The year of Game of Thrones has begun! For the first time since the Nights Watch ranged north of the Wall and Ned Stark welcomed Robert Baratheon into his hall at Winterfell in the premiere of the original show, we're getting not one, but two new seasons for the franchise in the same year. We're less than a week away from the debut of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, a new spinoff that takes viewers on a more wholesome, small-scale adventure with the knight Ser Duncan the Tall and his diminutive squire, Egg. Then, later in the year, House of the Dragon will return for its third season and blow the roof off with massive battles, dragons tearing each other from the sky, and deadly court politics as the rival factions of House Targaryen vie for the Iron Throne.
Suffice to say, fans of Westeros have a ride ahead in 2026.
With A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' release schedule already solidified thanks to its imminent premiere, details are far sparser for House of the Dragon season 3. After all, HBO doesn't need to rush it; they've already got us hooked in for their first spinoff of the year. Hopefully the studio drops some sort of update or trailer for House of the Dragon's third season during the run of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, but until that happens, we're reading tea leaves and scouring every small bit of news we can for more information.
House of the Dragon season 3 release window has been confirmed
Fortunately, we do have a few solid details about when House of the Dragon season 3 is coming out. HBO itself announced when it renewed House of the Dragon for a fourth season that season 3 would release in Summer 2026.
The other tidbit is less official, but still promising. While appearing on The Morning in late 2025, star Matt Smith (Daemon Targaryen) casually mentioned that he thought House of the Dragon season 3 would be out in August. However, he didn't specify whether that was the season's premiere month or it would be in the middle of its run. That means we'll most likely be watching House of the Dragon season 3 sometime between July and September 2026.
What will happen in House of the Dragon season 3?
The second season of House of the Dragon left off with the Dance of the Dragons civil war tipping over into the point of no return, with armies on the move and a few major casualties suffered on both sides. Rhaenyra Targaryen and her loyal Blacks have blockaded King's Landing by assuming control of a stretch of water called the Gullet, while her husband Daemon has raised a fierce army of Rivermen at Harrenhal. Three new dragonriders have joined Team Black, riding the formidable beasts Seasmoke, Vermithor, and Silverwing.
Meanwhile, Aemond Targaryen has assumed command of the Greens and the Iron Throne as regent, after roasting his brother Aegon to a crisp and nearly killing him during the Battle at Rook's Rest. A pirate fleet is setting sail to help break the blockade at the Gullet, while an army of Lannister soldiers marches on the Riverlands. And far to the south, a Hightower host marches on rebels loyal to Rhaenyra in the Reach.
In season 3, these forces will clash, and the house of the dragon will continue its spiral toward oblivion. Expect several important battles in the Riverlands, a spectacular naval battle at the Gullet right near the top of the season, shifting positions in the game of thrones, new characters like Ormund Hightower and Daeron Targaryen, major character deaths, and a feeling that this civil war between rival branches of the same family is like to consume them all by the end.
It should be a good time! We'll have our ear to the ground for more news about House of the Dragon season 3 as the year wears on, so stay tuned.
In the meantime, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is here to tide us over. It premieres January 18 at 10:00 p.m. EST on HBO and HBO Max.