Just how much is HBO spending to produce the Game of Thrones spin-off House of the Dragon? We can't say for sure since HBO doesn't disclose those numbers, but Variety reported that the network is spending "under $20 million" per episode for its debut season, which kicks off on August 21.

　　The report went on to say that House of the Dragon's per-episode budget was not "too much above" Game of Thrones Season 8, so that means it's between $15 million and $20 million. According to the report, HBO was able to keep costs down due to what it learned in making Game of Thrones, as well as Westworld and His Dark Materials as it relates to efficiency.

　　In other news about massive TV budgets, The Wall Street Journal reported this week that Netflix is spending $30 million per episode for Stranger Things Season 4. That makes it among the most expensive TV shows ever produced.

　　House of the Dragon, as its name suggests, focuses on House Targaryen, the ancestral line of Daenerys Targaryen. The show stars Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Emma D’Arcy, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Fabien Frankel, Sonoya Mizuno, and Rhys Ifans.

　　The show was co-created by Martin and Ryan Condal. Condal is also the co-showrunner with director Miguel Sapochnik, who is a Game of Thrones veteran known for the Battle of the Bastards episode, among others.

　　Paddy Considine as King Viserys Targaryen / Photograph by Ollie Upton/HBOGallery

　　House of the Dragon will premiere just days before another high-profile fantasy series, Amazon's Lord of the Rings, debuts on September 2 through Prime. There are 10 episodes in House of the Dragon's first season, and new chapters will premiere each Sunday.