- The end of "House of the Dragon" <unk> after the fourth season is over
HBO's "House of the Dragon" series, a prequel to "Game of Thrones", is based on a completed novel by fantasy author George R.R. Martin, titled "Fire & Blood - Volume One: The History of the Targaryen Kings of Westeros". Since the source material for this series is completed, it was always known that "House of the Dragon" would have a finite run, and now it's officially confirmed that the series will end after its third and fourth seasons, following the conclusion of the recently aired second season.
"House of the Dragon" to receive two more seasons, then it's over
Showrunner Ryan Condal reportedly announced this news on August 5th at a press conference for the series' season two finale, according to a report by US industry magazine "Variety". Additionally, Condal revealed that work on the scripts for the previously confirmed third season of "House of the Dragon" is currently underway. Production for the sequel will begin "early 2025". Therefore, season three is not expected to air on HBO and its streaming service Max in the coming year.
"I know everyone wants the show to come out every summer," Condal said at the event. "But the production of 'House of the Dragon' is so complex that we're essentially making multiple feature films per season. So, I apologize for the wait."
The Battle of the Gullet to come
Some viewers and fans of the show criticized the recently released season two finale for lacking a major battle. Showrunner Condal indirectly addressed this during his press conference, teasing the much-anticipated "Battle of the Gullet" for the series' future.
"We've tried to give the Gullet, arguably the most anticipated – or perhaps the second most anticipated – action event of 'Fire & Blood', the time and space it deserves," Condal said. "Anyone who's seen the finale knows that the show is building towards this event."
The legendary, devastating naval battle is expected to occur soon. "Based on what we know now, it's likely to be the largest project we've undertaken," Condal said, further fueling fans' anticipation for the epic dragon battle.
The first season of "House of the Dragon" premiered in August 2022, with the second following in June 2024. If HBO maintains this release rhythm, fans can expect a longer wait to witness this grand event for themselves.
Before then, "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" – the second spin-off of "Game of Thrones" – is set to air on HBO in the coming year. A brief, recently released teaser offers a glimpse into the upcoming series, which could help bridge the wait for "House of the Dragon"'s third season.
The third and fourth seasons of "House of the Dragon" have been announced by HBO, marking the end of the series following its second season finale.
With the confirmation of two more seasons, fans can look forward to the much-anticipated "Battle of the Gullet," which showrunner Ryan Condal teased as being the largest project they've undertaken.
