How many episodes will House of The Dragon season 3 have? Everything you need to know as filming wraps up

House of the Dragon, the prequel to HBO's Game of Thrones, is set to consist of eight episodes in season 3, just like the last season. Based on George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood, and created by Martin along with Ryan Condal, the series follows the Targaryen civil war, known as the Dance of the Dragons.

The third season will continue to follow the conflict between Queen Rhaenyra's Blacks and King Aegon II's Greens, building on the dramatic conclusion of Season 2. The war expands with fighting, betrayals and dragons as anticipated by fans.

Filming took place in early 2025 in locations including Wales, parts of Spain and Surrey. The filming was reportedly wrapped last week. Since filming concluded, the show is in post-production, where both effects and music are being added. The show is set to premiere on HBO in the summer of 2026, likely in June.

Showrunner Condal teased that there will be a sizable episode featuring an extensive takeover at sea, on land and a battle of dragons. 

House of the Dragon season 3: Eight episodes of Targaryen battles

Season 3 jumps into the Dance of the Dragons’ peak, starting with the Battle of the Gullet, a huge naval fight with the Velaryon fleet. Expect more land battles, dragon fights and sneaky political moves.

As the third of four planned seasons, it avoids rushing to the war’s end, instead exploring key Fire & Blood moments like betrayals, assassinations and the fall of major players. Condal has promised a “conceptual” episode that weaves sea, land and air conflicts into a single, jaw-dropping hour.

The cast brings the saga to life: Emma D’Arcy’s Rhaenyra battles grief and ambition, Matt Smith’s Daemon wrestles inner demons, and Olivia Cooke’s Alicent faces moral collapse. Rhys Ifans’ Otto Hightower schemes, while Steve Toussaint’s Corlys and Fabien Frankel’s Criston Cole drive military plots. New Northern characters, possibly Cregan Stark’s kin, add fresh faces. The season balances epic spectacle with human stories, including mothers mourning and knights breaking oaths rooted in Martin’s detailed lore. It’s a slow burn to a fiery reckoning.

Behind the scenes: Filming and post-production details

Filming for Season 3 concluded in October, after seven months of significant effort in various countries. Wales provided misty, dramatic landscapes to represent the Riverlands, with Snowdonia acting as an unfamiliar setting for the horrid battle tensions. In Spain, Cáceres’ ancient stone walls stood in for Westerosi strongholds, while Surrey’s Leavesden Studios housed massive green-screen sets for dragon-riding sequences.

To replicate the sensation of flying through the air, the actors were lifted on cranes, and Olivia Cooke (Queen Alicent) commented that the experience was "exhausting but epic". The production made extensive use of practical effects, evident from the real armor to the real siege engines, as a grounding technique for the narrative's fantasy. More than 300 crew members set about everything from muddy battle reenactments to elaborate court scenes.

Now, post-production takes over, a meticulous eight-month grind to polish the season’s visuals. CGI teams are crafting dragons like Caraxes and Vhagar, ensuring their clashes feel visceral. Composers are building a score to match the war’s intensity. Condal hinted at new sets, including a looming Harrenhal, and flashbacks to deepen character motives. Leaks from set information reveal new, upgraded armor and weapons, suggesting changes to battle plans in the game. A teaser is expected to arrive by December and a full trailer in the spring of next year.

House of the Dragon Season 3 is expected to debut on HBO in summer 2026, likely in June, with all eight episodes available on Max. Seasons 1 and 2 are currently streaming on Max.

Stay tuned for more such updates!