Stock Pick

Author: openjargon

  • Mark Cuban’s still betting on Biden after that disastrous debate

    "Of the 2 options Joe is who I would hire as a CEO," Mark Cuban (center) said on Saturday after Piers Morgan asked him if he'd hire President Joe Biden (right) or former President Donald Trump (left) to run any of his businesses.
    "Of the 2 options Joe is who I would hire as a CEO," Mark Cuban (center) said on Saturday after Piers Morgan asked him if he'd hire President Joe Biden (right) or former President Donald Trump (left) to run any of his businesses.

    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images; Tim Heitman via Getty Images; Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

    • President Joe Biden had a rough time at his first presidential debate of the year. 
    • But billionaire Mark Cuban says he'd still hire Biden to run his businesses instead of Donald Trump.
    • Cuban said he would have "no problem" hiring Trump as a sales representative, though.

    President Joe Biden had a rough showing at the presidential debate on Thursday, but Mark Cuban says he'd still hire Biden to run his businesses instead of former President Donald Trump.

    The businessman was responding to a question from British journalist Piers Morgan on Friday. Morgan asked Cuban if he would employ Biden to run any of his companies, after Cuban said he'd still vote for Biden in spite of that bad debate performance.

    "Of our 2 candidates, one I would have no problem hiring as a sales representative. He is very good at making people feel comfortable and quickly conveying what he is trying to sell," Cuban said of Trump in an X post on Saturday.

    But while Trump is "obviously a good salesperson," Cuban said that he didn't think he fared well on other fronts.

    Cuban listed some attributes earlier in his X post, where he said that an ideal CEO should be someone who "creates a culture that respects employees" and is "always reading, consuming information and learning."

    "The other isn't a very good salesperson, but has a recent 3 year history of having built a strong culture where people are very committed to him. They seem to love working with him," Cuban said of Biden's record as president.

    "I don't know if he is a voracious reader and learner, but I have read about him discussing books he has read," Cuban added. "This is the person I would hire as a CEO."

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    Cuban declined to comment further when approached by BI on Sunday.

    Biden's underwhelming performance on Thursday, which was riddled with gaffes and stumbles, fueled calls for him to be replaced as the presumptive Democratic nominee.

    Cuban, who once said that he'd still vote for Biden even if the president "was being given last rites," revealed on Friday that he was open to swapping Biden out for another candidate.

    "Trump is far better than Biden at soundbites and marketing. That's reality," Cuban said.

    "For that reason, I'm also open to the discussion to replace Biden and/or Harris. It's not like Trump's approval ratings are high. They aren't. It could be an open door to find someone that immediately out performs Trump," he continued. "But if that doesn't happen, I'm still voting for Biden."

    Representatives for Biden and Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI sent outside regular business hours.

    Read the original article on Business Insider

  • Criston Cole has a brush with death in ‘House of the Dragon.’ Here’s how he actually dies in the book.

    Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole in "House of the Dragon."
    Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole in "House of the Dragon."

    Ollie Upton/HBO

    • Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) has a brush with death in "House of the Dragon" season two.
    • Baela Velaryon chases him while riding Moondancer in episode three.
    • He survives the encounter, but here's how he dies in the book, "Fire and Blood."

    Warning: Spoilers ahead for "House of the Dragon" season two, episode three.

    The newly christened Hand of the King, Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel), has a near-miss with death when he gets chased by a dragon in "House of the Dragon" season two, episode three. Unfortunately for the many fans who absolutely hate this guy, he survives this time.

    But like us all, the time will eventually come for the hot-headed knight. Here's how he might die in the show if it follows the source material provided by George R. R. Martin's book "Fire and Blood."

    Criston is almost dragon chow in 'House of the Dragon' season 2, episode 3

    In the latest episode of the season, which aired Sunday, Criston is sent to Harrenhal in an attempt to take the Riverlands for the greens, the group backing Aegon II Targaryen as king. But while journeying with Alicent's brother, Ser Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox), the Hand of the King sees a dragon rider high up in the clouds.

