If you're looking for the best new shows and movies to stream this weekend, then you've come to the right place. We've got recommendations from across the spectrum of streaming services, meaning whatever you subscribe to, we've got you covered.

Highlights this week include the return of animated series X-Men '97 on Disney Plus, the third film in the Enola Holmes franchise on Netflix, and horror-comedy sequel Ready or Not 2: Here I Come (though we're still mad it wasn't called Ready or Not: Here I Come).

It's a corking July 4 weekend for the best streaming services around, with more than enough to fill a long weekend's viewing, between trips to the BBQ. So read on for our streaming picks of the week, and where to find them.

X-Men '97 season 2

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Disney Plus

Marvel's nostalgic animated revival continues with X-Men '97 season 2. The first three episodes dropped this week, perfect for immersing yourself back in a world of mutant mayhem, with further episodes set to release weekly on Wednesdays. Be sure to bookmark our X-Men '97 season 2 release schedule, so you never miss an episode.

Picking up moments after that jaw-dropping season 1 cliffhanger, season 2 sees the X-Men spread across time in the battle against original mutant Apocalypse. It's been two years since season 1, so if you're feeling a little lost, be sure to check out our X-Men '97 season 1 recap, or check out our spoiler-free X-Men '97 season 2 review for our verdict on the first four episodes (spoiler: we liked it a lot).

For more on what to watch, here's our guide to the best shows on Disney Plus.

Silo season 3

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Apple TV

Apple's post-apocalyptic mystery show is back for its third, and penultimate, season. After venturing outside the silo in season 2 and discovering that they were not alone, Juliette (Rebecca Ferguson) now faces a different struggle – ol' memory loss.

OK, so a bit of a cliched start for Silo season 3, but after two seasons of questions, the show is finally set to provide answers, with a dual timeline flashing back to the creation of the silos themselves. The best news is that a fourth and final season has already been shot, so there's no risk of being left hanging.

For what else to watch, here's our pick of the best Apple TV shows.

Enola Holmes 3

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Netflix

Enola Holmes is back! Sherlock's younger sister, played by Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown, is about to wed Lord Tewkesbury (Louis Partridge) in Malta when her crime-solving big brother – once again played by Henry Cavill – disappears. So it's up to Enola to solve the case of the missing Holmes, and expose the shadowy conspirators pulling the strings.

Enola Holmes has proven one of Netflix's more successful ongoing film franchises. This latest entry is once again written by prolific screenwriter Jack Thorne, who has enlisted his acclaimed Adolescence collaborator Phlip Barantini as director, so impressive credentials behind the camera. Here's to many more cases!

Fill out your watchlist with our guide to the best Netflix movies

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Hulu/Disney Plus

The sequel to 2019 horror-comedy Ready or Not is another fun, frantic spin on the most dangerous game, as returning survivor Grace (Samara Weaving) again finds herself being hunted for ritualistic sport by the council of elite families. The twist this time: Grace's estranged sister, Faith (Kathryn Newton) is also part of the chase.

Arriving seven years after the first entry (directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett helmed Screams 5 and 6, and vampire flick Abigail in the intervening years), Ready or Not 2 has been a long time coming, but is another blood-soaked blast. For an even more outrageous spin on a similar premise, check out They Will Kill You, which hit HBO Max last month.

For more, dive into our list of best movies on Disney Plus

Lee Cronin's The Mummy

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: HBO Max

Warner Bros' full-on Mummy reboot faced a mixed response when it released earlier this year, with critics knocking the fact that it's more of an exorcist movie than a Mummy movie, and pointing to its somewhat indulgent 135-minute runtime (and that meaningless title) as signs that it was a movie in need of a few more studio notes. But everyone can agree, it's pretty gnarly.

The story of a modern-day family whose daughter is kidnapped, only to mysteriously return 8 years later, having been found in a sarcophagus, wrapped in bandages (never a good sign), it's a movie that brings the Mummy myth into the home. Midsommar's Jack Reynor and Moon Knight's May Calamawy star.

For more, here are the best movies on HBO Max

Human Vapor

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Netflix

This South Korean sci-fi thriller show is actually a reimagining of a 1960 Toho movie, hence the charmingly retro premise: a man gains the ability to transform into a gaseous state and uses his powers for bank robberies. Only here, of course, instead of robbing banks, murder is involved.

We're not going to lie: there was clearly a limited VFX budget, so some of the gas effects are a little ropey, but Human Vapor has been admirably updated for the prestige TV era; this gripping 8-episode limited series will keep you hooked till the very end.

For more from the biggest streaming service around, check out our list of the best shows on Netflix.

If nothing on our list seems right for you, have a read of our guides to the best Prime Video shows, and the best Apple TV movies you can watch right now.

House of the Dragon season 3 has found a very clever way to reference its source material, George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood.

In the new opening credits, the tapestry chronicling the history of the Targaryens is added to each episode with the latest major events from the season. But, if you pay close attention, you'll notice that the artistic rendering of these events is slightly different from what actually happened.

For example, in the Battle of the Gullet, it was Alyn who killed Sharako Lohar, but, in the tapestry, Corlys Velaryon is shown dramatically facing off with Lohar. Similarly, Jacaerys Velaryon is shown being killed by arrows, though the actual circumstances of his death are subtly different in the show to the tapestry (he's falling backwards in the tapestry, while in the show, he was already in the water).

"I love working in the contested history of Fire & Blood into these little flourishes," says one fan on Twitter – and it's true that this seems to be a deliberate nod to Martin's book.

Fire and Blood is a pseudo-historical text that tells the history of House Targaryen, but the twist is it's presented as coming from three different sources who each disagree with each other on the details. That means the truth of what really happened is unknown. So, the tapestry telling a false version of history perfectly fits the book's themes.

The source material has been a hot topic for House of the Dragon season 3 after Martin's infamous blog post about a "toxic" butterfly effect caused by making changes to his book. One change to Fire and Blood might have accidentally erased Daenerys Targaryen from canon (though it's an easy fix), while the show might even have referenced Martin's blog post with a sly Easter egg.

House of the Dragon continues weekly on HBO in the US and HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK. Keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule.

For even more, check out our House of the Dragon season 3 review or our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

As House of the Dragon season 3 continues to air, Game of Thrones fans are debating all of the important topics, including who is the best swordfighter in all of Westeros' history.

The debate kicked off over on Twitter when one fan asked, "Who’s coming out alive" in a fight to the death between Jamie Lannister and Daemon Targaryen. Now, not that this would ever happen, as Daemon was born hundreds of years before Jaime, but a lot of fans seem to be backing the Golden Lion over the Rogue Prince.

"George R.R. Martin says Jamie is a top three fighter in the entire history of A Song of Ice and Fire," said one fan, while another added, "If your name isn't Barristan Selmy, Arthur Dayne, Aemon the Dragonknight, Daemon Blackfyre, Robert Baratheon or Aegon the Conqueror, Jamie is killing you within 5 moves."

However, many fans think Daemon has it in him to beat the Lannister, as he has shown just what he can do with a sword in House of the Dragon. Who could forget when he sliced Ser Vaemond Velaryon's head in half with one swipe in House of the Dragon season 1, episode 8, after Lord Corlys' brother badmouthed Rhaenyra. "This is disrespectful to Daemon," added one Twitter user.

Funnily enough, Daemon star Matt Smith has already answered a similar question in the past. But rather than asking if Daemon could beat Jaime in a fight, it was Jon Snow. "Mate, I've got a dragon," said Smith on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon back in 2024. "Jon Snow is a bad boy. Don't get me wrong. Kit Harington, lovely man, lovely guy. I have a lot of respect. But don't get it twisted. I would fuck those brothers up." Well, there you have it.

As for Jaime Lannister, the Knight didn't go out in a blaze of glory, but was crushed under the Red Keep after Daenerys Targaryen invaded King's Landing. Daemon is still fighting strong in his respective show, but as the Dance of the Dragons continues to play out, no one is really safe on Team Black or Team Green.

House of the Dragon season 3 episode 3 hits HBO on July 5 in the US and on HBO Max and Sky on July 6 in the UK. You can find exact timings in our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule. For more, read our House of the Dragon season 3 review, and keep up with upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

The latest episode of House of the Dragon season 3 is a major paradigm shift for Westeros, as Rhaenyra Targaryen at last ascends to the Iron Throne.

But there's also one moment that might be a nod to one of the most controversial Game of Thrones moments of all – George R.R. Martin's infamous blog post taking aim at the butterfly effect caused by changes the HBO show made from his book Fire and Blood.

While the bulk of the post revolved around the decision to remove Helaena and Aegon's son Maelor from the Blood and Cheese incident (and, indeed, the entire show so far), Martin ended his post with these ominous words: "And there are larger and more toxic butterflies to come, if House of the Dragon goes ahead with some of the changes being contemplated for seasons 3 and 4…"

Now, in House of the Dragon season 3, episode 2, Helaena is in the garden reading a book about butterflies. Not just any butterflies, either, but butterflies from Naath, which carry a deadly illness that kills invaders (so, toxic butterflies).

The moment has naturally been spotted by fans and posted across social media:

There is a Reference to GRRM's "Beware the Butterflies" blog post in House of the Dragon 3x02 (Spoilers Extended) from r/asoiaf

After the blog post, Martin was interviewed by The Hollywood Reporter, and he shared that his relationship with House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal is "abysmal."

"Then we got into season 2, and he basically stopped listening to me," Martin told the publication. "I would give notes, and nothing would happen. Sometimes he would explain why he wasn't doing it. Other times, he would tell me, 'Oh, OK, yeah, I'll think about that.' It got worse and worse, and I began to get more and more annoyed. Finally, it got to a point where I was told by HBO that I should submit all my notes to them and they would give Ryan our combined notes."

House of the Dragon continues weekly on HBO in the US and HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK. Keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule.

For even more, check out our House of the Dragon season 3 review or our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

Another episode of House of the Dragon season 3 has landed on HBO, and, of course, an eagle-eyed fan has found yet another difference between the on-screen adaptation and George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones book series.

Warning, this article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon season 3 episode 2, so turn back now if you haven't caught up yet.

At the end of episode 2, after the guards follow Alicent's orders and open the gates for Rhaenyra and Daemon, the pair approach the throne room, and Rhaenyra finally sits on the Iron Throne. However, in Fire and Blood, when the Queen first sits on the throne, she cuts herself on one of the swords, and onlookers see her leave the room with blood running down her legs and arms, which does not happen on screen.

Fans have noticed the change, as one said on Twitter, "I wish they had shown the Iron Throne cutting Rhaenyra. Maybe it’s coming in the next episode." The fan added that the reason it "has to happen" is that "she needs to be rejected by the throne bc she is a villain, not a hero." However, other fans pointed out that the show so far has not painted her as a villain, so it may not happen for that very reason.

