House of the Dragon season 3

The third season of the American fantasy drama television series House of the Dragon premiered on HBO on June 21, 2026, in the United States and concluded on August 9, 2026. It consists of eight episodes, each of approximately one hour. The season covers the events of the book Fire & Blood, a prequel novel in the A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin. The season was ordered on June 13, 2024, three days before the premiere of the second season. Ryan Condal serves as the sole showrunner for the season. The third season was filmed from March to October 2025. The season follows in the aftermath of the second season's final episodes, in which the war known as the "Dance of Dragons" between Rhaenyra Targaryen and her half-brother Aegon II Targaryen continues, causing House Targaryen to become further divided. Aegon is supported by the Green Council and his mother Alicent Hightower, while Rhaenyra is supported by the Black Council and her husband and uncle Daemon Targaryen, both sides seeking allies from the great houses of Westeros and fighting for the support of their armies to claim their rightful positions to the Iron Throne. House of the Dragon features a large ensemble cast, including established actors such as Matt Smith, Emma D'Arcy, Olivia Cooke, James Norton, Steve Toussaint, Fabien Frankel, Matthew Needham, and Sonoya Mizuno. The season premiere was watched by 21.5 million viewers across both linear and streaming platforms worldwide upon its release. By the time the finale aired, the season had averaged 33 million worldwide viewers per episode. Critics praised the production values, visual effects, writing, Ramin Djawadi's musical score, action sequences, and performances (particularly Smith, D’Arcy, Cooke, and Norton). A fourth and final season was ordered in November 2025.