    Since he and the rest of the knights all wear shiny silver armor, Baela Targaryen (Bethany Antonia) and her dragon Moondancer, also spot them on the ground — leading to a pulse-pounding chase across the Westerosi countryside.

    Fortunately for Cole, they all make it into the cover of the nearby woodland, and they're not turned into a dragon snack because Moondancer can't get in between the trees.

    According to the book, Criston ultimately gets killed in a battle called the "Butcher's Ball"

    In "Fire and Blood," Cole survives the Targaryen civil war until a battle known as the "Butcher's Ball." The green army gets ambushed south of the Gods Eye, the biggest lake in the seven kingdoms.

    He tries to organize some sort of agreement with the blacks by offering his surrender to Ser Garibald Grey, Ser Pate of Longlead, and Lord Roderick Dustin, but they refuse. Cole is killed by nearby archers when he tries to fight all three of the knights at once.

    He handled the conflict nearly as well as he handled his weird love triangle with Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) and Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke). Which is to say, poorly.

    To add insult to injury, Grey and Pate mount Criston's head on a spear and take it with them to another battle as a show of strength.

    It's the type of brutal death that "Game of Thrones" became infamous for. Just recall the Red Wedding, the penultimate episode of season three, which saw House Tully butcher Robb Stark (Richard Madden), his mother Catelyn (Michelle Fairley), his new bride Talisa (Oona Chaplin), and his army.

    But the Targaryen civil war, dubbed the "Dance of Dragons," is only just starting to escalate at the start of season two. It could be some time before audiences see Cole's death in live action.

    "House of the Dragon" season two airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and is streaming on Max.

    Read the original article on Business Insider

  • Why are ASX 200 coal shares smashing the market today?

    Group of smiling coal miners in a coal mine

    S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) coal shares are smoking hot today.

    How hot?

    Well, at the time of writing, the ASX 200 is down 0.46%.

    But don’t blame the big Aussie coal shares for that retrace.

    Here’s how these three leading coal stocks are performing at this same time as we head into the Monday lunch hour:

    • Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC) shares are up 6.8%
    • New Hope Corp Ltd (ASX: NHC) shares are up 3.8%
    • Coronado Global Resources Inc (ASX: CRN) up 10.1%

    Now, none of these companies have released any price-sensitive information.

    So, what’s spurring investor interest?

    ASX 200 coal shares lift on Anglo’s woes

    Investors look to be snapping up ASX 200 coal shares today after Anglo American (LSE: AAL) reported that it has suspended production at its Grosvenor metallurgical coal mine in Queensland.

    Metallurgical, or coking coal, is primarily used for steel making, as opposed to thermal coal, which is mostly used to generate electricity.

    The global miner, the subject of a recently rejected takeover offer from BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), said it is halting work after an underground coal gas ignition hit the mine on Saturday.

    Anglo American’s workers were all safely evacuated from the mine without injury.

    Its mine team is now working with specialist teams from the Queensland Mines Rescue Service and the regulatory authorities to extinguish the underground fire.

    Once that’s out, management will assess the steps towards a safe re-entry into the mine. Due to the likely damage underground, it is expected these procedures will take several months.

    But some industry insiders fear that may be optimistic. Fears which look to be benefiting ASX 200 coal shares today.

    As ABC News reports, Mining and Energy Union industry safety and health representative Jason Hill said workers were being sent home indefinitely, with some fearing the Grosvenor coal mine might never reopen. The mine has previously recorded high gas levels during routine monitoring.

    What’s at stake?

    As for what’s at stake for the ASX 200 coal shares, Anglo American’s steelmaking coal business is forecast to produce around 8 million tonnes of product in the first half of 2024. The Grosvenor mine is expected to contribute some 2.3 million tonnes of that total.

    Looking at the full 2024 calendar year, Anglo’s production guidance for its steelmaking coal business is 15 to 17 million tonnes, of which Grosvenor was expected to contribute around 3.5 million tonnes. That Grosvenor guidance already represented lower production in the second half of 2024 due to a planned longwall move.