The Iron Throne cutting Rhaenyra signifies that her rule won't last long, foreshadowing what is to come. However, even though we did not see the throne slice her in episode 2, the Targaryen Queen does suffer a few blunders.

When she entered the throne room, she was hiding behind Daemon, which the Kingsguard pointed out was funny to see. Then later, Rhaenyra says she is unable to kill Alicent's father, ex-Hand, and master manipulator Otto Hightower in place of Aegon as the usurper, and asks Daemon to do it. But when she does try to behead Otto, she fails at first. Whereas Daemon is able to deliver one killing blow to his victim. These actions may nod to Rhaenyra not being fit to rule. But we have to remember that she has just lost another son in battle, and that killing Otto will affect Alicent

This isn't the first change the show has made to its source material. Just this season, the HBO series made major changes to the Battle of the Gullet, and even the opening credits include the incorrect Targaryen sigil sporting a four-legged dragon, which Martin has made it clear that only two-legged dragons exist in his universe, no matter how many heads they have.

House of the Dragon season 3 continues to air weekly on HBO and HBO Max. You can find exact timings in our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule. For more, read our House of the Dragon season 3 review, and keep up with upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

House of the Dragon season 3 has continued with another massive episode, and this one makes a huge change to George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood book.

Spoilers for the latest episode follow – turn back now if you're not up to date!

In the latest episode of House of the Dragon season 3, Rhaenyra Targaryen at last takes the Iron Throne, after Alicent Hightower made good on her word and opened the gates to the Red Keep. Rhaenyra's ascension is not without bloodshed, however, as she executes Otto Hightower, Alicent's father, on her way to the throne.

One major death from the books, though, did not happen in the show. In Fire and Blood, Alicent's brother, Gwayne Hightower, is present in King's Landing, and he's stopped from raising the alarm about Rhaenyra's arrival by the Gold Cloak commander Luthor Largent. Largent tells Gwayne that he's loyal to Daemon Targaryen, then kills Gwayne.

In the show, Gwayne is far away with Criston Cole, and Largent reveals his true allegiance in a dramatic moment in the throne room to defend Rhaenyra from the green guards instead.

How this changes the plot moving forward remains to be seen, as, now, anything could happen to Gwayne as the show goes on.

Another change to the Battle of the Gullet in the last episode might have accidentally erased Daenerys Targaryen from existence, too (though it's a fairly easy fix).

Martin previously railed against changes made to his source material on his Not a Blog page, later telling The Hollywood Reporter his relationship with showrunner Ryan Condal is "abysmal."

House of the Dragon continues weekly on HBO in the US and HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK. Keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule.

For even more, check out our House of the Dragon season 3 review, or our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

House of the Dragon season 3, episode 2 continues the momentum from the season premiere with another massive installment.

Below, we have a spoiler-filled breakdown of everything that happens in the new episode, including all the major deaths and Easter eggs, too. That means you can quickly get up to speed on the latest chapter of the Dance of the Dragons as House of the Dragon season 3 heats up. But, if you're not looking for spoilers just yet, then our spoiler-free House of the Dragon season 3 review is where you need to head.

For even more, you can keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule, or our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

House of the Dragon season 3 episode 2 recap

The episode picks up in the aftermath of the Battle of the Gullet. The three dragonseeds – Hugh Hammer, Ulf, and Addam of Hull – finally join the fight and finish off the remainder of the Triarchy's fleet. Baela, meanwhile, flies home to Dragonstone with the body of her betrothed, Jacaerys Velaryon.

When they return, Rhaenyra has finally been freed from her chambers. She is, predictably, devastated by the death of her firstborn son. After at first seeming to be in shock, not quite believing Jace is dead, Rhaenyra then gives in to devastation and mourns over her son's body.

Outside, Addam searches for Corlys Velaryon, AKA the Sea Snake, in the Gullet, while Rhaena travels to the Vale and seeks asylum. Lady Jeyne Arryn is reluctant, but Rhaena sways her by reminding her she wanted a dragon to protect her land.

Daemon, hanging out with the Winter Wolves, gets word that Jacaerys has died. He is summoned to Dragonstone to prepare to take King's Landing. Addam finds Corlys, who declares, "If this be victory, I pray I never win another." Within the Red Keep, Alicent hurries to make arrangements for Rhaenyra's arrival, including getting the gold cloaks of the City Watch on her side.

Back on Dragonstone, Rhaenyra knows Sheepstealer has a rider – and blames them for Jace's death – and it's revealed that Vhagar has been spotted in the Riverlands, safely far away from King's Landing. When Rhaenyra's resolve appears to falter in her grief, Daemon attempts to rouse her as only he can. He speaks of the Song of Ice and Fire, the prophecy that Viserys passed on to Rhaenyra, and of a dream he had of a girl with three dragons (you might recognize her as the Mother of Dragons herself, Daenerys Targaryen).

In King's Landing, Lord Jasper the Master of Coin wises up to Alicent's scheming and attempts to rape her. Fortunately, he is stopped by Maester Orwyle and some guards, who arrest Jasper. Alicent then admits to her daughter – and queen – Helaena that she made a mistake crowning Aegon, and the duo make the guards on the city walls stand down in preparation for Rhaenyra's arrival.

Aemond arrives at Harrenhal and promptly begins to lay waste to it, burning the castle with Vhagar. He also kills Ser Simon Strong and the others living in Harrenhal, but takes a wound himself, and staggers towards the witch Alys Rivers for help.

Rhaenyra and Daemon arrive in King's Landing, flanked by Hugh Hammer and Ulf on dragonback. They walk through the Red Keep, Daemon cutting down the guards that stand in their way, until they reach the throne room. There, they are surrounded by Kingsguard and the City Watch. All seems lost until the Watch side with Rhaenyra and Daemon. Rhaenyra then demands that Aegon be brought to her.

Aegon, of course, has fled, but Daemon finds a prisoner that's almost as useful: Otto Hightower. Daemon brings Otto for Rhaenyra to execute, and, after at first hesitating, Rhaenyra completes the execution in two blows. Daemon executes Jasper before he can finish delivering his last words.

Rhaenyra then ascends the throne, leaving a trail of bloody footprints in her wake. Alicent and Helaena are brought before her after they were caught trying to escape the city. The episode ends with Alicent seeing her father's body – and looking in horror at Rhaenyra, as Rhaenyra, finally seated on the Iron Throne, looks back.

House of the Dragon season 3 episode 2: who dies?

The death toll isn't quite as high in this installment as last episode's Battle of the Gullet, but there are still some significant casualties:

• Otto Hightower (beheaded by Rhaenyra Targaryen)
• Lord Jasper Wylde (beheaded by Daemon Targaryen)

There are also countless unnamed guards killed, but Rhaenyra and Daemon manage to take King's Landing with relatively little bloodshed.

House of the Dragon season 3 episode 2 Easter eggs

New credits: The new title sequence continues in episode 2 with a remix of the familiar theme tune, and, in this episode, the tapestry depicting the history of the Targaryens has an update, too. Now, the tapestry shows the Battle of the Gullet and the death of Jacaerys Velaryon.

Corlys's Fire and Blood line: After Corlys is fished out of the ocean and reunites with Addam and Baela, he reflects on the Battle of the Gullet with the line, "If this be victory, I pray I never win another." This is dialogue ripped straight from George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood.

Daenerys Targaryen: Daemon had a vision of Daenerys Targaryen in the House of the Dragon season 2 finale, and he speaks of it again to Rhaenyra to try and rouse her to take King's Landing after she is stricken with grief over the death of her son Jace. Daemon tells her he dreamed of a girl with three dragons, specifically of the moment Daenerys emerged unhurt from Khal Drogo's funeral pyre with her three, newly hatched dragons Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion.

The Song of Ice and Fire: Daemon also talks of the Song of Ice and Fire prophecy to Rhaenyra, a prophecy passed from Targaryen king to heir since the time of Aegon the Conqueror. This is the prophecy of the Prince that was Promised, who will unite the Seven Kingdoms against the threat of the White Walkers when the time comes. You might remember that this particular prophecy plays a large role in Game of Thrones.

Harrenhal: Aemond Targaryen enters Harrenhal in a very similar way to Daemon last season, only Aemond ends up slaying everyone he comes across.

Beheading: Rhaenyra takes two swings to behead Otto, much like Theon Greyjoy took multiple swings to behead Rodrick Cassel – though Rodrick's execution was far messier than Otto's.

House of the Dragon season 3 air weekly on HBO and HBO Max on Sundays in the US and on HBO Max, Sky and NOW on Mondays in the UK. For more on the show, check out our guides, explainers and interviews:

• House of the Dragon season 3 showrunner Ryan Condal on what keeps him up at night making the Game of Thrones prequel, and the spin-off he wants to see next: "I think there's a really fascinating story to be told"
• The Battle of the Gullet in House of the Dragon season 3 features some key changes from George R. R. Martin's book
• House of the Dragon season 3 makes huge changes to the Battle of the Gullet, but I love that it makes the death of one of my favorite characters even bleaker
• House of the Dragon season 3, episode 1 confirms a book character isn't being adapted
• Who is Ormund Hightower in House of the Dragon? His Game of Thrones origins explained
• The House of the Dragon dragons, listed and explained
• Greens vs. Blacks, explained
• The Targaryen family tree
• The House of the Dragon timeline

House of the Dragon season 3's ratings are in, and the premiere's all-timer naval battle couldn't help it stack up against the second season.

As per Warner Bros. Discovery (via Variety), 21.5 million people tuned in across the first three days of availability for House of the Dragon season 3.

So, it's hardly sinking without a trace – but has suffered an 8% drop on House of the Dragon season 2's 23.4 million figure across the same three-day window in 2024.

All told, it's difficult to pinpoint why numbers have dropped. Variety has pointed to the World Cup being on – was Sunday's Uruguay vs. Cape Verde match really that big of a draw? – as a factor, though it's likely some felt dissatisfied by season 2's wheelspinning in Harrenhal with Matt Smith's Daemon Targaryen, as well as the continued years-long gaps between seasons.

There is also the small matter of Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin engaging in a one-sided public feud with showrunner Ryan Condal.

"It's worse than rocky," Martin told The Hollywood Reporter of their working relationship in January, "It's abysmal."

"I would give notes, and nothing would happen," Martin explained. "Sometimes he would explain why he wasn't doing it. Other times, he would tell me, 'Oh, OK, yeah, I'll think about that.' It got worse and worse, and I began to get more and more annoyed. Finally, it got to a point where I was told by HBO that I should submit all my notes to them and they would give Ryan our combined notes."

