery is included in Sling’s Blue Plan, from $45.99 per month, and Sling’s Orange & Blue plan, from $60.99 per month. That said, local channel availability depends on your TV market. Visit Sling.com to check station availability and package options, starting as low as $4.99 per day or $19.99 per month.
Hulu + Live TV
Three-day free trial; packages from $89.99 per month
Watch Discovery for free with a three-day trial to Hulu + Live TV. Subscriptions come bundled with Disney+ and ESPN+, and start at $89.99 per month.
Shark Week Schedule 2026
See below for the complete Shark Week 2026 television schedule.
Martin Scorsese took a break from the director’s chair to step in front of the camera for a change for Lavazza’s new branded miniseries Family Blend celebrating “the magic of coffee.” True to its title, Scorsese isn’t alone in the project as it’s directed by and co-starring his daughter, Francesca Scorsese. A few other famous faces help fill out the five-episode project, including Jason Biggs and Adrien Brody.
There’s a lot of blending going on, too, in the locations and content as Francesca filmed the branded series in places that have helped shape her father’s life and creative efforts, like the Little Italy neighborhood in New York and his own virtual production center in Brooklyn. Per Lavazza, the series is meant to explore “the deep bond, shared memories and passing of the torch between two artistic visions” with coffee playing a prominent role. But they also get a playful assist from familial banter.
“The Family Blend series shows how coffee acts as a universal bridge, bringing together different stories and creative visions,” said Lavazza Group chief marketing officer Carlo Colpo of the project, which aligns with the brand’s communication platform “Pleasure Makes Us Human.” “With this project, we are thrilled to portray coffee as a cultural gesture that spans generations and languages, serving as a meeting point for creativity and identity. The collaboration with Martin and Francesca Scorsese brings to life a unique dialogue that blends the depth of cinematic language with modern digital formats.”
Credit for Family Blend goes to Romilda De Luca of RDL Worldwide/Publicis Group and Lisa Frechette of Sikelia Productions. Propagate Content produced the series with Ben Silverman, Howard T. Owens and Drew Buckley producing on behalf of that company. Maruri Group helped develop the creative vision with support from Joey Payne.
The first episode dropped earlier this week, with new installments rolling out once a month through November on the brand’s and talents’ global social channels. See the first one, “But First … Coffee,” below. It was filmed at Martin Scorsese NYU Virtual Production Center in Brooklyn, New York, a site launched in fall 2024 by NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.
“Elizabeth Street,” which drops in August, features a nostalgic walk down the street where Martin grew up with his parents amid the “relentless chaos of New York constantly interrupting their talk.” “Back to Tisch,” releasing in September, finds the father and daughter returning to their alma mater, NYU, in the 1960s. The October release of “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” finds Francesca offering a tour inside Di Palo’s Fine Foods in Little Italy while waiting on her father. Lastly, in November comes “But Last … Coffee,” a finale set in an iconic New York cafe where Francesca (joined by Biggs) challenges her father to break his strict black coffee routine and try new blends and modern preparations.
Francesca previously directed the shorts Crimson Ties and Fish Out of Water and an episode of Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints.
Gracie Abrams has earned her first No 1 on the Billboard 200 with her third album “Daughter From Hell,” bowing atop the chart with 124,000 equivalent album units.
The singer-songwriter announced the album back in May, along with the release of its first single “Hit the Wall.” Her last project, 2024’s “The Secret of Us,” became her first to hit No. 1 in the United Kingdom, Australia and the Netherlands. The album peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, and led into a world tour that year and a subsequent arena run in 2025.
Abrams recently announced the 64-date “Look at My Life” international arena tour, which will set sail across North America in December and continue through March 2027 before moving onto Europe next April and May. The North American leg will include 37 shows and kicks off at Denver’s Ball Arena before wrapping up March 16-20 with a four-night stint at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. She will then take a three-week break before resuming in the U.K. and Europe for 27 shows, including four nights at London’s O2.
Elsewhere on the albums chart, Olivia Rodrigo’s “You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love” lands at No. 2, followed by Morgan Wallen’s “I’m the Problem,” Ella Langley’s “Dandelion” and Noah Kahan’s “The Great Divide.” Drake’s “Iceman” comes in at No. 6, while Future’s “The Real Me” dips from No. 1 to 7. Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” ticks up from No. 9 to 8, while Morgan Wallen’s “One Thing at a Time” holds at No. 10.
BTS, meanwhile, makes the most noise in the top 10 this week as “Arirang” rebounds from No. 26 to 9. The album, which debuted at No. 1 following its release in March, got a surge thanks to the release of a vinyl picture disc edition.
