The iconic Chapultepec Castle in Mexico flaunted the majestic Targaryen flag with a red dragon in a House of the Dragon promo video. The show’s latest season is set to premiere on June 16 amidst a heavy marketing and promotional campaign.
However, it seems like the Mexican officials have not taken the action lightly and threatened to sue House of the Dragon creators over the misuse of images of the monument.
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Mexican officials might sue House of the Dragon creators
El castillo de Chapultepec, en México fue reclamado por su reina Rhaenyra Targaryen y el consejo negro. Es momento de elegir tu bando #RaiseYourBanners #LaCasadelDragón #HOTD2 pic.twitter.com/eZIWYminFI
— Max Latinoamérica (@StreamMaxLA) June 10, 2024
The video showing the castle and the flag was posted on Monday by the official House of the Dragon page. It showed a black flag with a red dragon on it, pointing towards the underdogs, Team Black. Led by Rhaenyra Targaryen, the Blacks are trying their best to capture King’s Landing and claim the throne for themselves.
In an effort to create more buzz for the show, it seems like the creators went a bit too far in the opinion of the National Institute of Anthropology and History in Mexico. They released a statement that said the flag was never at the site and instead has been shown using some sort of technology. According to NBC News, the statement further read,
“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.”
The institute is responsible for taking care of such signature historical artefacts of a country. So understandably, they were livid to find out that House of the Dragon creators have used the castle in a promo campaign. Furthermore, they have threatened to sue the showrunners and pursue legal action.
Banners on more iconic locations
There seem to be multiple sides to this story but HBO or House of the Dragon showrunners have not commented on the matter yet. Since the castle is open to the public, anyone could film it and post it. But using it for a widespread campaign and that too about a show that features civil war and violence could land HBO in trouble.
On the other hand, the show’s marketing campaigns have positioned the flags of the alliances on various other landmarks as well, including the Brooklyn Bridge, Rockefeller Center, Penn Station, and more. This is to further their idea of houses raising their banners and joining their alliance in war. A smart campaign for sure, but is it worth the trouble of a lawsuit? Only time will tell.
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