Whatever the behind-the-scenes tensions, that hasn't dimmed the critical reaction to House of the Dragon season 3, which exploded onto our screens with the Battle of the Gullet.

The latest season is currently sitting at 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, while our own four-star House of the Dragon season 3 review suggested "this could be the best season of a Westeros-set show in over a decade."

House of the Dragon season 3 is airing weekly on HBO, HBO Max, and NOW TV/Sky in the UK.

For more, check out the complete House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule.

The weekend is here, and as always, there is so much to watch. And while you might be feeling overwhelmed, we've rounded up the best picks of the week to help narrow down your choices so you can kick back, relax, and eat some popcorn.

Below, we've gathered the six best movies and TV shows from across all the best streaming services, and thrown them together with a handy description that includes where you can watch. If you're in the mood for some action-fantasy, lighthearted family-friendly comedy, or are absolutely dying to see Larry David in a powdered wig... we've got you covered.

Plus, there are some movies whose theatrical release you may have missed that have finally hit streaming. Whether you feel like taking a three-hour jaunt through a water-filled fictional CGI world, or watching a bunch of anthropomorphic sheep solve a murder, it's all down below for you.

Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Netflix

Not to be confused with the new animated series or forthcoming animated movie, Netflix's live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender is back for a second season. This time around, Aang (Gordon Cormier) and co. journey deeper into the Earth Kingdom to battle their enemy, Fire Lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim).

Early reviews for the new season have been overwhelmingly positive, with fans agreeing that Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 is a vast improvement on season 1. A third season is also on the way, which will conclude the series. After you finish season 2, I recommend firing up the original Nickelodeon cartoon, not just for comparison, but for an optimal double feature experience.

For even more, check out our list of the best Netflix shows.

The Bear season 5

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Hulu

The fifth and final season of The Bear has arrived, and with a 100% Fresh Rotten Tomatoes score in tow. The Bear season 5 picks up the morning after the season 4 finale, in which Sydney (Ayo Edebri), Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), and Sugar (Abby Elliot) find out that Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) has quit the industry and left them the restaurant. Given that this is the end of the line for our favorite restaurateurs... it's their one last chance to get that Michelin star.

It was star Jamie Lee Curtis who officially spilled the beans that the show would end here after four years and countless Emmy and Golden Globe wins. Before you head into season 5, I recommend watching Gary, the Jon Bernthal-penned one-shot that hit Hulu earlier this year and serves as its own standalone companion to the final season.

For what else to watch, here's our pick of the best Hulu shows.

Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: HBO Max

It's just as ridiculous as it sounds, and I mean that in the best way. Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness is a sketch show that takes place across several events in American history – and sees Larry David don a variety of powdered wigs.

Bill Hader and Kathryn Hahn play Abraham and Mary Lincoln, respectively, with John Hamm and Sean Hayes as the Wright Brothers. The impossibly stacked cast includes Lin-Manuel Miranda, Toby Huss, Isla Fisher, and former United States President Barack Obama. Michelle Obama also serves as executive producer.

For more viewing inspiration, check out our guide to the best HBO shows.

Adventure Time: Side Quests

Available: US
Where to watch: Disney Plus

In case you've been missing Finn the Human, Jake the Dog, and co. since the flagship show went off the air in 2018, the boys are back town. Adventure Time: Side Quests is a prequel series that chronicles Finn's childhood and how he came to have that brotherly bond with Jake. John DiMaggio is back to voice Jake, but, because this is the tale of a tiny child version of Finn, Sasha Knight has taken over for Jeremy Shada.

All 10 episodes are currently available in the US only, but will drop internationally on Cartoon Network and HBO Max in October.

For more animated shows, check out our guide to the best shows on Disney Plus.

The Sheep Detectives

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Prime Video

The Sheep Detectives might seem like a silly movie on the surface (and that might be because Patrick Stewart and Bryan Cranston provide the voices of anthropomorphic sheep), but it's actually a profoundly sad (but still funny) movie about grief. When their shepherd (Hugh Jackman) is mysteriously found dead, his flock launches an all-out investigation and goes on a murder-mystery adventure. The absolutely stacked cast includes Nicolas Galitzine, Emma Thompson, Bella Ramsey, Hong Chau, and Larraine Newman.

The film currently sits at a 95% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and has a 5/5 star review in my heart.

After this, give our guide on the best Prime Video movies a look.

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Available: UK/UK
Where to watch: Disney Plus

Fancy a trip to Pandora? Avatar: Fire and Ash, the third installment in James Cameron's blockbuster series, is set one year after the events of The Way of Water, and sees Jake and his family grapple with grief after Neteyama's death. Per the official synopsis, they "encounter a new, aggressive Na'vi tribe called the Ash People, led by the fiery tribe leader, Varang, who has allied with Jake's enemy, Quaritch, as the conflict on Pandora escalates to devastating consequences."

Avatar 4 and 5 may or may not be on the way, with the fifth movie slated for a 2031 release... yes, you read that correctly.

For more on what to watch, here's our guide to the best movies on Disney Plus.

If nothing on our list seems right for you, have a read of our guides to the best Netflix movies, the best Prime Video shows, and the best Apple TV movies you can watch right now.

House of the Dragon season 3 is here, kicking off its junior season with an intense Battle of the Gullet, which differs massively from George R.R. Martin's works, but showrunner Ryan Condal says that was for good reason.

Fans who have read George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones book series will know that The Battle of the Gullet in Fire and Blood is a lot different from what we have just seen in House of the Dragon season 3 episode 1. The naval fight only spans across a few pages in Martin's works, but the show dedicated almost half its premiere episode to the battle. In doing so, the series makes a few changes, adding some characters into the mix, but also leaving out Rheneryra's and Daemon's youngest children, Prince Aegon III and Prince Viserys II.

"That was just one of the many challenges of making the show and telling a story that involves so many children," said Condal to IGN. "We had to compress history a little bit just to make Season 1 take place over 20 years instead of 30 years. So it just meant all of the children in the story are a little bit younger."

The boys are still infants, which makes adapting the book a little tricky. "Her youngest children are just not of an age where you can involve them with complex dramatic sequences, complex action," added Condal. "It's not safe, it's not practical. So it was just something that we had to dispense of rather early on in the process.”

In the book, Aegon and Viserys are caught in the midst of the battle whilst on their way to Pentos for safety. Aegon manages to escape on his young dragon Stormcloud and fly back to Dragonstone, where Jace then sets off to save his other brother, and well, we know how that ends. Viserys is captured by the Triarchy but turns up later on. However, in the series, we presume that the boys are still safe and sound. For more, read our guide on how the Battle of the Gullet in the show is different from the book

However, Condal promises that the duo is still very much involved in the series. "It's not to say that those characters are out of the show," added the showrunner. "We all realize what an important role they play as Rhaenyra's sons with Daemon and the heirs to their particular bloodline and where they sit in the history. So we haven't forgotten about any of that."

House of the Dragon season 3 continues to air weekly on HBO in the US and HBO Max and Sky in the UK. See our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule for exact timings. For more, check out our spoiler-free House of the Dragon season 3 review, and guide to upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

As the fantasy series ushers in a darker chapter, House of the Dragon season 3 has a new opening credits sequence, but fans have spotted a mistake in the tapestry.

Towards the end of the opening credits (around the 1 min 31 seconds mark on YouTube), the tapestry includes a four-legged, three-headed black dragon against a red background. This is the Targaryen sigil, which is mentioned in Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin's books and in the main show. However, in Martin's works, the dragon on the sigil has two legs, not four, which Martin has brought up before.

"George R.R. Martin has already said a thousand times that the dragons in his universe have only two legs," said one fan on Twitter, and another added, "Absolute ragebait, this is incredible." You can see it below.

You may be wondering why it is so important that the dragon on the sigil has two legs when it has three heads. The three headed dragon on the sigil represents Aegon the Conqueror and his two sister-queens, Visenya and Rhaenys, who forged the Seven Kingdoms. As for the legs, fewer limbs provide balance and stability, which are key to taking flight.

Martin has shown his distaste for the four-legged beast before. When House of the Dragon season 2 aired, the author took to his blog and wrote, "In my books, the Targaryen sigil has two legs, as it should. Why would any Westerosi ever put four legs on a dragon, when they could look at the real thing and could their limbs?" The author added that Game of Thrones got the sigil right "for the first four seasons and most of the fifth."

"Someone got sloppy, I guess. Or someone opened a book on heraldry, and read just enough of it to muck it all up," added Martin.

However, the reason why House of the Dragon continues to use the incorrect sigil may be for consistency, as Game of Thrones had already adapted it. Nevertheless, Martin does not approve. "Those damned extra legs have even wormed their way onto the covers of my books, over my strenuous objections," said Martin. Alas, at least the living dragons in House of the Dragon do have the correct number of legs.

House of the Dragon season 3 continues to air weekly on HBO in the US and HBO Max and Sky in the UK. See our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule for exact timings. For more, check out our spoiler-free House of the Dragon season 3 review, and guide to upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

House of the Dragon season 3 is set to introduce Daeron Targaryen, the youngest son of King Viserys Targaryen and Alicent Hightower. And fans think he's already quietly appeared in the season 3 premiere.

In House of the Dragon season 3 episode 1, we meet Lord Ormund Hightower (James Norton). During a brief scene where Ormund receives a dispatch from King's Landing, a young man with auburn hair can be seen standing behind over left shoulder. The character doesn't speak, and isn't addressed by name, but fans have already put two and two together and come up with Daeron. Check out the clip below.

Now, this casting has yet to be officially announced by HBO, but there's plenty of evidence that backs up this theory. First, we know that Daeron was sent to live with Lord Ormund as his ward. Second, Daeron's small blue dragon, Tessarion, is penned up among Ormund's army in the episode, meaning Daeron is almost certainly close by. And third, the actor playing the young squire is Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, who'll appear as Link in 2027's The Legend of Zelda. While he's still a relative unknown, it's unlikely an actor on that star trajectory has little more than a walk-on part.

Of course, the unnamed squire could be nothing more than that. Canonically, Daeron has traditional Targaryen silver hair, which the young squire notably does not. However, it's very possible that Daeron is wearing a wig or has dyed his hair, so he can't be easily identified as the dragon-riding Targaryen he is.

House of the Dragon season 3 got off to a fiery start with the Battle of the Gullet, which claimed a major victim in the civil war between Team Green and Team Black. The actor did have one request before his character met an untimely end. The season 3 premiere also featured a surprise location, which has major implications for Game of Thrones lore.

