I'm worried about Game of Thrones' controversial ending in 2019, HBO has been working to develop a franchise surrounding George R.R. Martin's prolific fantasy world, though the results have been mixed. House of the Dragon season 1 got off to a fantastic start, though season 2 was more controversial. A significant portion of the audience pool found it underwhelming, with only eight episodes after nearly two years of waiting between seasons.
Considering that Game of Thrones had annual releases for its first seven years, it's even more frustrating to see the spin-off shows succumbing to the recent trend of lengthy gaps between seasons. House of the Dragon's massive cast and heightened dragon budget make a longer wait somewhat understandable, but A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms seemed like it could have been a return to form. The show is set after the extinction of dragons in Westeros, plus it's a much more contained story with a smaller cast. This made the show's delayed release all the more disappointing.
A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms' Delay To 2026 Makes Me Worried That HOTD Season 3 Will Be Pushed Back
House Of The Dragon Season 3 Will Surely Be Released After AKOTSK
It was recently revealed that the Dance of the Dragons, at least audiences would have had some Game of Thrones stories to tide them over. This would have been the closest to annual Game of Thrones we've had since 2017.
Ultimately, the shift from late 2025 to early 2026 isn't all that drastic, but my greatest concern is the ripple effect this might have on House of the Dragon season 3.
Ultimately, the shift from late 2025 to early 2026 isn't all that drastic, but my greatest concern is the ripple effect this might have on House of the Dragon season 3. The show has been filming for months already, which, with roughly a year of post-production, could have meant an early 2026 release. With A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms now claiming that Q1 spot, I doubt Warner Bros. would want both shows to come out too close to one another, giving their new show some room to breathe before letting the more divisive House of the Dragon continue.
House Of The Dragon Season 3 Is Already Looking Like It'll Have The Longest Gap Between Seasons Yet For GOT
It Will Likely Be At Least 20 Months Between Seasons 2 & 3
Audiences hated the extensive gap between House of the Dragons seasons 1 and 2, but the wait for season 3 already appears to be even worse. There were twenty months between the end of season 1's October 2022 finale and season 2's June 2024 premiere. That said, the wait between Game of Thrones seasons 7 and 8 still holds the record for the most extended break between seasons of the franchise. House of the Dragon is almost certainly going to break this record.
House Of The Dragon Season 3's House Stark Replacement Sets Up One Big Death & Battle I Can't Wait To See
House of the Dragon season 3 likely won't include Lord Cregan Stark, but his Winter Wolves will fight for the North and be a great replacement.
If House of the Dragon is still filming right now, and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is planned for the first quarter of 2026, that means season 3 will likely be released after April 2026. This would already make it the longest gap, but HBO may want to wait for a summer release, giving some time between the Game of Thrones prequel shows and officially making it a full two years between seasons.
I'm willing to give Warner Bros. the benefit of the doubt, for the time being, given that the 2023 strikes likely got in the way of their long-term production plans for several HBO shows. That said, House of the Dragon season 3 will have more pressure than ever to be worth the wait, and future Game of Thrones spin-offs will have to live up to a more reliable standard.
House of the Dragon
- Release Date
- August 21, 2022
- Network
- HBO Max
- Showrunner
- George R.R. Martin
Cast
Prince Daemon Targaryen
Emma D'ArcyAlicent Hightower
WHERE TO WATCH
- Directors
- Miguel Sapochnik, Clare Kilner, Alan Taylor, Greg Yaitanes, Geeta Vasant Patel, Andrij Parekh
- Writers
- George R.R. Martin, Ryan Condal
- Franchise(s)
- Game of Thrones
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