    Still, the Grosvenor fire means that 1.2 million tonnes of Aussie coal now might not hit the markets in the second half of the year. And the outlook for 2025 remains uncertain.

    Anglo American said it would update the market on its steelmaking coal production guidance once more information is available.

    As for today, investors appear confident that the ASX 200 coal shares could benefit from the Anglo’s production hit.

    The post Why are ASX 200 coal shares smashing the market today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Bhp Group right now?

    Before you buy Bhp Group shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Bhp Group wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 24 June 2024

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • I’d buy these 2 top ASX growth shares in a heartbeat

    A woman shows her phone screen and points up.

    ASX growth shares that are growing revenue at a relatively fast pace could achieve good returns for investors.

    Smaller businesses can have much more return potential because they are typically much earlier on in their growth journeys than stocks like BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) or Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC).

    One of the main elements that I like to look for is businesses with operating leverage where they can grow profit margins as revenue rises, enabling profit to grow even faster than the fast-growing revenue.

    Below are two stocks that have global growth ambitions that I’m bullish about.

    Siteminder Ltd (ASX: SDR)

    This ASX growth share provides software called Siteminder that aims to unlock the full revenue potential of hotels. It also has Little Hotelier, an all-in-one hotel management software that “makes the lives of small accommodation providers easier.”

    Siteminder is an important part of the travel sector. It has the largest partner ecosystem in the global hotel industry, generating more than 115 million reservations worth over $70 billion in revenue for its hotel customers each year.

    It’s worth noting that Siteminder’s management team includes Trent Innes, who serves as the company’s chief growth officer. Innes previously held the position of managing director at Xero Australia and Asia, where he played a key role in helping the software company achieve 1 million subscribers. It’s evident that Siteminder has a strong team with high-quality individuals.

    The company is also growing rapidly – in the third quarter of FY24, revenue rose by 23.3% year over year to $46 million. The contribution from Siteminder’s ‘metasearch’ offering, called Demand Plus, was especially strong, driven by accelerated adoption and strong booking activity. Annualised recurring revenue (ARR) increased 24.8% year over year to $187.6 million.

    Profit margins are rising quickly – it reported underlying operating cash flow of $5.1 million for the FY24 third quarter, an improvement from a $3 million loss in the prior corresponding period, which the company attributed to sustained organic growth and operating leverage.

    The business is targeting an organic revenue growth rate of 30% In the medium term, which suggests to me that profit could significantly rise from here. It looks good value, in my opinion, after falling around 10% in the past three months.

    Corporate Travel Management Ltd (ASX: CTD)

    This ASX growth share is one of the world-leading businesses that provides corporate travel management services.

    The company has dropped more than 35% since 29 January 2024, making it significantly cheaper. That’s despite the business having a much stronger market position than it did before COVID-19.

    Corporate Travel is aiming to grow its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15% over the next five years through new client wins, a high retention rate and project execution.

    The company is aiming for revenue growth of at least 10% per annum over the next five years, with a target of winning $1 billion of new clients in FY25, with this rising to $1.6 billion per annum by FY29.

    Corporate Travel also believes it can limit its cost growth to 5% per annum through productivity and innovation projects. This can help grow its market share and increase the usage of automation.

    According to the profit estimates on Commsec, the Corporate Travel Management share price is valued at 15x FY25’s estimated earnings and 12x FY26’s estimated earnings. If the ASX growth share achieves those projected profit numbers, it could seem very cheap today.

    The post I’d buy these 2 top ASX growth shares in a heartbeat appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Corporate Travel Management Limited right now?

    Before you buy Corporate Travel Management Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Corporate Travel Management Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 24 June 2024

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Corporate Travel Management and SiteMinder. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Corporate Travel Management and SiteMinder. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Which ASX dividend shares are predicted to have the highest yields in FY25?

    Woman with $50 notes in her hand thinking, symbolising dividends.

    ASX dividend shares with big dividend yields could be what some investors are looking for in FY25.

    The new 2025 financial year has just started (for most businesses) and this could be a good time to consider which stocks may deliver the biggest payouts.

    Of course, dividends are not guaranteed and the highest yields of FY25 may not be sustainable in FY26, depending on what happens with their profitability.  