House of the Dragon season 3 is streaming weekly now on HBO Max in the US, and on HBO Max and NOW in the UK. Never miss an episode with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule, and read our verdict on the first four episodes of the new season with our House of the Dragon season 3 review.

House of the Dragon is back with a bang, as the bloody Battle of the Gullet has already caused the death of a major character.

But there's one, easily missed detail in the episode that might be just as seismic: a major location from George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire lore makes a pretty lowkey appearance. Spoilers for the new episode follow.

In the episode, the dragonseeds – Hugh Hammer, Ulf, and Addam of Hull – sit together on an island on the lookout for Aemond Targaryen and his fearsome dragon Vhagar. There, they glimpse a mysterious man with antlers, as well as the witch Alys Rivers.

Thanks to the man with antlers, though, we know that the dragonseeds are hanging out on the Isle of Faces, a very significant location in Martin's fantasy world.

First appearance of a mythical character from r/HouseOfTheDragon

In the Westeros lore, the Isle of Faces is the site of the pact between the First Men and the children of the forest – you might remember them as the woodland folk who helped Bran in the later seasons of Game of Thrones. It's also full of weirwood trees, which were given faces as part of the pact (so the old gods could witness the agreement): then, the green men were created as guardians of the weirwoods and the island.

In the Game of Thrones TV show, the children of the forest created the Night King as part of their war against mankind. The Night King, however, is a show-only invention. Daemon Targaryen sees a vision of a green man in season 2, during his long stay at Harrenhal, and it's a green man that appears on the Isle of Faces in season 3 (recognizable by his antlers).

What this means remains to be seen, but, for now, it's a surprising inclusion for one of Westeros's most mysterious and magical locations.

House of the Dragon season 3 continues weekly on HBO in the US and HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK. You can keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule. For even more, read our House of the Dragon season 3 review.

House of the Dragon has exploded back onto our screens with its season 3 premiere, and we've had to say goodbye to one major character already.

The following contains major spoilers for House of the Dragon season 3, episode 1, so turn back now if you're not up to date!

The new episode depicts the Battle of the Gullet, and, as fans of George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood will know, the major casualties of that particular naval clash are Jacaerys Velaryon and his dragon Vermax.

Jace and Vermax are killed in the show when Jace pursues Sheepstealer, an out-of-control wild dragon claimed by Rhaena, who is indiscriminately attacking both sides in the battle. Sadly, Jace flies too low when Sheepstealer gives chase, and Vermax is struck by a harpoon weighed down by an anchor. Vermax sinks and drowns, while Jace survives the descent into the ocean but is swiftly killed by arrows fired from a nearby ship.

Harry Collett, who plays Jace in the show, has revealed that he had one request for his death sequence.

"There's no way I can leave this show without saying 'Dracarys!'" Collett told Entertainment Weekly. "There was no way. Not on my watch."

Dracarys, of course, is the Valyrian word for dragonfire, used as a command to burn enemies. As you might expect, the Battle of the Gullet involves plenty of dragonfire.

"I'm shouting these Valyrian words and saying 'Dracarys,' which wasn't really originally in the script," Collett added. "I actually asked if I could say that. So I was really happy about that."

So far, Rhaenyra has not learned of the death of her firstborn son and heir, but we can expect the fallout to be huge when the news reaches her on Dragonstone.

House of the Dragon continues weekly on HBO in the US and HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK. You can keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule.

For more, read our House of the Dragon season 3 review or why the Battle of the Gullet book changes make Jace's death even bleaker.

House of the Dragon season 3 episode 1 is here, and the brutal Battle of the Gullet certainly lived up to its bloody reputation. But the Gullet isn't all we get in the season 3 opener, which catches us up with Rhaenyra, Daemon, Alicent, Aemond, Aegon and more in a surprisingly efficient 65 minutes.

Below, you'll find a full spoiler-filled breakdown of the episode, as well as a rundown of all the major deaths, and a list of Easter eggs we spotted in the season 3 premiere. So, needless to say, if you've yet to watch House of the Dragon season 3, episode 1, turn back now! Our spoiler-free House of the Dragon season 3 review is ready and waiting for you.

Don't forget to bookmark our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule, where you'll find all the latest information on exactly when new episodes drop, so you'll never be spoiled. Want more from the World of Westeros? See what's coming with our list of upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

House of the Dragon season 3 episode 1 recap

Adding fuel to the fire that season 3's opening episodes are season 2 episodes 9 and 10 in all but name, House of the Dragon season 3 picks up moments after season 2's abrupt cliffhanger finale. Wild dragon Sheepstealer does an impressive job sneaking up on a sheep, which he promptly roasts. A desperate Rhaena attempts to tame the wild dragon, and even manages to mount the untameable beast, but Sheepstealer flies off with little thought for his rider's comfort.

Back in King's Landing, newly crowned King Aemond drags Grand Maester Orwyle out of bed in the dead of night and threatens to behead him, believing he has enabled Aemond to flee the keep. Larys is missing as well, however, putting Orwyle in the clear. On the road, Larys and Aegon are tucked safely away in a carriage. Larys has forgotten to pack the milk of the poppy, leaving a still-singed Aegon in excruciating pain. Things go from bad to worse when their convoy is stopped by a band of mercenaries loyal to Rhaenyra. To save their lives, Larys reveals that they have captured Aegon Targaryen, and that it would be wise to deliver them to their Queen alive.

After securing the loyalty of the Rivermen last season, Daemon leads a massacre of Lannister forces, though we only catch the tail-end of the bloody battle. Jason Lannister, we learn, has fled. But moments later, figures emerge from the treeline, and the man in front offers up Jason Lannister's severed head. This is Roddy the Ruin (Tommy Flanagan), leader of the Winter Wolves, who were dispatched by Cregan Stark in the season 2 premiere (took their sweet time marching down from the North). If there was any question about Mr. Ruin's loyalties, his declaration that, "We have come to die for the Dragon Queen!" should clear up any doubts.

Still en route to Harrenhal, Cristin Cole hasn't cheered up one bit since we last saw him. Even when Gwayne approaches him with demands he reprimand one of his troops who has assaulted a woman, all Ser Cristin can think about is how insignificant everyone is in the face of dragon warfare. Cheer up, already!

The Dragonseeds, meanwhile, are stuck waiting for Aemond and Vhagar to fly by, so they can intercept the new king on his way to Harrenhal. To pass the time, they share stories about the pasts. Later, Alys Rivers appears out of nowhere and tricks the Dragonseeds into abandoning their post by telling them a battle is underway at Dragonstone. Out of fear and concern, they leave. Back in the Vale, Sheepstealer dumps and seemingly strands a haggard Rhaena on top of a mountain… but later returns with some roasted sheep, which he shares with his new rider. Progress!

Aboard the Queen Who Never Was, Lord Corlys and his illegitimate son, Alyn of Hull, share a moment in the Sea Snake's cabin, bonding over disgusting-looking liquor. Corlys looks on Alyn with pride, and wants him to take the Corlys name, but Alyn is called away when a siren sounds. Triarchy forces have been spotted on the horizon, led by Admiral Sharako Lohar. Speaking to Tyland Lannister, Lohar tells the newly twinless Lannister that their plan is to sack Lord Corlys' fortress, the High Tide, so the Sea Snake will be distracted during the battle.

Next we meet a brand new character – Lord Ormund Hightower, Otto's nephew. Leader of a small army, Ormund is waiting on word to attack Harrenhal… but receives a letter from Aemond instead that he is the new king, and that he will join them on the battlefield. We also learn that Ormund has a strong aversion to unpleasant smells – not good news for Ormund given the short supply of showers in Westeros.

After initially fearing his own mother helped Aegon flee King's Landing, Aemond starts to put renewed trust in Alicent again. Using a cunning mix of reason and manipulation, Alicent convinces Aemond to leave King's Landing and fly to Harrenhal, leaving the door wide open for Rhaenyra to fly in and take the capital while it is unprotected by Vhagar. Mother and son seal it with an icky kiss, which Alicent barely manages to conceal her upset over.

Receiving word of the battle about to erupt in the sea off Dragonstone, Rhaenyra resolves to ride into battle on Syrax, telling Jace he must stay home. Jace, however, locks his mother in her quarters and commands a guard, under threat of death, not to let her out. Instead, he takes flight on Vermax, alongside Baela on Moondancer, and rides into battle.

Now, finally, it's Gullet time! Before you know it, ships are ablaze and decks are covered in blood, as the Triarchy and the Sea Snake fleets go at it. Corlys has two major firebreathing advantages, as Moondancer and Vermax rain fire down on the Triarchy ships. But the Triarchy have come prepared with anti-air weaponry in the form of Scorpion-like harpoon guns. Lohar nails Vermax, who is weighed down by the weapon. Before he and Jace are pulled into the sea, Moondancer swoops in for the save by severing the cable.

The fate of Westeros may ride on this battle, but Lohar only has eyes for the Sea Snake, and they're covered with red mist. Corlys has a plan – lure Lohar and her supporting vessels into the narrow, shallow Dragonstone pass, where they'll be run aground on the rocks below. Initially, the plan seems to work when two of Lohar's ships get stuck on the teeth. But after jettisoning all dead weight (including ruthlessly kicking the armored Tyland overboard), Lohar's ship manages to make it through the pass as well.

As Lohar's ship closes the gap, Corlys notices that his home is literally on fire, and freezes. Alyn steps up and takes charge, preparing everyone as the ship is about to be boarded. The Triarchy swings aboard, and swords clash. Amid the chaos, Alyn briefly falls into the water, as the Queen Who Never Was sinks, and takes off his armor to stay afloat. Eventually, Corlys and Lohar trade blows. Corlys gets the upper hand, but as he's about to land the killing blow, he's thrown into the sea. Eventually, Alyn kills Lohar in the half-submerged lower decks by stabbing them in the neck.

While Rhaena attempts to ride Sheepstealer to Dragonstone, the wild dragon is drawn to the battle, noticing Vermax and Moondancer in the fray. Unfortunately, Sheepstealer has no interest in listening to Rhaena's commands, and attacks Moondancer. Vermax pursues Sheepstealer, but flies too low and is hit by a harpoon weapon once again. This time, Moondancer arrives just too late, and Vermax is dragged under the surface and drowns. Jace pulls himself onto some debris, but is hit by an arrow in the back by an unseen archer. Two further arrows hit Jace in the chest and neck, killing Rhaenyra's eldest son. The day is won, but Team Black has suffered an immeasurable loss.

House of the Dragon season 3 episode 1: Who dies?

