House of the Dragon finale leaked online

*WARNING: THIS ARTICLE WON'T CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Fans are reporting that the finale of House of the Dragon has leaked online.

The final episode of the hit series is due to air in just a matter of days, but for some, Christmas has arrived early - and for others, Christmas has been completely ruined.

The much-anticipated finale has apparently been leaked on torrent networks, and now social media is awash with talk about it.

So, if you plan on watching the finale as it was intended to be viewed, you may want to steer clear of Twitter and the like for the time being, as there's a decent chance some d******d is gonna dump a big fat unsolicited spoiler right in your face.

After all, there's a good chance the algorithms will have cottoned on to the fact that you like the show, but they may not be advanced enough to know which narrative developments you need to be sheltered from.

Twitter

An HBO spokesperson told LADbible in a statement: "We are aware that the tenth episode of House of the Dragon has been posted on illegal torrent sites. It appears to have originated from a distribution partner in the EMEA region.

"HBO is aggressively monitoring and pulling these copies from the internet. We're disappointed that this unlawful action has disrupted the viewing experience for loyal fans of the show, who will get to see a pristine version of the episode when it premieres Sunday on HBO and HBO Max, where it will stream exclusively in 4K."

The leak will no doubt frustrate many fans, particularly those who inadvertently stumble upon a spoiler - having previously complained about not being able to see enough.

Yes, like Game of Thrones before it, fans have complained that they haven't been able to see what the hell's been going on.

Of course, a drama littered with killing, mutilation and incest was always going to be dark, but people think there's no need for it to literally be so dark.

HBO Max actually responded to one fan's complaint about the darkness on Twitter, writing: "We appreciate you reaching out about a night scene in House of the Dragon: Episode 7 appearing dark on your screen.

"The dimmed lighting of this scene was an intentional creative decision. Thanks!"

The show is based on author George RR Martin's Fire And Blood, which is set 200 years before the events of Game Of Thrones.

The HBO drama - starring Matt Smith, Emma D'Arcy and Paddy Considine - chronicles the beginning of the end of House Targaryen and the events leading up to the Targaryen civil war, known as the Dance of the Dragons.

Following the successful launch of the prequel in August, the series was confirmed for a second instalment.

"We are beyond proud of what the entire House of the Dragon team has accomplished with season one," said Francesca Orsi, executive vice president of HBO programming.

"Our phenomenal cast and crew undertook a massive challenge and exceeded all expectations, delivering a show that has already established itself as must-see-TV. A huge thank you to George, Ryan, and Miguel for leading us on this journey.

"We couldn't be more excited to continue bringing to life the epic saga of House Targaryen with Season 2."