    For a business to have a dividend yield of at least 10%, it’s likely that the company has a relatively high dividend payout ratio and a fairly low price/earnings (P/E) ratio.

    Big yields from these ASX dividend shares

    Forecast dividends are not guaranteed to occur, but analysts expect the upcoming payouts from the below selected stocks for FY25.

    ASX coal share New Hope Corporation Ltd (ASX: NHC) is expected to pay a grossed-up dividend yield of 10.4% according to Commsec.

    ASX retail share Shaver Shop Group Ltd (ASX: SSG) is projected to pay a grossed-up dividend yield of 11.9% according to Marketscreener.

    Retailer Adairs Ltd (ASX: ADH) is forecast to pay a grossed-up dividend yield of 11.25%, according to Commsec.

    Office property owner Centuria Office REIT (ASX: COF) could pay a distribution yield of 10.5% according to Commsec.

    Salary packaging and fleet management business McMillan Shakespeare Ltd (ASX: MMS) is projected to pay a grossed-up dividend yield of 11.75%, according to Commsec.

    Shoe retailer Accent Group Ltd (ASX: AX1) is forecast to pay a grossed-up dividend yield of 10.5%, according to Commsec.

    Would I buy these stocks?

    I’d be attracted to considering the retailers as ASX dividend share because they could be cyclical opportunities.

    Discretionary spending isn’t always going to be consistent – weaker economic conditions can lead to less household spending in the short-term, which hurts retailers. But I believe that things could start improving in the medium-term as wages keep rising and eventually interest rates come down. I think the lower share prices are opportunities with these retailers.

    I don’t know enough about McMillan or the salary packaging industry to feel confident about investing in the stock for dividends, or whether the business will be able to achieve long-term earnings growth.

    Energy is integral to our western and emerging market economies, so New Hope could continue paying good dividends. However, many countries are talking about moving away from coal in the longer-term, so there could be lower demand for coal in the foreseeable future. I’d be wary of investing with that apparent dynamic to play out in the coming decade or two.

    The post Which ASX dividend shares are predicted to have the highest yields in FY25? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Adairs Limited right now?

    Before you buy Adairs Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Adairs Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 24 June 2024

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Accent Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Adairs. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Adairs. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Accent Group, McMillan Shakespeare, and Shaver Shop Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Why did CBA shares jump 27% in FY24?

    If you didn’t have Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) shares in your portfolio in FY 2024 then you missed out.

    During the 12 months, Australia’s largest bank’s shares thumped the market with a gain of 27%.

    As a comparison, the ASX 200 index rose 7.8% over the same period. Both figures don’t include dividends.

    Why did CBA shares thump the market?

    It is worth noting that CBA was not alone when it comes to strong gains in the banking sector.

    In fact, as covered here, it was only the fourth best-performing ASX bank share during the period despite its mouth-watering return.

    Investors were piling into the sector after a series of results and updates that were in line with expectations boosted sentiment. In addition, the Australian economy held up nicely despite rising interest rates.

    In fact, there were no meaningful increases in bad debts in the sector. And with the market believing that the rate cycle is coming to an end and rates will fall from here (maybe after one more hike), the outlook for the sector was looking positive. Particularly given that mortgage competition is expected to ease.

    How did CBA perform financially?

    During the first half, CBA’s profits held up nicely in the tough economic environment.

    The bank’s operating income was up slightly to $13,649 million. This was supported by volume growth and higher volume-based fee income, offset by margin compression.

    CBA’s operating expenses increased 4% to $6,011 million due to inflationary pressures and additional spending on technology to support the delivery of strategic priorities.

    While this led to cash net profit after tax falling 3% to $5,019 million, it didn’t stop the CBA board from lifting its fully franked interim dividend by 2.4% to $2.15 per share.

    Since then, it was more of the same for the bank. During the third quarter, CBA reported a 1% decline in operating income for the three months ended 31 March. Management advised that this reflects one less day in the quarter and slightly lower net interest margins due to continued competitive pressures and customers switching to higher yielding deposits.

