Mexico Protests HBO Showing Targaryen Flags Flying at Historic Castle

Officials in Mexico are protesting an HBO marketing campaign that uses historic locations to promote House of the Dragon season two.

The online campaign shows monuments around the world raising House Targaryen banners supporting either King Aegon (green) or Queen Rhaenyra (black). The videos have gotten plenty of online spread, with HBO rather cleverly employing a mix of CG-generated images and also actual flags being flown at certain locations — leaving many users confused as to which of these are real, and which are not.

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One of the (fake) clips showed the historic Chapultepec Castle depicted flying black Targaryen flags, which has irked officials at Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History.

According to the Associated Press, officials released this statement, which seemingly threatens legal action: “The reproduction of images of this site for use in promoting this series has not been authorized. For this reason, the INAH legal department will take all necessary legal measures, because this constitutes an improper use of images of a historical site.”

HBO had no immediate comment, though sources say some online descriptions of the videos as “AI” aren’t accurate and that they are instead CG.

The campaign is somewhat reminiscent of A24 generating controversy for its AI-generated posters showing action inspired by the film Civil War in famous American cities that were not featured in the movie.

House of the Dragon returns Sunday for its second season. Here are some more examples of the campaign:

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