HBO has been on a winner withHouse of the Dragon, reviving the fortunes of theGame of Thronesfranchise afterthe polarizing finale of the flagship series. However, they have not exactly been rushing Season 3 into production despite fan demand. Now one star of the series has given a positive update on when Season 3 could begin filming…but also joked that there could be another quarter of a century wait for it to hit screens. We really hope he is joking!
Obviously, it is not going to be 25 years beforeHouse of the Dragonreturns to HBO, but Otto Hightower actorRhys Ifans’ humorous appraisal of the tardy pace of the series development will certainly resonate with those who just want to see the next episodes movie forward in some way. Considering the series has only released two seasons in six years, his exaggeration is only slightly beyond the believeable.
Speaking toScreenRantrecently about the movieInheritance, Ifans was asked if he could share any updates on Season 3 of the fantasy show’s return. His full response to the question was:
“I don’t know. I don’t know, but I can smell the sulfur. [Chuckles] There’s something brewing. I can say, yeah, they start shooting soon this year, so I’m sure you’ll be able to watch it in about 25 years' time. [Chuckles]”
‘House of the Dragon’s Slow Development Has Been Frustrating
Television has changed immensely in the last decade and the increase in the scale, scope, and ambition of series produced for the likes of Max, Netflix, and Prime Video has resulted in fans being forced to wait much longer to see their favorite shows return to screens for new seasons.
In the 1990s, shows such asThe X-Files, Quantum Leap, and many other network shows delivered new seasons every year. Now, it is not uncommon to see a two or three year gap between some of the biggest and most popular series, likeStranger Things, The Lord of the Rings: Ring of Power, orHouse of the Dragon, but looking back on the latter’s predecessor,Game of Thrones, does raise the question of why this has become common.
From its first season in 2011 through to Season 7 in 2017,Game of Thronesreleased a new season every yearwithout fail. Considering the obvious similarities between the two shows, with CGI dragons and hours of make-up and prosthetics to be applied,House of the Dragon’s incredibly long production time is even more baffling.
7 Reasons ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 Will Be Better Than Season 2
House of the Dragon Season 2 left viewers dissatisfied, but Season 3 has the potential to be bigger and better than ever.
House of the Dragonwas first mentioned by Martin on his blog in 2018. The show was given a straight to series order in 2019, with writing beginning in 2020, but Season 1 did not air until August 2022. Season 2 was green lit a week after the show’s premiere, and debuted on HBO and Max almost two years later in June 2024. With production yet to start on Season 3, the resulting episodes may not take 25 years to make it to screens, but it is unlikely to be seen by anyone until at least mid-2026.
House of the Dragon
Taking place about 172 years before the events ofGame of Thrones,House of the Dragontells the tale of the rise of the Targaryens, the only family of dragonlords to survive the Doom of Valyria. The popular HBO spinoff show first starred Milly Alcock and Emily Carey as Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower before they were replaced by Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke, who play the older versions of the characters. Also starring in the series is Matt Smith (Prince Daemon Targaryen) and Paddy Considine as Rhaenyra’s father, King Viserys Targaryen.