    CBA reported a quarterly unaudited statutory net profit after tax of $2.4 billion, which was down 3% on the first half average and 5% on the prior corresponding period.

    What’s next?

    All the major brokers believe that CBA shares are overvalued at current levels.

    But it is worth remembering that they were saying the exact same thing 12 months ago.

    So, while it seems somewhat unlikely that the bank’s shares will deliver big returns in FY25, it certainly isn’t impossible.

    The post Why did CBA shares jump 27% in FY24? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Commonwealth Bank Of Australia right now?

    Before you buy Commonwealth Bank Of Australia shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Commonwealth Bank Of Australia wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 24 June 2024

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Boeing to purchase Spirit Aero in $4.7 billion all-stock deal: report

    Boeing sign
    Boeing will buy back Spirit Aero, a manufacturer of parts for its 737 and 787 planes, in a $4.7 billion all-stock deal, per Reuters.

    PATRICK T. FALLON/Getty Images

    • Boeing is buying back Spirit Aero, a manufacturer of parts for its 737 and 787 planes, per Reuters.
    • The $4.7 billion all-stock deal is set to be officially announced Monday, the outlet reported.
    • The deal brings Spirit Aero back into Boeing's fold and should improve the production of its aircraft.

    Boeing is set to buy back Spirit AeroSystems, a manufacturer of parts for its 737 and 787 planes, in a $4.7 all-stock deal, according to a Sunday report from Reuters.

    The deal follows months of negotiations between the two aerospace companies and is intended to help address Boeing's ongoing safety crisis, the outlet reported.

    Boeing's stock has tumbled more than 27% this year following a series of manufacturing issues that have rippled through the aviation industry. In January, a door plug on a new 737 MAX 9 jet blew out mid-flight, prompting intense scrutiny of Boeing's manufacturing process.

    Subsequent safety reviews of United Airlines and Alaska Airline's fleets of Boeing 737 Max 9 planes found "many" loose bolts, Business Insider previously reported.

    United, in a January statement to BI, said the loose bolts were related to the door plug — which was manufactured by Spirit Aero.

    Spirit Aero was a Boeing subsidiary before it was spun off in 2005. The acquisition deal brings Spirit Aero back into Boeing's fold, and is meant to improve aircraft production, Reuters reported.

    The deal, which is set to be officially announced on Monday, Reuters reported, will result in Spirit Aero's Europe-focused operations being sold to Airbus, a Boeing competitor. Boeing would take over the rest of the company, per Reuters.

    Representatives for Boeing, Spirit AeroSystems, and Airbus did not immediately respond to requests for comment from BI sent outside standard business hours.

    Amid the negotiations with Spirit Aero, Boeing is also in talks with the Justice Department about a plea deal to resolve the DOJ's plans to charge Boeing with fraud. The looming charges come after officials found Boeing violated a deferred prosecution agreement related to two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019.

    Read the original article on Business Insider

  • ‘House of the Dragon’ had a surprising cameo in the latest episode from an actor who said they wouldn’t return

    Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen in "House of the Dragon" season two.
    Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen in "House of the Dragon" season two.

    Theo Whitman/HBO

    • There's a surprising cameo in "House of the Dragon" episode three.
    • The episode sees Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) take control of the huge castle, Harrenhal.
    • While there, he has a vision that leads to an unexpected appearance from a season one star.

    Warning, spoilers ahead for "House of the Dragon" season two, episode three.

    An unexpected "House of the Dragon" star just popped up for a cameo in the third episode of season two after previously saying they wouldn't come back.

    The episode sees Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) travel to Harrenhal, north of King's Landing in Westeros in an attempt to take it as a stronghold for the Blacks.

    But once he arrives, and the members of House Strong freely give it over to him, his first night is plagued by two things: A leaky roof to his bed-chamber, and a spooky vision about his life.

    In his dreamlike vision, Daemon believes that an unknown person tries to break into his room. After drawing his sword and trying to find the would-be intruder in the castle, he finds a woman sitting by a fireplace.

    When she turns round, it's none other than the young version of Rhaenyra Targaryen, played by Milly Alcock.

