Get your dragons ready to brawl because House of the Dragon Season 3 is confirmed and we are about to be flying right into battle.
There was so much that happened in Season 2, from the sudden shift in the relationship between Alicent and Ser Criston Cole to Daemon being on an 'island on his own' over in Harrenhal and basically being in a real-life haunted house. The third season is on the way and there have been some recent updates. Here is what we know so far.
What Is The House Of The Dragon Season 3 Premiere Date?
At the time of updating this in April 2025, , there is no set premiere date, but, we do have a release timeline. The Hollywood Reporter confirmed in March 2025 that there’s a release timeframe of sometime in 2026, based on filming estimates.
I know that feels like ages away – but with all these Targaryens and their dragons, it's no wonder it takes so long. The amount of CGI needed must be intense. And we’re already a quarter through 2025. I’m sure time will fly fast.
Production Has Begun
If you’ve been waiting ages for an update to production on this show, this is your savior – because production on House of the Dragon Season 2 has officially begun! As confirmed by the THR article mentioned above, filming for the new season began in March 2025, and that the new season will have eight episodes.
The House Of The Dragon Season 3 Cast
There are several cast members we will see again, since they all have critical roles in the war to come. These include, but aren't limited to:
- Emma D'Arcy as Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen
- Matt Smith as King Consort Daemon Targaryen
- Rhys Ifans as Ser Otto Hightower
- Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon
- Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria
- Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole
- Olivia Cooke as Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower
- Matthew Needham as Lord Larys Strong
- Harry Collett as Prince Jacaerys Velaryon
- Tom Glynn-Carney as King Aegon II Targaryen
- Ewan Mitchell as Prince Aemond Targaryen
- Bethany Antonia as Lady Baela Targaryen
- Phoebe Campbell as Lady Rhaena Targaryen
- Phia Saban as Queen Helaena Targaryen
There are also some new confirmations as well. According to Variety, as reported in January 2025, James Norton has joined the cast as Ormund Hightower. Then, in that article from THR above, it was confirmed that Tommy Flanagan would play Ser Roderick Dustin, and Dan Folger would portray Ser Torrhen Manderly. Now this sounds right up my alley.
What Is House Of The Dragon Season 3 About?
The big question is, what is House of the Dragon Season 3 going to be about?
The simple answer is that it will most likely be an all-out war. As we saw in the House of the Dragon Season 2 finale, several houses of Westeros came together for the fight between the two claimants to the throne.
While most fans weren't pleased that now we're going to have to wait some time to see this battle, the showrunner of the series, Ryan Condal, spoke in a press conference (via The Hollywood Reporter) in August 2024 and defended his decision, saying they were going to pull off a "hell of a win" with the upcoming battle:
We are building to that event that will happen very shortly in terms of the storytelling, and it should be the biggest thing to date that we've pulled off. 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. We also wanted to build some anticipation toward it. So I apologize for the wait, but … with the team that we have together, we're going to pull off a hell of a win with The Battle of the Gullet.
There were a fair amount of fights during Season 2, like that gut-punch death between the Cargyll brothers, or, of course, Rook's Rest and its casualties, and the fall of Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, but everyone was really expecting the main battle to begin by now.
With that in mind, however, that means that Season 3 is most likely going to be an all-out battle. Now, we're just waiting to see all the deaths happen that I know we're all expecting.
Season 3 Will Be The Biggest Season Yet
It feels like with each of these seasons, this show just gets bigger and bigger. And now, in an interview with Entertainment Weekly in March 2025, Ryan Condal confirmed that Season 3 is the biggest they have done so far with House of the Dragon, especially with battles:
This is certainly our biggest season to date, both in terms of ambition and just the practical size, the amount of sets. We're cresting that narrative parabola here and starting to come down into, if not the endgame, the midpoint and getting into the late Act 2 and moving onto the start of Act 3. Anybody that's read that book knows that the narrative gets bigger and grimmer as it goes along, and the show has to match that ambition as best it possibly can.
He also added that the war itself gets “very hot” very fast in Season 3, and that a major naval battle – the Gullet – will happen much sooner than fans think:
I will say that the war this season goes very hot, very, very quickly. I think the people that were waiting and waiting for all of the horrible, brutal, pitiless bloodshed will be getting it in copious amounts…in many ways, the Gullet has been on the minds of the production for about three years now and trying to figure out how we were going to mount it in a way that was both producible and exciting, thrilling.
Okay, so now I just need this season, please.
Season 3 Will Most Likely Introduce Daeron Targaryen
If you've been paying attention, you might notice that there's been a name thrown around a few times this season, and that's Daeron Targaryen – an heir who hasn't even appeared in the show yet and is currently in Oldtown. However, I have a feeling that he'll finally be showing up in Season 3.
We know that Daeron's dragon was in the show. It's a very quick blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment, but we can see that his dragon, Tessarion, is there. Condal confirmed in that same press conference (via The Wrap) that we would be seeing Daeron in Season 3.
Honestly, it's about dang time. I feel like I've been waiting on this man for years.
What are you excited about when it comes to the next season? All I know is that I am ready to feel the pain all over again – and then some. I suppose for now I’ll just head on over to Max and rewatch the show. I’m in need of some dragons.
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