Return to Westeros with ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3
Return to Westeros with ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3
The Dance of Dragons is taking more perilous steps toward completion this season. What will remain of House Targaryen when it ends?
The stage is set for the ultimate showdown of the Greens versus the Blacks. It has finally been announced that Season 3 of “House of the Dragon” will premiere on HBO Max in June, and more details about the upcoming season are becoming available. Find out what we know below, including cast details, the show’s release date, and the newest trailer for Season 3!
What you need to know about Season 3 of ‘House of the Dragon’
When will ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 be released?
“House of the Dragon” will be released on Sunday, June 21 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max. It will run for eight episodes, with one per week dropping until the season finale on Aug. 9.
| Date | Time (ET) | Episode | Outlets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday, June 21 | 9 p.m | Season 3, Episode1 | HBO Max, HBO |
| Sunday, June 28 | 9 p.m | Season 3, Episode 2 | HBO Max, HBO |
| Sunday, July 5 | 9 p.m | Season 3, Episode 3 | HBO Max, HBO |
| Sunday, July 12 | 9 p.m | Season 3, Episode 4 | HBO Max, HBO |
| Sunday, July 19 | 9 p.m | Season 3, Episode 5 | HBO Max, HBO |
| Sunday, July 26 | 9 p.m | Season 3, Episode 6 | HBO Max, HBO |
| Sunday, Aug. 2 | 9 p.m | Season 3, Episode 7 | HBO Max, HBO |
| Sunday, Aug. 9 | 9 p.m | Season 3, Episode 8 | HBO Max, HBO |
Can you watch episodes of ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 for free?
Unfortunately, no, because HBO Max doesn’t offer a free trial right now. If you want to watch “House of the Dragon” when Season 3 drops, you’ll need a subscription from day one. Plans start at $10 per month with ads, $17 per month for the ad-free option, or $21 per month for the Ultimate Ad Free tier (which lets you stream in 4K on up to four devices and download shows to watch offline).
HBO Max
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Watch the trailer for ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3
What is going to happen in ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3?
If Season 2 was the slow burn that lit the fuse, Season 3 is the explosion. “House of the Dragon” is headed straight into full-blown war, with the Greens and the Blacks both making major plays for the Iron Throne. We’re talking big battles, more dragons, and a major showdown looming at Harrenhal. The Greens are rolling deep with the Lannisters, Hightowers, and the Triarchy fleet. The Blacks have the Starks, Velaryons, and a growing list of dragonriders… possibly even a wild dragon if Rhaena can tame one.
On top of the battlefield chaos, there’s plenty going on behind the scenes. Aegon and Larys are off in Braavos. Alicent just opened the door for Rhaenyra to come to King’s Landing. And Otto Hightower? He’s locked up somewhere, and no one knows what he’s plotting. According to the showrunner, this season is where everything stops being “almost war” and becomes total destruction. Everyone’s picking a side now, and no one’s safe.
Who stars in ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3?
The returning cast for Season 3 of “House of the Dragon” is stacked, with all the major players still in the game. Matt Smith, Emma D’Arcy, Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans, Steve Toussaint, and Fabien Frankel are all back, along with Ewan Mitchell, Tom Glynn-Carney, Sonoya Mizuno, and Harry Collett. You’ll also see Bethany Antonia, Phoebe Campbell, Phia Saban, Jefferson Hall, Matthew Needham, Tom Bennett, Kieran Bew, Kurt Egyiawan, Clinton Liberty, Gayle Rankin, and Abubakar Salim returning.
As for new faces, James Norton joins as Ormund Hightower, a name that’s come up before but now steps into the spotlight. Tommy Flanagan will play Lord Roderick Dustin, and Dan Fogler is set to appear as Ser Torrhen Manderly. With the story expanding to more locations (like Harrenhal and maybe even Braavos) don’t be surprised if even more new characters pop up when Season 3 drops.
How does ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 connect to ‘Game of Thrones’ and ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’?
“House of the Dragon” takes place about 200 years before “Game of Thrones,” so while you won’t see Jon Snow or Arya Stark running around, you will see their ancestors (like the Targaryens, Starks, and Lannisters) fighting it out in the earlier days of Westeros. Season 3 dives even deeper into the civil war that tears the Targaryen family apart, which sets the stage for the chaos that eventually leads to the world we see in “Game of Thrones.”
And if you’re wondering how “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” fits in, that one’s set about 100 years after “House of the Dragon,” following Dunk and Egg on their adventures across Westeros. So all three shows are part of the same timeline, just at different points, slowly filling in the backstory of how everything fell apart.
What happened in Season 2 of ‘House of the Dragon’?
Season 2 of “House of the Dragon” tells the tale of the escalating Targaryen civil war, which is splitting the realm apart. On one side is Rhaenyra Targaryen, firstborn daughter of King Viserys I. On the other is Aegon II, the son of King Viserys and his second wife, Alicent Hightower. Both think they have the best claim to the Iron Throne, and they’re willing to take armies and dragons to war over it.
Through Season 2, both sides attempt to gain military superiority over. King Aegon’s followers, called the Greens, grapple with internal fractures, and Prince Aemond’s internal desire to rule becomes more and more apparent. The king himself is severely injured, leaving Rhaenyra and her Blacks in a position to take King’s Landing. Armies are moving, and catastrophic war is imminent.
How can you catch up with ‘House of the Dragon’ before Season 3 drops?
If you’re behind or just want a refresher, both Season 1 and Season 2 of “House of the Dragon” are streaming in full on HBO Max. Season 1 sets the stage with all the palace politics and family drama that eventually cracks the Targaryens in two. Season 2 builds toward civil war, with betrayals, battles, and dragons picking sides. It’s definitely worth rewatching before Season 3 lands, especially the finale, which drops a lot of hints about where things are going next.
House of the Dragon
The Targaryen dynasty is at the absolute apex of its power, with more than 15 dragons under their yoke. Most empires crumble from such heights. In the case of the Targaryens, their slow fall begins when King Viserys breaks with a century of tradition by naming his daughter Rhaenyra heir to the Iron Throne. But when Viserys later fathers a son, the court is shocked when Rhaenyra retains her status as his heir, and seeds of division sow friction across the realm.