This is Westeros, so of course there are many, many casualties in the season 3 opener, particularly during the bloody Battle of the Gullet. But the main, named characters slain this episode are:

• Jason Lannister (beheaded by Roddy the Ruin)
• Sharako Lohar (stabbed in the neck by Alyn)
• Vermax (drowns after being pulled into the sea)
• Jacaerys Velaryon (shot by three arrows)

The episode leaves the fates of Lord Corlys and Tyland Lannister somewhat ambiguous, but if you've been paying attention to marketing materials, you'll know at least one of those characters survives.

House of the Dragon season 3 episode 1 Easter eggs

New title sequence… and song!: As is tradition with Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, we've got a tweaked title sequence to pore over this season. For the most part, the tapestry that is being stitched in real time is identical to the version in season 2, episode 8. There is, however, an extra bit of animation at the very beginning as the threads are fed into the tapestry. You may also notice that the iconic Game of Thrones theme has been given a percussion-heavy remix by composer Ramin Djawadi. Showrunner Ryan Condal explained the change, noting: "We wanted to mark the darker tone this season with something small but noticeable. When Ramin shared this update to his iconic theme, we knew it was the way to go."

Tessarion: The unnamed small, blue dragon who briefly featured in the season 2 finale appears again alongside Ormund Hightower's forces in the season 3 premiere. This is Tessarion, a dragon belonging to Daeron Targaryen, who has yet to appear in the show. For a full rundown of both, head over to our Tessarion explainer.

Wrath of Khan: There aren't any Starfleet insignias hidden on flags (that we spotted, anyway), but if you detected a bit of Kirk and Khan in the strategic battle between Corlys and Shakaro, award yourself a bunch of bonus points, because Kirk and Khan's classic encounter in Star Trek 2 was a major inspiration for showrunner Ryan Condal.

House of the Dragon season 3 air weekly on HBO and HBO Max on Sundays in the US and on HBO Max, Sky and NOW on Mondays in the UK. For more on the show, check out our guides, explainers and interviews:

• House of the Dragon season 3 showrunner Ryan Condal on what keeps him up at night making the Game of Thrones prequel, and the spin-off he wants to see next: "I think there's a really fascinating story to be told"
• The Battle of the Gullet in House of the Dragon season 3 features some key changes from George R. R. Martin's book
• House of the Dragon season 3 makes huge changes to the Battle of the Gullet, but I love that it makes the death of one of my favorite characters even bleaker
• House of the Dragon season 3, episode 1 confirms a book character isn't being adapted
• Who is Ormund Hightower in House of the Dragon? His Game of Thrones origins explained
• The House of the Dragon dragons, listed and explained
• Greens vs. Blacks, explained
• The Targaryen family tree
• The House of the Dragon timeline
• Who wins the Dance of the Dragons?
• The Song of Ice and Fire prophecy

House of the Dragon season 3 introduces several new power players into the world of the Game of Thrones prequel. One of them is Ormund Hightower, played by Happy Valley's James Norton. We don't see too much of him in the opening episode of the new season, but based on what showrunner Ryan Condal has been saying, he looks set to be a very prominent character going forward.

So just who is the new lord – and is he from George R. R. Martin's books? Well we've broken down everything you need to know about Ormund below, as well as what we know about his role in season 3.

Before you read on though, take this as your spoiler warning. Below, we'll be getting into plot details from House of the Dragon season 3 episode 1. You have been warned.

Who is Ormund Hightower in House of the Dragon?

After he was mentioned to be marching from Oldtown in House of the Dragon season 2, we meet Ormund Hightower very briefly in the opening episode of the new season. Stationed on the battlefield, he receives a letter from King Aemond who tells him to wait on his orders and he will join him soon.

From this first introduction, he seems unaccustomed to the dirtier side of war, struggling with the scent of a messenger, as well as being quietly thrilled by the news that Aemond is now king.

Canonically, Ormund is Otto Hightower's nephew and Alicent and Gwayne Hightower's cousin. Speaking about the character, Condal told SFX magazine, that they built upon a very briefly mentioned role in George R.R. Martin's 'Fire and Blood', but he will play a significant part in this story.

"He's the Lord of the Hightower, basically the Tywin Lannister [Charles Dance] of this world," he said. "He's the richest guy who's not sitting on a throne somewhere. Ormund has the largest standing army left in Westeros and a dragon, so he is going to introduce a big old wrinkle into this.

"Ormund is really a sketch in the book and we don't have a sense of who he is, so it was really fun diving in and creating a really deep, complex and three-dimensional character out of him that introduces a new kind of complication into the world."

As alluded to by Condal, Ormund doesn't appear much in George R.R. Martin's 'Fire and Blood.' The character is mentioned briefly as a supporter of Aegon II during the Dance of the Dragons. Most of what we know about him from this involves his tricky love life.

Martin described how Ormund was married to the mother of his four children, but she died in childbirth. He then remarried a woman named Samantha Tarly, who was young enough to be his daughter. Their relationship was strained, though, as her family declared for Rhaenyra and she reportedly started having an affair with Ormund's son, Lyonel. Yikes.

House of the Dragon releases on HBO in the US on June 21, and streams on HBO Max and Now from June 22 in the UK. For more, read our House of the Dragon season 3 review and check out our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and shows.

After much anticipation, House of the Dragon season 3 has begun, kicking off the show's return with a bang. The opening episode finally brings the Battle of Gullet to the screen and it's every bit as bloody and brutal as we'd expected.

However, as has been the case with so much of the Game of Thrones prequel so far, there have been several changes from its source material, George R. R. Martin's 'Fire and Blood'. The book is a historical account of the key period of Westerosi history and is told as if collated from a series of varying reports.

As such, many changes seem fair game as the narrative is not the most reliable. However, as fans of Martin's work will realize, there are a few larger changes beyond even this too, which we'll get into below. Before we begin, here's your spoiler warning: make sure you've seen House of the Dragon season 3 episode 1 before reading on.

The Battle of the Gullet's biggest changes from the book

Rhaenyra doesn't get locked in

When Rhaenyra Targaryen vows to fly into battle, Jacaerys Velaryon locks her inside her rooms with a guard stationed outside. There's no mention of this happening in the book, but the Queen is not involved in the battle.

A rocky route

In the show too, Lord Corlys Velaryon and his men make a strategic decision to sail through the rocky part of the ocean. This works initially but doesn't save them for long as Sharako Lohar follows them through without a hitch. There's no description of this in the book, but Martin does not go into great detail about how the battle was waged.

Big deaths

In the show and the books, Vermax is struck in the chest by a grapnel. However, she sinks when the ship holding her sinks, rather than her slow descent from the anchor attached to her in the show.

Despite Vermax's death being slightly different, probably the most faithful moment of the battle is how Jace is killed. As Martin described in 'Fire and Blood', "The prince was stuck once, and then again. More and more Myrmen brought crossbows to bear. Finally one quarrel took him through the neck, and Jace was swallowed by the sea". This is almost exactly how the young prince is felled in the show as well.

Missing sons

Another key difference concerns Rhaenyra and Daemon Targaryen's younger sons. In the books, Aegon the Younger and Viserys are about nine and seven when the civil war begins. Because of this, they are part of the Battle of the Gullet, travelling on a ship that is intercepted by the Triarchy during the naval siege.

Viserys is kidnapped during this altercation and is taken away for years before returning home while Aegon the Younger escapes on his critically injured dragon, who never recovers.

However, in the show, they are both still toddlers, meaning they're excluded entirely from the sequence. This is probably the biggest departure from the novel and given how important this moment is for both boys going forward in their story, it will be interesting to see how HBO tackles them later on in the adaptation.

Other absences

In the book, the Dragonseeds are also involved in the fight, flying in on their dragons. However, they're not included in this sequence at all in the show. Equally, Nettles is not in the show at all either, despite making an appearance in Martin's novel. In fact it's not likely that she'll ever be brought into the adaptation as Sheepstealer is instead claimed by Rhaena Targaryen, Daemon Targaryen and Laena Velaryon's youngest daughter.

House of the Dragon releases on HBO in the US on June 21, and streams on HBO Max and Now from June 22 in the UK. For more, read our House of the Dragon season 3 review and check out our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and shows.

House of the Dragon season 3 is ready to take flight. The World of Westeros show is now halfway through the Dance of the Dragons – the Targaryen civil war that leaves the all-powerful dragonriding dynasty in embers – with the bloodiest battles and biggest losses still to come.

It's a pivotal moment for the show, with House of the Dragon season 3 set to finally deliver on the promise of season 2's abrupt finale with the Battle of the Gullet – one of the craziest episodes of TV ever made, according to showrunner Ryan Condal. If our House of the Dragon season 3 review, which covers episodes 1-4, is anything to go by, they're off to a winning start.

During a conversation with GamesRadar+ during the SXSW London festival, Condal spoke at length about House of the Dragon season 3's sizzling opener, the long arc of Rhaenyra's evolution as a character, the conflict between adaptation and a faithful rendering of George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood, and the story he'd like to see told next in the World of Westeros. Can't wait to see what Condal and co. have cooked up? Head over to our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule, for all the latest on when and where new episodes drop.

Note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

GamesRadar+: When there's an event as huge and consequential as the Battle of the Gullet coming up, how do you begin to plan and execute on a vision for something of that scale?

Ryan Condal: Big to small, sort of like: What story do we have to tell? And then how the hell will we do this? [I had] long conversations with Kevin de la Noy, who's my physical producing partner. He has this massive film background; he was the production manager on Titanic. As he tells everybody: "I literally sunk the Titanic." So it seemed like a good place to start because he had experience with water and just talking through like, "How do we do this? Are we going out to sea? Are we building a tank?" No one's ever done this on television before, not this way.

We looked at Black Sails and some of their production methodology. And then it was just figuring out the pieces that we needed because the thing that makes the Battle of the Gullet unique is we've seen naval battles before, we've seen sequences with dragons before. It's the unique combination of these things and then the fact that it's medieval combat, which means that there are no real ranged weapons. It makes for much better drama because you get that face-to-face interaction. But it makes for incredibly complex production logistics. Doing this for one episode of television is the most insane thing that I've ever seen in my history as a TV producer and being allowed to do it. So I'm very grateful for it!

Was it a challenge to thread the needle in a way that serves both character and the scale of the Gullet?

Well, look, the scale and spectacle mean nothing if you don't care about who's going through it. We talked a lot about how we're kind of doing a little bit of Wrath of Khan and the chase through the nebula – Kirk versus Khan being the Sea Snake versus Sharako. Khan didn't have this massive battle going on around it with space dragons [laughs], but at least for their head to head, that was what we talked about a lot. We watch movies and reference things and it was all rooted in this character story for the Sea Snake versus Sharako, and then on a separate scale: all the dragon riders that come into the battle and what they have going on in their individual stories. So it tries to be very intimate in terms of POV and then maximal on a spectacle and scale level at the same time.