    Milly Alcock as Rhaenyra Targaryen in "House of the Dragon" season two.
    Milly Alcock as Rhaenyra Targaryen in "House of the Dragon" season two.

    HBO

    "Always coming and going, aren't you? And I have to clean up afterwards," she says while sewing Jaehaerys' head back onto his dead body.

    The vision is a nod to Rhaenyra feeling used by Daemon and how she has always tried to fix the mess and destruction he leaves behind.

    The metaphor here is that she's dealing with the ramifications of the season two premiere when Blood (Sam C. Wilson) and Cheese (Mark Stobbart) killed the Targaryen toddler on Daemon's orders.

    It is surprising to see Alcock in the role again after she played Rhaenyra in the first half of season one, before Emma D'Arcy took over following a 10-year time jump.

    In March 2023, Alcock denied rumors that she would return to "House of the Dragon," telling Deadline, "No. It's done."

    Granted, Alcock's season two cameo isn't a huge moment like a dramatic battle or a grisly death scene, so it wouldn't have taken long to film.

    In 2022, showrunner Ryan Condal said he wasn't sure whether she would need to return as young Rhaenyra because the story moves forward in the timeline.

    "I mean, look, I don't know. [They] are not a part of the story that we're telling yet. That's not a thing that we're doing right now," he said.

    After passing the character to D'Arcy in 2022, Alcock commented on her exit and what she wanted to do next, saying: "I'm not doing any fantasy roles. I don't want to do anything like that. I have done it and I don't need to do it again. I am just kind of waiting for the right project. I am not in a rush to jump on something."

    As for the future, it was announced in January 2024 that Alcock will play the titular DC superhero in "Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow," in James Gunn's rebooted DC Universe.

    Gunn said he was "blown away" by the actor during her audition after seeing her in "House of the Dragon."

    Read the original article on Business Insider

  • The latest episode of ‘House of the Dragon’ introduces Alys Rivers. Here’s why she is important and what happens to her.

    Matt Smith in black armor with a sword to portray Daemon Targaryen in "House of the Dragon" season two.
    Daemon conquers Harrenhal in "House of the Dragon" season two, episode three.

    Ollie Upton / HBO

    • The latest episode of "House of the Dragon" introduces another key character for the upcoming civil war.
    • The key character appears to be Alys Rivers, a witch who can see the future.
    • Here's what to know about the character and her possible future in the series.

    Warning: Spoilers ahead for "House of the Dragon" season two, episode three, and for the book "Fire and Blood."

    The latest "House of the Dragon" episode may have introduced another figure who will be key in the upcoming "Dance of the Dragons" civil war.

    In episode three, fan-favorite Daemon Targaryen easily takes over Harrenhal and begins to prepare the derelict castle for war.

    Before going to sleep, Daemon has a hallucination involving a younger version of his niece/wife Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock), and Jaehaerys Targaryen, a child who was murdered on Daemon's orders.

    In the sequence, Rhaenyra stitches Jaehaery's head back onto his body and lectures Daemon about cleaning up her husband's mess.

    Then Daemon awakes outside Harrenhal and meets a woman in black who tells him, "You will die in this place."

    The woman appeared briefly earlier in the episode when Daemon first comes to Harrenhal, but she isn't formally introduced on either occasion. The actor looks like Gayle Rankin, who was cast in the series last year as Alys Rivers, a healer and resident of Harrenhal.

    Alys also appeared in "Fire and Blood," George R. R. Martin's book that inspired "House of the Dragon."

    The TV series, which is the prequel of the record-breaking "Game of Thrones," has built anticipation in season two by subtly introducing important book characters including Alys and bringing all the major players on board before the civil war kicks off.

    Here's why Alys is an important character to watch in the upcoming episodes of House of the Dragon.

    Alys becomes Aemond's lover and has his only child

    ewan mitchell as aemond targaryen in house of the dragon, wearing a black leather coat and with an eye patch strapped over his eye
    Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell) is a lead character in "House of the Dragon" season two.