Polo legend Nacho Figueras says the centuries-old horseback sport could finally be poised for a mainstream breakthrough thanks to the recent success of the World Cup.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter at The St. Regis British Open Polo Championship for the Cowdray Gold Cup in the UK last weekend, Figueras says the resounding buzz and fan engagement around the World Cup has him believing that polo could find a similar audience.
“I think it’s been an incredible moment for sports in America,” he says, also citing the New York Knicks’ recent NBA championship win. “People are learning to love sports events, especially when it’s very well put together, and polo, I think, has all the ingredients to be the next big thing.”
While Figueras appeared in the 2024 Prince Harry-produced Netflix documentary, Polo, the Argentine sporting icon says he’s working on his own real-life project to “bring polo to the cities.” Describing it as “Formula 1 meets Sail GP meets Padal [and] mixed with the Longines equestrian series,” the polo star says he envisions events that will be “like the F1 version of polo,” complete with a film crew to capture how it all comes together.
“The idea is to do a Drive to Survive-type thing, because I think that giving people access to our kitchen and the kitchens of the athletes, really helps you feel connected to the person on the horse,” he says. Plus, he adds, “Polo has horses, good looking men and women, athleticism and beautiful spots [where the matches take place]. What else could you want?”
Assouline
ASSOULINE CLASSICS COLLECTION
Polo Heritage
Co-written by Figueras
Figueras was among the VIP guests taking in the Cowdray Gold Cup in West Sussex last weekend from the St. Regis tent. As the official “St. Regis Connoisseur,” the athlete and model got to enjoy a rare day off from the polo field, instead watching the proceedings alongside stars like Andrew Scott, Gwendoline Christie, British designer Giles Deacon and writer Jack Guinness, who all enjoyed storied St. Regis rituals like a champagne sabrage, and sips of the brand’s signature Bloody Mary (the tomato-based cocktail was said to have originated in the U.S. at the King Cole Room inside the St. Regis Hotel in New York in 1934).
Giles Deacon, Gwendoline Christie, Jack Guinness and Andrew Scott at the St. Regis British Open for The Cowdrey Gold Cup Polo Final at Cowdray Park Polo Club on July 19, 2026 in Midhurst, England.
Photo by Dave Benett
Guests at the polo event also got a preview of the St. Regis London, expected to open in the city’s Mayfair neighborhood this fall. Occupying the former Westbury Hotel location at the intersection of Bond Street and Conduit Street, the new property will feature 193 guest rooms inspired by its Savile Row and luxury fashion house and auction house surroundings. The property will also open with Le Perroquet, a French brasserie-style restaurant from acclaimed Chef Daniel Rose, best known for La Bourse et La Vie in Paris and the Michelin-starred Le Coucou in New York.
“St. Regis is an old brand with heritage, with family values, and with an actual history and connection to polo,” Figueras says, noting that the hotel chain’s founding family, the Astors, were a prominent fixture at polo matches on New York’s Governors Island. “This event and this partnership just makes sense.”
Agata Noweta Studio
The Gaston Polo Team, led by Chilean patron Jean Paul Luksic, was crowned Cowdray Gold Cup champions after a nail-biting 9-8 victory over the previously unbeaten Dubai Polo Team. While Figueras was mum on who he was cheering for — explaining that he has friends and fellow Argentine players on both teams — he says the weekend event in England was further proof that the sport is ready for a U.S. invasion. And in addition to his planned polo event series and documentary, Figueras says he has one other idea he’d like to pitch.
“I feel very bullish about doing a scripted thing,” the memorable Gossip Girl guest star says, noting that, “what Yellowstone did for Western was incredible. I would love to work with a guy like Taylor Sheridan, who is really one of the most incredible storytellers out there and who loves horses, and say, ‘Hey, I think that polo could be a perfect anchor for one of your amazing shows.”
“I also love Succession,” Figueras adds, “so I believe that this polo show could be the perfect marriage between Yellowstone and Succession.”
Has he been in touch with Sheridan?
“No, I don’t know him, so maybe this [article] will help,” the dashing polo star says with his magazine-cover smile. “Taylor when you read this, please get in touch.”
Marvel boss Kevin Feige recently told Empire how David Jonsson was cast as the next Black Panther. He explained that “The Long Walk” star met with “Black Panther” director Ryan Coogler in a “secret meeting,” and that the Oscar winner quickly identified Jonsson as his next leading man.
“We hadn’t started a search yet,” Feige explained. “Ryan was working on ‘Sinners,’ and when Ryan works on a project he’s all in. So the presumption very much was we would sit with him after ‘Sinners’ came out, after the Academy campaign. We were waiting ’til after the Academy Awards to sit with Ryan and begin that process.”
