House of the Dragon Season 3 is on the way. While the Game of Thrones prequel’s second season featured plenty of wins and losses on both sides of the Targaryen civil war, it disappointed some fans because of the lack of action-packed battles — especially considering how many dragons are present at this point of the story. So we’re hoping for House of the Dragon Season 3 to return bigger and bloodier — and early reports are that it will.
The series adapts George R.R. Martin’s book Fire & Blood, and takes place roughly 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones. The civil war, named the Dance of the Dragons, was prompted by the death of Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine). While House of the Dragon Season 1 followed Aegon II Targaryen’s (Tom Glynn-Carney) journey to the throne despite Viserys’ wish to be succeeded by his daughter Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy), Season 2 showed the aftermath of the ascension. Viewers watched as the half siblings fought for the title of the true ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, as their supporters inched closer to a full-blown war.
House of the Dragon Season 3 will not be the show’s last. The drama was officially renewed for Season 4 in November 2025. At a press conference held in August 2024, showrunner Ryan Condal said that he thought the series would end with Season 4; it’s unclear whether that remains the plan. But there’s certainly plenty of source material to work with in Fire & Blood.
Here’s everything we know so far about House of the Dragon Season 3.
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House of the Dragon Season 3 latest news
HBO Chairman Casey Bloys announced at the 2026 global programming slate presentation on Nov. 20 that House of the Dragon has been renewed for a fourth season. The news comes ahead of the Season 3 premiere, which has been confirmed for summer 2026. House of the Dragon Season 4 is set to debut in 2028.
The renewal was shared alongside news of another Game of Thrones series. The upcoming prequel A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has been renewed for a second season ahead of its debut in January. “We are thrilled to be able to deliver new seasons of these two series for the next three years, for the legion of fans of the ‘Game of Thrones’ universe,” said Francesca Orsi, EVP, HBO Programming, Head of HBO Drama Series and Films. “Together, House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms reveal just how expansive and richly imagined George R. R. Martin’s universe continues to be. In January, I think audiences will be delighted by the inspiring underdog tale of Dunk and Egg that George and Ira Parker have captured so beautifully. And this summer, House of the Dragon is set to ignite once again with some of its most epic battles yet.” Head here for everything we know about A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
What will House of the Dragon Season 3 be about?
While we don’t know how much of Fire & Blood Season 3 will cover, Condal has teased some elements. At a press conference after the end of Season 2, the showrunner said the highly anticipated Battle of the Gullet is going to be shown in Season 3. “It should be the biggest thing to date that we’ve we’ve pulled off, and we just wanted to have the time and the space to do that at a level that is going to excite and satisfy the fans in the way it’s deserved,” Condal said, as reported by TV Guide. This news shouldn’t be that surprising, considering how the events of the Season 2 finale were setting up for this battle.
House of the Dragon Season 3 cast
The House of the Dragon cast is getting larger. Sons of Anarchy‘s Tommy Flanagan is set to play Ser Roderick Dustin in Season 3, while Fantastic Beasts‘ Dan Fogler is set to play Ser Torrhen Manderly. Both were announced by HBO in March.
Happy Valley‘s James Norton is also joining the House of the Dragon Season 3 cast as Ormund Hightower. According to Variety, the character is “Otto’s (Rhys Ifans) nephew, Alicent (Olivia Cooke) and Gwayne’s (Freddie Fox) cousin, and the Lord of Oldtown. He is presently leading the Hightower host in a march on King’s Landing to support his house against Rhaenyra.” Variety also reported that while the character had been referenced in House of the Dragon Season 2, he’s never appeared onscreen.
Here are stars that HBO has confirmed will return for Season 3:
When is House of the Dragon Season 3 coming out?
HBO Chairman Casey Bloys announced at the 2026 global programming slate presentation on Nov. 20 that House of the Dragon Season 3 is premiering summer 2026. No exact date has been shared yet.
Production started for House of the Dragon Season 3 on March 31. HBO announced the news along with a video of D’Arcy slating on set.
How many episodes will House of the Dragon Season 3 be?
HBO has yet to announce the number of episodes in House of the Dragon Season 3. In 2024, Condal said, “I haven’t had discussions with HBO about it. I would just anticipate the cadence of the show, from a dramatic storytelling perspective, will continue to be the same from Season 2 on.”
More on HBO and Max:
Where to watch House of the Dragon
House of the Dragon Seasons 1 and 2 are available to stream on Max.
