House of the Dragon has it all: soap-opera machinations, medieval fantasy, implied yuri. And now, it has the promise of a third season. HBO renewed the Game of Thrones prequel for yet another go on June 13, just ahead of the premiere of the second season. Team Black and Team Green, or Team Red and Team Gold if you’re nasty, will once again face off in the near or distant future, arguing into the internet void about which house is the least abusive and most politically skilled to take the Iron Throne. That is to say, we have no details yet about what to expect, except that we are expecting some new faces to join the crew.
When is it coming back?
If it’s following a similar schedule to past releases, it’ll be another two years, a.k.a. sometime in 2026. Showrunner and co-creator Ryan Condal explained in a press conference on August 5 that production is scheduled to begin in early 2025 and will conclude with season four (still yet to be formally renewed.)
Who’s joining the cast?
A few newcomers are game to seize the throne. A man of very manly roles Tommy Flanagan of Sons of Anarchy and Gladiator joins as Ser Roderick Dustin; nicknamed Roddy the Ruin, he’s the head of House Dustin in the north and reminds us that even in fantasy worlds, there has to be some guy named Dustin. Fantastic Beasts and A Complete Unknown star Dan Fogler will play Ser Torrhen Manderly, a knight. Whispers of a Hightower were floating across season two, and now, James Norton has been officially cast as Ormund Hightower. He’s Otto Hightower’s nephew and Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower and Ser Gwayne Hightower’s cousin— bring in the family drama.
What has HBO said about the renewal?
“George, Ryan, and the rest of our incredible executive producers, cast, and crew, have reached new heights with the phenomenal second season of House of the Dragon,” HBO exec Francesca Orsi said in a press release. “We are in awe of the dragon-sized effort the entire team has put into the creation of a spectacular season two, with a scope and scale that is only rivaled by its heart. We could not be more thrilled to continue the story of House Targaryen and watch this team burn bright again for season three.” We wait for the new plots with bated breath and a Negroni Sbagliato.
Are we finally going to see the Battle of the Gullet?
Fingers crossed! Condal hints that next season will probably give us the bloody sea battle we missed out on in season two. “We were trying to give the Gullet, which is arguably the most anticipated — well, I would say maybe the second-most-anticipated — action event of Fire & Blood, trying to give it the time and the space that it deserves,” Condal explained. “Obviously, as anybody that’s seen the finale, we’re building to that event. That event will happen very shortly in terms of the storytelling of House of the Dragon. Based on what we know now, it should be the biggest thing to date that we’ve pulled off. And we just wanted to have the time, the space to do that at a level that is going to excite and satisfy the fans and in the way it’s deserved.” So, basically season three is going to kick off with a bang.