As House of the Dragon heads toward its already-wrapped third season, fans are bracing for even more chaos in Westeros. What we know about HotD season three is that the Dance of the Dragons is only heating up, and few characters are caught in the storm more than Alicent Hightower, played by Olivia Cooke. While talking about the show’s future, the Ready Player One actress offered a glimpse of what’s ahead—and hinted at how long she plans to stay in the role.
When asked what Dragon fans can expect from the next chapter, Cooke didn’t sugarcoat it. She boiled the entire season down to one concise, bleak summary. She explained to The Times:
More trauma, more turmoil, more me looking panicked and sad.
Anyone who has watched the first two seasons with an HBO Max subscription knows that’s not an exaggeration. Alicent has spent most of the series torn between loyalty to her children and the political machine she helped build. If Season 2 marked the moment the war truly began, Season 3 seems set to push her even further into emotional freefall.
As for how long she’ll stay on the show, Cooke kept things light but honest. She added:
If I survive number three, then I will be doing that.
It’s a half-joking answer that fits a franchise known for killing characters at their peak. Fans of George R.R. Martin’s source material already know how bloody the Dance of the Dragons becomes. Cooke’s comment makes it clear she isn’t getting too comfortable, even as she anchors one of television’s biggest series.
Season 3 is shaping up to be the biggest swing the series has taken yet. HBO hasn’t announced an exact premiere date, but the show is expected to land sometime next summer. With production now wrapped and heavy post-production underway, if post runs on its usual HBO scale, a 2026 Television schedule premiere is all but certain.
The third season will run for eight episodes and, according to showrunner Ryan Condal, marks the point where the Dance of the Dragons finally erupts into full-scale war. He’s teased not just one but two massive battle sequences—both designed to outdo Rook’s Rest—and confirmed that the long-awaited naval clash, the Battle of the Gullet, will hit earlier than fans might expect.
Beyond the spectacle, Season 3 will also broaden the political landscape. Nearly the entire core cast returns, and several new players join the board, including James Norton as Ormund Hightower and Tommy Flanagan as Ser Roderick Dustin. The season is also expected to introduce Daeron Targaryen at last, a key figure whose absence has been a point of speculation since his dragon quietly appeared in Season 2. Condal has hinted at a standout “conceptual” episode that breaks the show’s usual structure—leaner on battles, heavier on character work—which suggests Season 3 won’t just go bigger, but also stranger and more ambitious.
As for the Bates Motel alum, her enthusiasm for the role remains clear. Alicent has become one of the show’s most layered figures, and Cooke’s performance has earned consistent praise, especially for the way she plays the former queen’s internal conflicts without slipping into melodrama. Season 3 giving her “more trauma” may not be good news for the character, but it likely means more compelling material for the actor.
With Season 3 nearing its release and the Targaryen civil war heading into its ugliest phase, fans should expect bigger battles and some brutal heartbreak. If Cooke’s tease is any sign, Alicent will once again be at the center of it. Here’s hoping she survives long enough to reach the already announced Season 4.
The first two seasons of House of the Dragon are available to stream with an HBO Max subscription.
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