He added, “A month and a half or so before that process, he called me and said, ‘I found him’. I said, ‘What do you mean?’ He goes, ‘I found him. He’s this guy, David Jonsson.’ He mentioned his movies. I had seen some of them. I watched more. He goes, ‘I’m going to meet him.’ He had a secret meeting with him under cloak of darkness in a hotel somewhere, and called me afterwards and said, ‘He’s the guy, he’s the guy, I felt it. I felt it in my soul. He’s a good man, and he is the next Black Panther.’ And I got chills, and I got a little welled-up and said, ‘Let’s do it’. So we’ve been sitting on this secret for a good five or six months.”
Jonsson will play T’Challa’s son in “Black Panther 3,” which hits theaters Dec. 15, 2028. The announcement was made during Marvel’s Hall H panel on Saturday at San Diego Comic-Con. Original cast members Leticia Wright and Winston Duke are returning for the new chapter, which follows Prince T’Challa II as he comes of age and takes up the Black Panther mantle.
Marvel launched the first “Black Panther” in 2018 to overwhelming acclaim. It grossed $1.3 billion at the worldwide box office and earned seven Oscar nominations, including best picture.
SPOILER ALERT:This article contains spoilers for Season 3, Episode 3 of “House of the Dragon,” now streaming on HBO Max.
Daeron Targaryen (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) is growing up: On this week’s episode of “House of the Dragon” Season 3, the youngest (and least blonde) child of Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) and Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine) experienced his very first assassination attempt!
While sharing a meal with his cousin/keeper Ormund Hightower (James Norton) and his uncle Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox) in Tumbleton, a group of Baratheons tried to kill the young prince seemingly on the orders of his half-sister, Queen Rhaynera Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy). The attack was unsuccessful, as Gwayne jumped to his nephew’s rescue in time, which only resulted in a couple of deaths and Ormund projectile vomiting at the smell.
But the latest deadly move between the “Blacks” (who currently hold the Iron Throne through Rhaynera) and the “Greens” (who are splintered off into multiple factions) will have a profound effect on Daeron heading into the final two episodes of “House of the Dragon” Season 3.
Ormund Hightower (James Norton) in “House of the Dragon”
Courtesy of HBO
“I think shock is a big part of that scene in general,” Ainsworth tells Variety. “This is an escalation he wouldn’t have ever expected. There’s also this idea of the power dynamics between him and Ormund leveling out and clashing in a way. ‘Bold’ Jon Roxton there has very much been a man who’s followed Ormund’s orders, and it’s the first time I’m trying to stop him, and Ormund’s ordering him to do something. So there’s something about that which is stepping up this dynamic within this group amidst the chaos of everything.”
Daeron holds back Ser Jon Roxton (Joplin Sibtain) when he attempts to dive into the situation and stop Gwayne, before Ormund realizes Gwayne has sussed out the assassination plan before it’s begun. And that little bit of leadership from Daeron, combined with his disgust with Ormund’s handling of the situation, could fuel how Daeron continues to respond to Ormund’s attempts to make him the new king.
Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox) in “House of the Dragon”
Theo Whiteman/HBO
“He’s trying to take more ownership of the situation, but also that’s over the bedrock of just shock and tension and a frustration, too, with Ormund and the way that he’s almost debilitated by his senses,” Ainsworth says. “And he’s throwing up right next to me. And there’s an absurdity to that scene, which Daeron is feeling just in the shock of it in itself. Let alone the dead bodies everywhere.”
It’s Gwayne’s arrival in Tumbleton after he’s left Fabien Frankel’s Ser Criston Cole (RIP) that has Daeron really thinking through what role he needs to play in this ongoing war.
Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) in “House of the Dragon”
Theo Whiteman
“It’s exactly that. The verb ‘thrust’ feels correct because it’s almost a violent thing,” Ainsworth says. “He’s suddenly within the chaos, and so I don’t think he’s had much time to think about it or to process it, which is why there’s so much tension inside of him and in this desperation he has with Gwayne. In the scene he has with Gwayne, he’s almost forced to think of the idea of becoming king, just what would that mean? Would that mean space between him and Ormund?”
After weeks of buildup, it’s clear after this week’s assassination attempt that “House of the Dragon” Season 3 is about to feature a confrontation between the Blacks and the Greens in Tumbleton. Would Daeron, who takes to fencing in the courtyard after his brush with death, be capable of joining the fight if it comes to that? After all, he is known as “Daeron the Daring” in George R.R. Martin’s “House of the Dragon” source material, “Fire & Blood.”
“I think he would be. Whether he’s ready, I think that’s something he’s questioning himself,” Ainsworth says. “It’s the reason he goes out to spar after that assassination scene. There’s an element of getting away from the stresses of things and focusing on something that he enjoys, something that he’s good at. But he’s also proving to himself that he can protect himself if something like that happens again. And he knows Ormund and Gwayne are watching him, too. So I don’t want to spoil anything either way.”
Read more from Variety’s interview with Ainsworth below.
