House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal feels the frustration of fans over the long delay between seasons, but as he explains, it can’t be helped.
A major issue with streaming shows nowadays is how long it takes to produce new seasons. Major shows like Stranger Things, Severance, Euphoria, and others take more than two years to give fans new episodes, which negatively affects a show’s momentum.
House of the Dragon is in the same boat. Season 2 aired in 2024, and the long wait has been upsetting for viewers. Social media threads are filled with complaints on how season 2—which was already disappointing for many—left things off on a cliffhanger, and how bad it felt to wait so long for a new entry.
Why House of the Dragon takes so long to release new seasons
Speaking at a press conference (via Page Six), Condal addressed those concerns, noting he “gets” why fans are upset. However, he explained why it’s impossible for the show to rush further.
“It just takes a long time to make,” Condal stated, explaining that “prep and shooting” take a year, followed by an additional “seven months [to] eight months” for the special effects crew “to make dragons.” He bluntly added: “Do the math.”
Condal could be frustrated by the complaints, but he’s right about the delays. This is an epic show with a sprawling cast that films both on location and on a soundstage, which has a slew of complexities. Though it was reported the third season was being development in 2023, HBO didn’t officially renew the show until 2024, and filming didn’t start until 2025.
Why A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is different
The other Game of Thrones spinoff, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, is already deep into filming season 2, with expectations that it will come out 2027. However, that’s partly because the second season began filming before season 1 even premiered.
Plus, it has a much smaller scope, consisting of six 30-ish minute episodes each season. There are no dragons, and very little battle sequences. There are also fewer locations and a smaller cast. It’s tough to compare the two shows because of these factors.
One thing assuaging the fan complaints is that the season 3 premiere, featuring the epic Battle of the Gullet, paid off on the long wait. It’s no wonder the show needed a long production window to pull that sequence off, kicking off the season on a high note.
House of the Dragon is a series that requires not just a long filming timeline, but also a stunning amount of VFX work. It’s sad but true that the days when a show like this could release a new season every year without fail are done.
Condal himself wrapped the topic up with another blunt statement: “It’s not possible to come out every year. I’m very sorry, but you guys decided to be fans of the show called House of the Dragon.”
Those last words are a reminder to fans that the wait for new seasons is tough, but given the epic season 3 premiere, it can be worth it.
House of the Dragon season 3 releases new episodes every Sunday on HBO and HBO Max.
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