What effect has moving the Battle of the Gullet from the end of season 2 to the beginning of season 3 had on this latest season?

You know, some of this was simply out of my control. And so much of my job as showrunner is to take the lemons that I'm given and make a delicious drink out of it. Sometimes, that leads to great circumstances, which, I will say, I think this episode is better for where it sits right now. But it did not change anything about our plan. I've always looked at this as one large story necessarily broken into seasons simply so that we can produce the show and not die in the process [laughs]. In terms of what happens next, nothing has really changed. [It] has always been in the grand sort of plan and scheme for how the show is going to unfold until its endgame.

Emma D'Arcy has spoken about making Rhaenyra more active this season, and that it was something the two of you worked on together. Why was that so important at this stage in the story?

Nothing that's happened was unintentional, I would say. So much of Rhaenyra's story is about the frustration of being the challenger and the frustration of being the female challenger. And, also, she knows that Viserys chose her because he trusted her not to take this incredible power that their house had and burn the world down, which is the thing that he was worried Daemon was going to do. So I think a lot of the consternation over what is perceived as inactivity of Rhaenyra is her trying to honor what her father wished for her as a sovereign. But when all these outside pressures come in and her desire to win, it creates for a really interesting character cocktail.

And I think the character in the book is incredibly inactive and shuts herself away from the battle in a big way for much of the story. So for us, it's honoring that, and then trying to figure out ways to grow and expand it in a way that makes for a compelling television narrative. With a character as big and complex as Rhaenyra, you want to see her go through these multiple different phases as she figures out who she ultimately wants to be as a sovereign. And we're only halfway through that so far. So stay tuned because there's lots of dynamism and change to come.

One of the benefits of knowing your endpoint is that you can fully map out a character arc over four seasons.

Exactly. And we've done that. We've really done that with everybody. And that's the biggest gift that I think [Fire and Blood] has given to us as writers of the show and also to the fanbase that so fervently follows it, is it is a complete tale so that we're able to break it down. We don't know every single little beat in the story, but we know the big waypoints all the way through. So once you can see what the next waypoint is, it's easier to paint in the detail to get there, and we know when and where we're going to end. We've been able to plan and write to that for a long time now.

Three years into adapting a non-traditional source, do you feel that you've hit an ideal point between a faithful rendering of the text versus necessary adaptive changes?

This is the thing that has weighed on me the most since the beginning. The creative writer in me was so excited by the challenge of adapting this kind of Rashomon fake-history telling of the story, where some of the details are very scant, some of the things don't exist at all. You know point A and point Z but you don't know anything that happens in between. That gives [a] tremendous amount of latitude for growth and invention and a faithful rendering of the text that at the same time is something that is uniquely ours, the writers of the show. But also with that comes the fear, as a devoted fan of these books and of Westeros, that my rendering of it is not going to be the rendering that everybody had in their mind reading the book. There's so much room for interpretation within it. Why did that character do that, or how did they get there can be totally different, but they will think that they read it on the page because it's such a vivid telling. So those two things – my fandom and my job as a screenwriter – sometimes they're in step and then, other times, it's tiny versions of me on my shoulders at war making me bald and keeping me up at night!

As a scholar of Westeros, what would you like to see explored in this universe next on screen? Even as a fan, not a filmmaker?

Oh, fascinating question. I don't know that I'm a scholar. I think I'm a well-employed super-fan!

Look, that's the richness of this world that there are so many opportunities for new stories to be told. Ira Parker is doing such a wonderful job with that in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. We're so used to the stories [about] the 1% of the 1%, that's the story, certainly, of House of the Dragon. Game of Thrones was the 1%, we're the 1% of the 1%! And then Ira is telling the story of the 99%, which I just love, and I think that show shows that you can do different sort of models and tonal explorations.

To actually answer your question, the opportunity that I think excites me is to see a story where the Targaryens are still at the height of their power in terms of controlling the kingdom, but don't have their dragons anymore. We know that from Game of Thrones, where we start with no dragons. Our show has many dragons. But there's an in-between point where the Targaryens are still ruling as a powerful dynasty. And I think there's a really fascinating story to be told there, in the fresh wake of our particular period of history: how do you pursue rule when you don't have the threat of these nuclear weapons at your fingertips, like you did in your recent past? That seems like an interesting place to explore for me.

House of the Dragon season 3 streams on HBO Max in the US from June 21, and on HBO Max and NOW in the UK from June 22. For more, For more, check out our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and shows or all the new TV shows on the way.

As Loverboy once said, everybody's working for the weekend – because there's no better time to get stuck into the biggest and best streaming releases around. Wondering what to watch on your precious days off? We've got you covered.

Below you'll find a rundown of the 6 must-watch releases from across all the best streaming services, meaning there's a recommendation for everyone, whatever you subscribe to. And this weekend is a doozy, with the long-awaited return of a flagship HBO show, two returning prestige shows featuring suave men in suits, a bingeable Harlan Coben mystery, and a new show that could fill the vacuum left behind by Crazy Rich Asians.

If it's a movie you're after, and you don't fancy a trip to a packed theater to see Toy Story 5 (or you're not in the mood for one of the best sci-fi movies on Netflix), then there's the latest entry in a young adult romance franchise that audiences can't get enough of. With so much on offer, the problem is how you can fit everything in and still squeeze a bit of outside time into your weekend as well. So read on for our weekend streaming picks, and exactly where to find them.

House of the Dragon season 3

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: HBO Max (US and UK), NOW/Sky (UK)

The Dance of the Dragons continues in House of the Dragon season 3. You may recall that season 2 ended with the respective forces of Team Black and Team Green marching towards battle (if you don't, our House of the Dragon recap has you covered). Well, season 3 is set to deliver on two years of delayed gratification, as the new season opens with the Battle of the Gullet – one of the bloodiest naval battles in the history of Westeros.

In other words, House of the Dragon season 3 wastes no time getting back to the action. Our 4* House of the Dragon season 3 review even calls it "the most explosive start to a Westeros-set season to date," so be sure to tune in when the first episode drops this weekend. Our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule will make sure you know exactly when to tune in, wherever you may be.

For more viewing inspiration, check out our guide to the best HBO shows.

Sugar season 2

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Apple TV

If you watched the first season of this Colin Farrell-starring LA detective show, you'll know the marketing materials are concealing a huge and frankly bonkers twist. We won't spoil it here, but let's just say there's more to Sugar than a movie-loving private eye solving missing-person mysteries around Tinseltown.

Sugar's second season features a whole new case involving the missing brother of a boxer on the verge of the big leagues, and sees Marvel/The Last of Us star Tony Dalton join the cast as a corrupt sheriff. Tune in before someone spoils the surprise…

For what else to watch, here's our pick of the best Apple TV shows.

The Agency season 2

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Paramount Plus

A remake of the critically acclaimed French spy thriller The Bureau, The Agency stars Michael Fassbender as a CIA operative navigating the twisty, subterfuge-filled world of international espionage, and offers a more grounded take on the spy genre than the likes of Jack Ryan.

Working from rock-solid source material, the story alone makes this a must-watch. But it's got a heck of a cast as well; alongside Fassbender, Richard Gere, Jeffrey Wright, Jodie Turner-Smith and John Magaro feature, many stepping into the spotlight this season after operating on the sidelines in season 1.

For what else to watch, here's our pick of the best shows on Paramount Plus.

I Will Find You

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Netflix

Writer-producer Harlan Coben has become an industry unto himself. I Will Find You is the latest of his many beach reads to be adapted for binge viewing, and stars Avatar's Sam Worthington as a father jailed for the murder of his son, only to discover in prison that his missing child could still be alive.

Intriguing premise, right? I Will Find You also features a typically stacked cast for a Coben adaptation: Severance's Britt Lower, Heroes' Milo Ventimiglia and Gotham's Erin Richards also star. Just don't start watching too late at night, because the moreish episodes will keep you up till sunrise.

If this doesn't tickle your fancy, check out our list of the best Netflix shows.

The Season

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Hulu/Disney Plus

If you've ever found yourself wondering why a sequel to Crazy Rich Asians is still stuck in development hell, The Season should tide you over till China Rich Girlfriend finally goes into production. Set in the luxury world of Hong Kong's elite boating scene (we're all familiar, I'm sure), it's the kind of show where scandal, betrayal and, eventually, murder are par for the course.

Shadow and Bone's Jessie Mei Lee leads the cast as something of an interloper who throws a cat among the pigeons or, rather, a shark among the superyachts. Reviewers have called it "Succession meets Crazy Rich Asians," while the Hong Kong locations are as glamorous as they come. Perfect weekend binge-viewing that may give you a few summer holiday ideas.

For more on what to watch, here's our guide to the best shows on Disney Plus.

Your Fault: London

Available: UK/UK
Where to watch: Prime Video

If you haven't gotten on board with this prolific series of romantic dramas yet, now is the perfect time. A follow-up to My Fault: London (so be sure to watch that first), it stars Asha Banks and Matthew Broome as madly in love twentysomethings whose commitment to one another is tested by conflicting desires.

An English-language adaptation of the wildly popular Spanish-language trilogy Culpables, the Fault movies may not be high art, but they are very watchable. And the best news is the third film in the trilogy – Our Fault: London – was shot back-to-back with the second movie, meaning a sequel is already in the can.

After this, give our guide on the best Prime Video movies a look for your next viewing inspiration.

If nothing on our list seems right for you, have a read of our guides to the best Netflix movies, the best Prime Video shows, and the best Apple TV movies you can watch right now.

The iconic Game of Thrones theme will be changed in a "small but noticeable way" for House of the Dragon season 3.

As revealed by Screen Rant, composer Ramin Djawadi has updated one of TV's most iconic pieces of music to better mirror the upcoming House of the Dragon season's darker tone. According to the outlet, that includes drums being added to the beginning of the track.

Showrunner Ryan Condal shared, "We wanted to mark the darker tone this season with something small but noticeable. When Ramin shared this update to his iconic theme, we knew it was the way to go."

Before you complain, remember: the Game of Thrones theme isn't sacrosanct. Earlier this year, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms introduced a playful – and bowel-twisting – take on the iconic music that accompanied the opening credits across all eight Game of Thrones seasons.

It should come as little surprise that House of the Dragon wants to punch things up for its epic third season.

With tensions between Team Black and Team Green boiling over in the Westeros civil war (and that's putting it mildly), the third season will premiere with one of the franchise's biggest battles in its history – the naval Battle of the Gullet.

It's "arguably the craziest episode of television ever made," showrunner Ryan Condal gushed to Entertainment Weekly.

House of the Dragon season 3 hits our screens on June 21 in the US and June 22 in the UK.

