The conflict over the House of the Dragon’s promotional signs has escalated far beyond loyalties to either Team Black or Team Green. In the past few days, HBO has bolstered its marketing campaign for the upcoming second season of their Game of Thrones derivative, unfurling flags that symbolize the contesting factions over globally recognized landmarks. On Monday (June 10), the emblem of Team Black was revealed atop Mexico’s illustrious Chapultepec Castle. Yet this gesture has been greeted with disfavor by Mexican officials.
The heart of the dispute does not lie in the choice of sides. Instead, it revolves around the banner itself. Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History expressed their disapproval in a statement indicating that “the landmark’s image utilization to promote the TV series was not sanctioned,” and “hence, INAH’s legal division intends to embark on necessary legal actions, as this constitutes the unjust use of imagery of a cultural heritage site.”
🚨 INAH to instigate legal proceedings against Max for mounting flags (via AI) on Chapultepec Castle
Despite the streaming service using photo-editing software to advertise House of the Dragon, the @INAHmx branded it as “unlawful usage of visuals from a historical site.” https://t.co/f39I8lnofu pic.twitter.com/zpFg7cwDz0
— Ignacio Gómez Villaseñor (@ivillasenor) June 10, 2024
Moreover, the announcement specified that the visuals were not physically present on the structure but were crafted using “digital manipulation techniques or artificial intelligence.”
This advertising initiative has positioned similar emblems in a vast array of places around the world, from Spain and Brazil to Singapore, and included various prominent points in New York City openly signaling their support for either Team Black or Team Green.
House of the Dragon’s second season, set to commence on Sunday, June 16, will depict the strife between Team Black and Team Green during the notorious Dance of the Dragons. Taking place long before the narration of Game of Thrones, this Targaryen dynastic struggle witnesses Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen’s Black supporters at odds with King Aegon II’s Green supporters.
Image Source: Rokas Tenys / Shutterstock