    Ollie Upton/HBO

    In "Fire and Blood," Alys was a child nurse for the House Strong family in Harrenhal and could apparently see visions of the future.

    When Aemond Targaryen, Daemon's nephew, and Ser Criston Cole take over Harrenhal in the name of Aegon II, Aemond orders the deaths of House Strong because they assisted Daemon. Aemond spares Alys' life, and she becomes his bedmate.

    Later, Alys becomes pregnant and claims she is carrying Aemond's child. When Daemon returns to Harrenhal to duel with Aemond, Alys watches both men fight and die in Gods Eye lake.

    She then disappears until after the civil war between the Blacks, supporting Rhaenyra's family, and the Greens, supporting Aegon's family, has ended.

    At this point, she has taken over Harrenhal with a group of outlaws and claims her son is the rightful heir to the throne, challenging the current king, Aegon III. There were also rumors that she had a dragon inside the castle.

    Unfortunately, her story ends there, and she isn't mentioned in the rest of "Fire and Blood."

    Since "House of the Dragon" is mostly centered on the "Dance of the Dragons" civil war, we may not find out what happened to Alys and her child. But she may have a larger role in the series since she's already interacting with Daemon.

    Read the original article on Business Insider

  • What’s the deal with the Song of Ice and Fire prophecy in ‘House of the Dragon’?

    Emma D'Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen in "House of the Dragon" season two.
    Emma D'Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen in "House of the Dragon" season two.

    Theo Whitman/HBO

    • The Song of Ice and Fire prophecy is mentioned in "House of the Dragon" season two, episode three.
    • Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower discuss it in King's Landing.
    • The prophecy is a major connection between "House of the Dragon" and "Game of Thrones."

    Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) and Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) discuss the Song of Ice and Fire prophecy at the end of "House of the Dragon," season two, episode three — which is a major reference to "Game of Thrones."

    During the episode, Rhaenyra grapples with the idea that neither Targaryen faction actually wants their stalemate to escalate into an all-out war, largely because it would lead to thousands of needless deaths — especially if the dragons get involved.

    So she hatches a plan to meet with Alicent while she's praying at the Great Sept of Baelor to start peace talks. After briefly disguising herself to gain entrance into the church, she meets her former friend, and they discuss? what caused their divide: King Viserys (Paddy Considine).

    Alicent explains that as Viserys was dying, he mentioned "Aegon" and described "the Prince that was promised."

    From Alicent's perspective, she thought he was referring to her son Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) as the heir to the throne.

    However, Rhaenyra quickly figures out that he was actually trying to talk to her about the Song of Ice and Fire. But why is that important?

    The Song of Ice and Fire is a nod to "Game of Thrones"

    Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower and Emma D'Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen in "House of the Dragon."
    Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower and Emma D'Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen in "House of the Dragon."

    Theo Whitman/HBO

    The Song of Ice and Fire is a prophecy from King Aegon the Conqueror, who had a dream about an impending darkness that will threaten Westeros, and that a king or queen would take the Iron Throne and defeat the evil to save the world.

    Aegon's prophecy was passed down from king to heir over several generations. Viserys told Rhaenyra about it back in the first season, because he recognized her as his true heir.

    As anyone who has watched "Game of Thrones" will know, the growing darkness refers to the White Walkers and the hordes of the undead that they control.

    By the end of the main series, it's revealed that Jon Snow (Kit Harington) is secretly a Targaryen, and his true name is Aegon — which is important because he's a key player in defeating the White Walkers.

    There was also speculation that Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) would be a version of the "prince who was promised," but she was unsuccessful in taking the Iron Throne for herself, and ultimately went mad with power by the end of the final season.

    Referencing the "Song of Ice and Fire" doesn't mean that White Walkers are about to start showing up in "House of the Dragon," but it's a great way of connecting the prequel and the main show.

    Because "Game of Thrones" is one of the biggest shows of all time, it's not surprising that HBO is developing other prequels and spinoffs, including "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms."

    So it's entirely possible that future projects might also build more history into Aegon's prophecy in the "Game of Thrones" timeline.

    Read the original article on Business Insider