Unless you’ve been living under a rock in the Game of Thrones fandom in the last week, you've probably heard that a certain important movie is moving ahead. That’s right, an Aegon’s Conquest film officially has a release date, and fans (like myself) are excited as heck.
While it’ll be some time before we even see this film — it’s hitting theaters in 2029 — there’s still plenty to theorize about who might get the lead part: Aegon Targaryen. A character that really needs a proper introduction: the whole reason Westeros became a united front was his conquest with his sister-wives, Rhaenys and Visenya. But who would be good to play this iconic warrior with his dragon? Well, we have options, and the fancasts have been good.
Here are our six favorite popular fancasts so far, with the only downside to some of these being the age difference. Of course, Warner Bros. could always choose to age up Aegon and his sister-wives, so we aren’t leaving out some of the older — but still very talented — actors.
Charlie Hunnam
Yeah, I have to say Charlie Hunnam is my number one pick for Aegon out of all of the fancasts out there, mainly because… I don’t know, he gives off Aegon vibes in so many ways. He could honestly play a Targaryen in House of the Dragon, and I wouldn’t think twice.
He’s been in fantasy shows and movies like King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, but most people probably know him from Sons of Anarchy, a huge series that featured Hunnam in a role that really showed his range and made people love him. I think out of everyone on this list, he would capture all the different sides of Aegon in Fire & Blood.
Of course, the only major problem with Hunnam is his age. At 46, he’s certainly older than Aegon, who is 27 at the time of the conquest. But Hollywood magic can make it work, right?
Alexander Skarsgård
The Skarsgård family has been in Hollywood for decades. While Bill Skarsgård is off playing the strangest roles imaginable with Pennywise and Nosferatu, Alexander Skarsgård is off playing a variety of different characters, from his time on Succession to playing a legit Northman in, well, The Northman. I mean, even him in Murderbot is so different from other roles he’s done.
Because of that range, I think he’d be a great choice for Aegon. The Skarsgårds already have a very specific facial structure that I think would work well for a Targaryen, but he’s proven he can fight and push himself for a role if he has to. He’s what my father loves to call a chameleon in Hollywood — he can blend into any role. Sadly, because of his age at 50 years old, we don’t see him being cast. But in another time, another place, he’d be the perfect pick.
Harry Goodwins
Will this list have some more A-list actors? Of course. But I want to shout out one fancast who hasn’t had the chance to really shine as much as the others: Harry Goodwins. The actor has done various smaller roles throughout his career, with one of his biggest being The Gentlemen, and if he were given something like Aegon, it would be a huge change.
However, the world of Game of Thrones really thrives on up-and-comers. Most of the original Game of Thrones cast included several unknown actors who blew up to fame after the series. And if you look up Goodwins, he sort of screams “Targaryen.” He has that facial structure that reminds me exactly of Aegon.
Tom Sturridge
Yes, those cheekbones are the main reason I put him here. But let’s be honest, Tom Sturridge knows how to act the heck out of a fantasy show. As the lead in The Sandman, you really have to bring a certain aura to a character like that, and Sturridge does that and more. He reminds me of Robert Pattinson, but I think Sturridge fits the part better.
I also think using Sturridge would give Aegon a more ethereal quality. He might not look as warrior-like, but he could give Aegon a god-like look that many others on this list might not. The age thing is a problem here, but Sturridge has a youthful appearance that could work.
Alexander Ludwig
As a girl who thinks Alexander Ludwig is grossly underrated, I am here to stand up for this man and his casting as Aegon. I knew Ludwig from his time in The Hunger Games, where he played what was probably one of the most hated YA villains of all time for my generation: Cato. But he's since gone on to do other great movies and shows, like Vikings.
If you’ve seen him in Vikings, you know he can bring that brutality to Aegon. He looks like a warrior and a king and could easily be a rough dragon rider who could take over the entire continent of Westeros. I can see it now, and I stand by it, and I would be a thousand percent on board with this choice.
Henry Cavill
Look, I know we’re all tired of this fancast, but it has some weight because, believe it or not, Cavill is great at fantasy. Aside from the story decisions of The Witcher on Netflix, there’s no denying that his portrayal of Geralt was fantastic, and really, the show failed him on all fronts towards the end of his tenure there.
That said, I could easily see him becoming Aegon, especially since, yes, he has that bone structure that feels perfect for a Targaryen. On the other hand, he’d be my last choice among the actors on this list of fancasts, just because I feel there are several other better options for the role—plus Cavill already has enough going on with his Warhammer adaptation.
It’s unlikely Cavill will be cast as Aegon because of his age, but if the movie was happening a decade ago, he might’ve really been a serious contender.
You can catch up on all things Game of Thrones and Targaryen-related on HBO Max.
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