How do you view Daeron’s relationship with his uncle Gwayne in comparison to what we’ve seen between him and Ormund? Gwayne is the first other member of the family we’ve seen Daeron interact with since we met the character.
There’s a growing tension and growing stakes within Tumbleton this season. And this episode feels like the power dynamics are really pushing and grating against each other within Ormund and Daeron’s relationship. And Gwayne is a figure in his life who is more of a brotherly uncle, someone he can speak with, can connect with, and doesn’t have to cover himself up or conceal anything in any way with. It’s very much a breath of fresh air and needed; confiding away from Ormund’s chaos and manipulation.
I think this version of Daeron was always the center, and then when it’s with Ormund, I felt it was just more so covering up and containing, and he was thinking more about every choice, everything he says. Whereas with Gwayne, it’s much more instinctual. There’s a safety he feels with Gwayne that just isn’t there because of how dangerous Ormund can be and this kind of twisted feeling of needing Ormund’s affection, as well. Being the perfect squire, being the perfect version of Daeron around him, and there’s a part of that which has made him a more balanced person. He’s been away from the sour politics of King’s Landing, his brothers, his half-sister. It’s all kind of crazy, and he’s managed to live away from that. But I think this season poses a completely different prospect because he’s thrust in the middle of the chaos.
Rhaynera Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) in “House of the Dragon”
Have you seen the fan theories that Ormund not only dyed the fake Daeron’s hair blonde, but that he’s actually been dyeing the real Daeron’s hair a Hightower color for years because Ormund hates the Targaryens?
I have seen that. Do you know what, it’s funny because it wouldn’t be too far-fetched for Ormund to think of something like that. He seriously is the type of guy to do that. It’s been so cool to see all of the audience reception and theories and the excitement that people have for the character in the show is beyond me.
There’s an element to it where it wasn’t explicitly said when we were on set either way. So there’s a world in which that could be happening, but I don’t know. I think there’s something quite nice about him having his mother’s hair, there’s this connection he feels. He hasn’t seen his mother in years, but he’s made an ideal image of what his mother might be in the hope of some kind of other future for him. So the hair being the same, and the green colors, and the picking of his nails, things like that — I think it’s quite nice to draw that link between Alicent and Daeron.
We’ve only seen Daeron with his dragon Tessarion once because Ormund keeps the dragon locked away. Do you think his relationship with his dragon is different from his siblings who don’t have to keep their dragons locked up?
I think he has a really good relationship with Tessarion. She’s been his constant throughout his time in Old Town, a friend who’s always been there for him. Gwayne comes and goes. As we see in this season, he’s returning after a long time away. But Tessarion’s always there and there’s a love and a deep appreciation that goes both ways with them. And it’s something that I think keeps him hopeful about his Targaryen side, because we’ve seen the rhetoric that Ormund has against the Targaryens. He thinks that their blood is tainted and it’s an obscenity to have dragons. Yet [Daemon’s] relationship with Tessarion is what I think is keeping him balanced and not just a pawn for Ormund’s use.
Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) in “House of the Dragon”
Ollie Upton
I know all the cast members decide their own ways they want to approach the character based strictly on the scripts or also George R.R. Martin’s books. Are you a “Fire & Blood” reader or not?
I’ve read from Aegon’s conquest to [the plot of] Season 3, because I wanted to know what has happened, because he’s grown up in Old Town under the Faith of the Seven. I feel like he would have a base understanding of those concepts and I wanted to be able to bring that into the character. And he would have learned about the history. But I also quite like giving room for this character to grow.
I’m aware of “Daeron the Daring” and where this character goes, and the reputations he has within the books. But I think it’s quite cool to try and explore those reputations within the show and within the scripts as well, these morally gray characters and the interpersonal relationships so brilliantly written and well acted by James Norton and Freddie Fox and to get to share that with them has been awesome.
This smell thing is a real problem for Ormund. Do you think Daeron has used that at all to his advantage throughout his childhood?
Oh, I think it’s definitely something he’s been aware of throughout his childhood, but I don’t think he’d then do anything about it or manipulate. I think, if anything, his involvement with Ormund’s senses would be to try and help. I imagined him putting together pomanders for him, because it’s those things to please him in order to almost save his own ass, as well.
There’s a scene in this episode that cuts off after Daeron asks Gwayne if he saw his mother, Alicent, when he was last in King’s Landing. Was there more to this scene? Did Gwayne have an answer for him?
I don’t know exactly what was said, but I remember talking with Freddie and there is a moment at the end of that scene, which I don’t think made the cut, but where he comes to me, he puts his arm around my shoulder and then we go off. That’s the screenplay version, at least anyway. I think there’s something about, even if he is going back to Old Town, there’s still a sensitivity there. And they have a deep respect for each other. I think their dynamic is one to look out for, and one that means a lot to Daeron.