For more, check out the new TV shows on the way. Then discover what you need to know about the House of the Dragon season 3 premiere with our guide to the House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule.

House of the Dragon season 3 is about to kick off as we return to the ongoing civil war between the Targaryens, known as The Dance of the Dragons. Set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, this was a prolific time in Westeros and set the scene for how the Targaryen dynasty began to crumble. Starting when King Viserys was in power, the ambitious HBO prequel has so far focussed on how his line of succession caused a split in the household.

Long story short, he named his daughter Rhaenyra Targaryen as the heir to the Iron Thone but when he died, his second wife Alicent Hightower claimed he changed his mind and named their son, Aegon Targaryen, as the one true heir. This caused the dynasty to split into two sides, nicknamed the Greens and the Blacks.

Death and bloodshed have already reigned terror for both and, as we step into season 3, Rhaenyra has Dragonstone and Aegon has King's Landing – but a new battle is set to change the dynamic for good.

Ahead of the new episodes arriving then, we've compiled a House of the Dragon recap featuring all of the major moments that you need to remember so far.

The Triarchy Alliance and lead-up to Battle of the Gullet

Throughout the second season of House of the Dragon, Team Green were hit with a blockage of supplies spearheaded by Team Black. The Velaryon blockade has slowly been starving King's Landing so in order to create a new line of supply, Tyland Lannister was shipped off to Essos to form an alliance with the Triarchy.

When he arrives, he meets Admiral Sharako Lohar who challenges him to an unusual task in order to win their alliance: a mudwrestling match against her. He succeeds and with a hefty sum of gold, they agree to an alliance, setting sail and setting up the Battle of the Gullet.

Dragons: The Dragonseeds and Rhaena's hunt for a dragon

In order to even out the number of Dragons on each side, Rhaenyra comes up with a plan to gain more riders for the remaining dragons waiting in Dragonstone. This is called the Dragonseeds project and sees her and Jace finding Targaryen bastards from around the kingdom.

After a few failed attempts, she secures three new dragon riders, including blacksmith Hugh Hammer who claims Vermithor and drunkard Ulf White who rides Silverwing. The third rider is Addam, who is the half-Valyrian bastard of Lord Corlys Velaryon, who bends the knee to Rhaenyra when he is claimed by Sea Smoke.

Addam's brother is Alyn of Hull, who does not follow in his brother's footsteps to become a dragon rider, but instead becomes First Mate under Corlys. He'll play a prominent role in the upcoming Battle of the Gullet.

It's not only the Targaryen bastards that are new dragon riders either, with Rhaena also busy trying to claim another wild dragon too in the Vale. We last saw her having mixed success trailing Sheepstealer so we're likely to see that story thread continue in season 3 as well.

Daemon's alliances and Harrenhaal vision

After causing all kinds of trouble for Rhaenyra at Harrenhaal, at the end of House of the Dragon season 2, Daemon was shown a very important vision by Alys Rivers at the weirwood tree. She showed him a future that looked all too familiar for Game of Thrones fans, White Walkers approaching from the North, Daenerys Targaryen and her dragon hatchlings, and the three-eyed raven.

This cemented Daemon's loyalty, finally squashing his own desires to rule. He returned home to Dragonstone and vowed to fight for his queen, bringing with him an army from the Riverlands.

Larys and Aegon team-up

Following Aegon's burning at the hands of Aemond, he was left on the verge of death. Larys Strong was the one who helped him recover, and at the end of season 2, he convinces him they must flee.

He's had a concern for a while now that Aemond would be sacrificed at Alicent's hands so they plan to hide out while the war unfolds before making his triumphant return as the one true king when the dust has settled.

Meanwhile Aemond, who has been in charge after Aegon's incapacitation, is now planning to fly to the Riverlands. After trying to recruit his sister Helaena to fly with him, she warned him that Aegon will be king again and that he will die, settling up doom ahead for Aemond.

Rhaenyra and Alicent meet up

After Rhaenyra previously snuck to King's Landing to make a plea with Alicent for peace, the tides turned. Alicent comes to Dragonstone to give her former best friend a warning about Aemond's plans.

She tells her that this will leave Helaena in charge, and they will open the gates for Rhaenyra to take King's Landing. Rhaenyra warns her that to take the throne, she will need to take Aegon's head – and Alicent agrees to this steep cost.

House of the Dragon releases on HBO in the US on June 21, and streams on HBO and HBO Max and Now from June 22 in the UK. For more, check out our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and shows.

House of the Dragon season 3 has earned an impressive Rotten Tomatoes score, putting it on par with some of the best Game of Thrones seasons. The HBO show is currently sitting at an impressive 97% on the review aggregation website, which matches the two highest-rated seasons of Game of Thrones, season 2 and season 4.

If you'll recall, some of the best episodes in the whole run of the fantasy series happened in these two seasons. This includes 'Blackwater', which is arguably one of the best battles on screen in Westeros, and the unforgettable 'The Mountain and the Viper', which saw Pedro Pascal's Oberyn Martell meet a grisly end.

This also marks the highest-rated season of House of the Dragon yet, with season 1 clocking in at 90% and season 2 at 84%. Both very respectable, but much lower than the season 3's score so far. These critic reviews are based on the first four episodes of the new season, which kicks off with an epic sea battle, the Battle of the Gullet.

Our own House of the Dragon season 3 review gave the show four stars, saying it "could be the best season of a Westeros-set show in over a decade". Our reviewer wrote: "Burning bright from the opening episode's Battle of the Gullet, House of the Dragon season 3 repositions the Targaryen civil war's key players, operating as a thrilling fresh start for the fiery Game of Thrones prequel."

The new season adapts the next chapter of the Dance of the Dragons, the extremely bloody Targaryen Civil War. It will take the story closer to its conclusion too, with season 4 planned to be the final outing of the HBO show, meaning the end is in sight for the fight for the Iron Throne.

House of the Dragon releases on HBO in the US on June 21, and streams on HBO Max and Now from June 22 in the UK. For what else to watch, here's our guide to all of the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and shows.

House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal suggests audiences should prepare for new character Ormund Hightower's arrival.

"He's the Lord of the Hightower, basically the Tywin Lannister [Charles Dance] of this world," Condal says in the latest issue of SFX. "He's the richest guy who's not sitting on a throne somewhere. Ormund has the largest standing army left in Westeros and a dragon, so he is going to introduce a big old wrinkle into this. Ormund is really a sketch in the book and we don't have a sense of who he is, so it was really fun diving in and creating a really deep, complex and three-dimensional character out of him that introduces a new kind of complication into the world."

Ormund is the first cousin of Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) and the nephew of Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans). In the books, he's the head of House Hightower and Lord of Oldtown during the Dance of the Dragons... and in the show, we can only guess that, since it happens to virtually every single Game of Thrones character, he meets a tragic end.

Ormund is played by James Norton, who is perhaps best known for his leading role in the British crime drama Happy Valley (though he's best known in my heart for playing Meg March's husband John in Greta Gerwig's 2019 adaptation of Little Women). Norton famously admitted to never watching Game of Thrones before taking on the role, telling an interviewer that he had no idea who Little Finger was (and therefore couldn't speak to whether he was the "Little Finger" of House of the Dragon).

House of the Dragon season 3 arrives on HBO Max this June 21 in the US, and June 22 on HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK. In the meantime, check out our guide to the most exciting upcoming TV shows to fill out your watchlist.

House of the Dragon actor Abubakar Salim is set to be a focal point in one of the series' biggest ever battles. Excitingly, he also took inspiration from God of War for his upcoming performance.

Salim, who plays bastard child Alyn of Hull in the HBO series, found parallels with his seafaring character and that of the Ghost of Sparta ahead of his pibotal role in the third season's Battle of the Gullet.

“Kratos is a man who has also been wronged by his father, who is trying to start anew with a family, who has only felt and seen rage and felt wronged by his lineage," Salim told Polygon.

Salim, who portrayed Bayek in 2017's Assassin's Creed Origins, added, "There’s a lot to unpack there and [find] similarities with Alyn. Alyn’s power comes from rage – this kind of unkempt anger – and I think it’s dangerous. In moments of crisis, or in moments of fighting, he taps into that."

In case there was any doubt about the influence of Kratos on Alyn, Salim confirmed, "I was very much leaning into Kratos that whole time. It was like God of War. Pull this in. Kill whatever I can. It was really something."

The Battle of the Gullet, one of the biggest naval battles in Westeros' storied history, is one of the turning points in the civil war for the crown. Showrunner Ryan Condal described season 3's premiere as "arguably the craziest episode of television ever made" in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. No pressure, then.

Already, we're getting flashbacks to Kratos' explosive entrance way back in his first game, which saw the PlayStation icon take on a Hydra in its opening hour.

Kratos himself is also shuffling his way onto screen as part of Prime Video's live-action God of War TV show, with Ryan Hurst playing the ashen deity. The first look was revealed earlier this year, though fans weren't especially impressed. A new game, God of War Laufey, was confirmed at this month's State of Play.

House of the Dragon season 3 premieres on June 21 in the US and on NOW TV, Sky and HBO Max on June 22 in the UK.

For more, check out the new TV shows currently in the works.

Baldur's Gate 3 Karlach actor Samantha Béart has teased more about whether the "key cast" will return for the HBO sequel TV show – with some suitably on-brand NSFW humor.

"[Show creator] Craig Mazin has personally expressed to me his belief that the key cast of Baldur's Gate 3 should be meaningfully on-screen on the show as someone familiar or someone new," Béart said when asked about the upcoming series by our colleagues at the Future Games Show.

But in the video itself, which you can see below, Béart is in a typically cheeky mood about Mazin, who has previous in the video game adaptation space with HBO's The Last of Us.

Yes, you read that right: 'Karlach Cliffgate pegged Craig Mazin and he loved it.' Those are words that appeared on-screen, those are words I'm writing, and those are words you're reading right now.

After you got that mental image out of your head – or saved for later, we're not judging – it appears Béart is inviting speculation on whether Baldur's Gate 3's motley crew of larger-than-life characters will be returning for the show – which is set after the events of Larian's RPG masterpiece. Further still, it leaves the matter of whether the game actors will reprise their role open-ended. For us, some actors are their character, and we would have some trouble seeing new faces pop up in certain roles.

It also begs the question on which choices and Act 3 consequences will become crystalized in canon. Just who will be around in the party by the events of the HBO show, anyway?

"After putting nearly 1000 hours into the incredible world of Baldur's Gate 3, it is a dream come true to be able to continue the story that Larian and Wizards of The Coast created," Mazin said in a statement upon the project's announcement. "I am a devoted fan of D&D and the brilliant way that [Larian CEO] Swen Vincke and his gifted team adapted it. I can't wait to help bring Baldur's Gate and all of its incredible characters to life with as much respect and love as we can, and I'm deeply grateful to Gabe Marano and his team at Hasbro for entrusting me with this incredibly important property."

