Production on House of the Dragon Season 3 is moving forward, and HBO has announced it will premiere in June 2026. Alongside Season 2 of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which is currently being filmed, and the upcoming finale of Season 1 this Sunday, excitement for the Game of Thrones universe is building again after a seven-year lull. Fans can expect plenty more from Westeros, with shows planned through 2028.
Though the first prequel to Game of Thrones didn’t quite live up to expectations in its second season, there’s still plenty of excitement surrounding the show. Season 3 of House of the Dragon promises the action viewers were hoping for, with enough impressive scenes to overshadow any behind-the-scenes issues. The season is planned to feature at least four large-scale battles, starting with a unique opening scene in the premiere: the first major naval battle in the entire series.
‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 Will Start With the Battle of the Gullet
HBO
The season finale of House of the Dragon left many fans disappointed. The episode built anticipation with a montage of characters getting ready for battle, suggesting an immediate showdown. However, viewers learned they’ll have to wait two years to see the results of this preparation. The finale showcased characters like Alyn, Corlys, and Rhaenyra’s new dragonriders preparing for the Battle of the Gullet, a conflict the season had been hinting at all along.
This naval battle is a key event in the Dance of the Dragons, directly linked to Rhaenyra’s blockade of King’s Landing. Rhaenyra, utilizing the strong Velaryon fleet, has stopped supplies from reaching the city, causing hardship for the people. Tyland Lannister has gone to Essos seeking help from the Triarchy – a group Daemon and Corlys fought against earlier – hoping they will provide ships to lift the blockade for the Greens. A depiction of this struggle is shown below.
In a February 2025 interview with Deadline, HBO executive Francesca Orsi hinted at a thrilling start to the new season, promising a “great surprise” with an “exciting battle.” While she likely referred to the Battle of the Gullet, the early episodes of Season 3 are expected to feature other significant action sequences, including Rhaenyra’s return to King’s Landing – foreshadowed by her conversation with Alicent – and a battle near the Red Fork as Jason Lannister’s army advances towards Harrenhal.
Why ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2 Cut Its Climactic Battle
HBO, 2024
Despite criticism aimed at the writers of House of the Dragon Season 2, the biggest problem with the finale actually came from decisions made by Warner Bros. executives. According to Executive Producer Sara Hess in an interview with EW in May 2024, the show’s creators didn’t have full control over the final product. Showrunner Ryan Condal further explained this to THR.
During the second season, we started thinking about the overall arc of the series and where the story was headed. Knowing the eventual ending allowed us to adjust the season to ensure we had enough material for three strong seasons beyond the first one. Creating this show is a huge undertaking – it requires a lot of resources for things like sets, costumes, and special effects. We wanted to dedicate enough time and effort to ‘The Gullet’ – a major action sequence in Fire & Blood – to deliver a truly exciting and satisfying experience for fans, as it deserves.
Based on available information, the show was originally intended to have ten episodes, with the Battle of the Gullet serving as the second-to-last episode’s major event. However, Warner Bros. Discovery executives probably informed the creators late in the planning stages that the episode count was being reduced and the budget was limited. This forced the showrunners, Condal and Hess, to adjust the story. It remains to be seen how well these changes were implemented, but tight budgets have been a common issue for Warner Bros. productions recently.
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As a film fan, I’ve been watching with some concern as Warner Bros. Discovery, under David Zaslav, has been really focused on cutting costs. We’ve seen layoffs, and it was shocking when they just canceled finished movies like Batgirl. They’re even pulling original shows off HBO Max to save money on things like licensing and residuals. Honestly, I’m a bit worried this new direction might affect the quality of shows I love, and I’m really hoping House of the Dragon Season 3 doesn’t get shortchanged because of all this.
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2026-02-18 23:50