House of the Dragon Season 3 Renewal Is on the Horizon

Audiences and critics couldn’t get enough of House of the Dragon following last year’s August debut, and it quickly rose to become one of HBO’s most-watched series in the network’s history. The immensely successful Game of Thrones prequel occurs almost 200 years before the events of the flagship series and depicts the circumstances that led to House Targaryen’s — one of the seven noble families of Westeros — demise. With season two’s production commencing soon, Game of Thrones fans won’t have to wait too long for the continuation of the Targaryen’s cautionary tale. And according to a Deadline exclusive, HBO is already eyeing subsequent seasons ahead of season two’s premiere.

Per the report, a season three greenlight is on the horizon for House of the Dragon with HBO currently deliberating over the decision. The impressive feat comes just weeks before filming begins for the spinoff’s second season. According to the House of the Dragon’s creative team, the grand, fantastical tale was designed to unfold over three or four seasons. When developing season two, the creative team approached the sophomore season with a big-picture point-of-view, looking ahead to the rest of the series. Since the show is based on George R.R. Martin’s fantasy novel, Fire & Blood, a detailed approach was taken to work out a seamless and connected narrative across the series, which included the break-up of stories between seasons, the battles that would make it to the small screen, and when to include the battles within the overarching storyline.

Since House of the Dragon season three has already been mapped out, HBO is giving careful consideration in proceeding forward with scripts, casting, and production plans if the deliberations end on season three’s advanced confirmation. The potential early commitment is a break away from the industry norm where renewals normally happen after the premiere of the current season. Hopefully, HBO’s mulling over House of the Dragon’s third season ignites a movement towards long-term considerations for projects, instead of season-to-season, for networks and studios.

Related: House of the Dragon May Be Casting Some Major Characters From the Books

Season Two Will Feature Fewer Episodes

Showrunner-executive producer Ryan Condal and George R. R. Martin have done a stellar job at bringing the television adaptation of Fire & Blood to life. This monumental, action-adventure fantasy has captivated audiences and skyrocketed to mass acclaim within House of the Dragon’s first season. The 10-episode, freshman season laid the necessary groundwork of the complex, interwoven relationships within House Targaryen that will eventually lead to the Targaryen civil war for the coveted Iron Throne. The inevitable, family-decimating war of succession, Dance of the Dragons, will unfold over multiple seasons, however the forthcoming season will have less airtime to depict the Targaryen demise.

According to the Deadline report, the upcoming second season of House of the Dragon will only include eight episodes. An HBO spokesperson confirmed the episode count, mentioning the cutback was “story-driven.” The second season initially intended to have 10 episodes like its predecessor, which was later changed during story development and spawned rewrites. The portions of the plot that were ixnayed, which included a major battle, were moved to the third season after the series’ overall narrative was mapped out.

Though the news of a shorter season might upset House of the Dragon’s fandom, there is a brightside to the shorter season. Apparently, the switch-around gives more leeway for the series to transpire over four seasons, according to sources close to the project. However, this has not been confirmed yet as Condal and Martin have not agreed on the number of seasons (three or four) needed to tell the full scope of the story. Only time will tell how many seasons we’ll get for House of the Dragon. But until then, audiences can get prepared for the upcoming second season, which is slated for a summer 2024 premiere.