Little else is known about the Baldur's Gate 3 TV show, though we anticipate Mazin will have his hands full with The Last of Us season 3 before then.

For more, check out the full list of upcoming video game movies in the works, plus all the new PS5 games and new Xbox Series X games on the horizon.

It looks like Abby has yet another enemy to face in The Last of Us season 3, as the HBO show has added another significant Seraphite.

Peter Sarsgaard, who played ill-fated DA Gil Colson in The Batman, among many other roles, has been cast as a Seraphite leader named Amon, as reported by Deadline. We don't know much about Amon, as the character is new to the show, and doesn't appear in the Naughty Dog game, which the show closely adapts. However, if he is anything like the Seraphites in The Last of Us season 2, both Abby and Lev better watch their backs.

The Seraphites are a religious cult that believes the apocalypse and the Cordyceps brain infection came as a punishment from God for human sin. In The Last of Us Part II, the group is colloquially known as the Scars, due to their 'Glasgow Smiles.' Abby and Ellie frequently encounter members of the group when travelling around Seattle.

In the show, the cult is split into different groups led by prophets that all spread the same message. When we first meet the Seraphites, they seem peaceful, and it is unclear why the Wolves target them. However, as the second season goes on, the group becomes more violent. In one scene, a young Seraphite spots Ellie, and the group prepares to sacrifice her, but she escapes.

It is not clear how big of a role Sarsgaard will play, as season 3 has been filming since March. However, production has been paused for about a month. This may be due to the FIFA World Cup, as Vancouver, where much of The Last of Us is filmed, is due to host one of the tournaments. This shouldn't disrupt filming too much, though, as Deadline reports that production is expected to go on until the end of 2026.

Season 2 of The Last of Us followed the battle with the WLF from Ellie's side, but right at the end, as teased in the finale, there is a reset, with season 3 expected to go over the same events from Abby's perspective. This mimics the structure of the second game, which tells overlapping stories from opposing sides.

The Last of Us season 3 is expected to premiere on HBO in 2027. For more, check out our guide to the best shows on HBO Max, and keep up with new TV shows on the way.

As another weekend approaches, so do new streaming releases. So, if you're wondering what to watch this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, you're in for a treat as several new movies and TV shows hit the big streaming platforms.

HBO Max has a returning superhero show as My Adventures with Superman season 3 arrives, as well as a hit horror movie in They Will Kill You, which is available to watch now as well. Prime Video is dialling up the romance with new show Every Year After as Apple TV Plus gets us ready for a hugely-anticipated finale with the penultimate episode of Widow's Bay.

If it's a movie you're after, Disney Plus is releasing a special extended addition of its 2014 hit Muppets Most Wanted. Then over on Netflix you can see a beautifully crafted stop-motion fantasy film called I Am Frankelda. With so many variety on offer, there's plenty to keep you busy this weekend. So read on for why we recommend these picks – and how exactly you can stream them.

My Adventures with Superman season 3

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: HBO Max

Clark Kent is back in My Adventures with Superman season 3, which arrives on HBO this week. The third season returns to Metropolis as our titular hero faces new enemies, including a brutal Cyborg Superman who claims to be better than the Man of Steel in every possible way. In order to defeat this threat, Supes teams up with Supergirl, Jimmy Olsen, and Lois Lane to bring order back to the city.

Set across 10 episodes, the new outing is just as action-packed and full of heart as previous seasons as it manages to explore a new side to this much-adapted hero. The Boys star Jack Quaid returns as Superman alongside newcomers Max Mittelman as Cyborg Supes and Darren Criss as Superboy. The show is airing weekly on HBO Max following its release on Toonami, and is well worth a watch.

For more viewing inspiration, check out our guide to the best HBO shows.

Widow's Bay episode 9

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Apple TV Plus

Our time in the, ahem, charming town of Widow's Bay is almost at an end as the show's penultimate episode arrives this week. The Matthew Rhys-led series has been one of the big surprises of 2026 so far, working as both a hilarious horror satire as well as gripping and tense thriller. There are so many questions remaining in the penultimate episode as we wait for next week's finale so there's never been a better time to make sure you're up to date before the final episode airs.

And if you needed any more convincing to book a ferry trip over, then the reviews speak for themselves. Currently sitting at 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, the Guardian gave the show five out of five stars, saying it's "Mare of Easttown meets Schitt's Creek, but with something else that makes it singular". What more could you want? Widow's Bay episode 9 is streaming now on Apple TV Plus.

For what else to watch, here's our pick of the best Apple TV series.

Every Year After

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Prime Video

Prime Video is well known as the place to be for romantic dramas. Not only did their show The Summer I Turned Pretty become a global hit, but they've also had new romantic series like Off Campus and Maxton Hall win over viewers. Now another new entry is joining the list as Every Year After arrives on the streamer.

Based on the novel 'Every Summer After' by Carley Fortune, the eight-part drama follows Percy Fraser and Sam Florek, two best friends who find themselves constantly drawn back to each other. Think One Day meets Virgin River, the series is all about whether the one that got away is truly gone forever. All episodes are available to stream now.

We've also got a round-up of the best shows on Prime Video.

I Am Frankelda

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Netflix

Get lost in a new dark fantasy world in I Am Frankelda, an absorbing stop-motion story set between the real world and the world of terrors. It follows a young aspiring writer called Francisca Imelda in 19th century Mexico who is approached by a prince to help write more nightmares. As he explains to her, if humans are no longer scared, then his kingdom of terrors will cease to exist.

The Mexican movie was first released in 2025 but will be landing globally on Netflix this weekend. The filmmakers were inspired by Guillermo del Toro and his visual language of fantastical creatures and dark fantasy can be felt throughout. If you love the art that goes into this kind of filmmaking as well as getting lost in a new world, this is definitely one to add to your weekend watchlist. Did we mention it was a musical too?

If this doesn't tickle your fancy, check out our list of the best Netflix fantasy movies available now.

Muppets Most Wanted Extended Edition

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Disney Plus

While it's not something we were necessarily expecting, it's always a treat to have more Muppets to enjoy. This weekend Disney Plus is releasing a special longer edition of the 2014 movie Muppets Most Wanted. Previously only available on the Blu-Ray, this version features 12 minutes of extra footage. Fans who have seen it have called it the definitive version of the beloved movie as it subtly reshapes the story in a very satisfying way.

The additions include added character beats and more jokes, as well as expanded musical numbers. Viewers can enjoy extra verses and gags in this new version, which seems like a perfect watch for muppets fans and those wanting revisit the fun movie more than a decade on from its first release. Muppets Most Wanted Extended Edition arrives on June 14.

For more on what to watch, here's our guide to the best movies on Disney Plus.

They Will Kill You

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: HBO Max

An action horror described by some as John Wick meets Tarantino is arriving on HBO Max this weekend. They Will Kill You stars Joker's Zazie Beetz, Severance's Patricia Arquette, and Harry Potter's Tom Felton in a thriller full of surprises. The story follows an ex-convict who answers a cryptic ad to become a housekeeper at a mysterious New York City highrise. However, when she's there, she soon realizes that this is not an ordinary home.

Several people have vanished from the building over the decades and it seems like a satanic cult may be the reason why. It's only been a few months since it came out in theaters, but you can already enjoy the gory slasher from the comfort of your sofa as it arrives on HBO Max.

After this, give our guide on the best HBO movies a look for your next viewing inspiration.

If nothing on our list seems right for you, have a read of our guides to the best Netflix shows, the best Prime Video movies, and the best Apple TV movies you can watch right now.

Animated House of the Dragon prequel show, Nine Voyages, is still "ongoing" according to Sea Snake actor Steve Toussaint, who has revealed he spoke to George R.R. Martin only last month.

Speaking to ScreenRant ahead of House of the Dragon season 3, Toussaint explained how the project switched from a planned live-action spin-off to an animated prequel around the release of House of the Dragon's first season, and that he could still voice a 21-year-old Lord Corlys in animated form.

"When we were shooting season 1, it was mooted and I was like, 'Oh my God, that'd be great.' And then I thought, 'I can't play 21 again. Oh shit, it's too late,'" Toussaint said. "And then George [R.R. Martin] said to me, 'Oh no, it'll be animated.' And I was like, 'Okay, great.' But that's the last I heard. I saw George just a few weeks ago and as far as I'm aware, it's ongoing. I don't know what stage they're at with it, but it's still a possibility. But other than that, I don't know."

Nine Voyages is one of the many (many) upcoming Games of Thrones movies and TV shows in development, set to greatly expand the World of Westeros on screen. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 2 is already in production, an Aegon's Conquest movie is being written by Andor scribe Beau Willimon, and a Jon Snow sequel show could seemingly still happen, despite earlier reports it had been scrapped.

House of the Dragon season 3 hits screens in just over a week, and will kick off with the long-awaited Battle of the Gullet, which showrunner Ryan Condal claims is the "craziest episode of television ever made." Lord Corlys is set to play a major role in the action, as Triarchy Admiral Sharako Lohar seeks vengeance on the Sea Snake.

The Battle of the Gullet, of course, was supposed to be a part of the truncated second season, before the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strikes played havoc with production and delayed the battle to season 3. But Condal says that hasn't affected the plan for seasons 3 or 4. Condal and his team are ahead of schedule, in fact, and have already started showing season 4 scripts to HBO.

Nine Voyages does not currently have a release date. House of the Dragon season 3 premieres on HBO on June 21 in the US, and on HBO Max, Now and Sky in the UK on June 22. For more, check out our guide to all the new TV shows coming in 2026 and beyond.

House of the Dragon season 3 will show a different side to Rhaenyra Targaryen, following on from fan complaints of her being constantly side-lined in the action. This will mark another big change for the dragon queen, who we've already seen evolve from a rebellious teenager to a young woman broken by grief.

According to showrunner Ryan Condal, the way her character is constantly changing is "the special sauce to the show." Speaking at a recent press conference attended by GamesRadar+, he said: "I think that's also the thing that Game of Thrones established so well, is your understanding of who a character was. Jaime Lannister, when he throws Bran out the window, is different than the Jaime Lannister you see midway through the show, when he's got one hand and he's running around with Brienne."

"With our big characters that we spent a lot of time with in the show, you go through similar experiences with them. Just because who the character is in this single moment in time does not mean that is who that character is all time, and that would be boring to do," he added. "We tried to put them through experiences, apply outside pressures to them from characters and story, and then see how it results in change, and I think Rhaenyra is the prime example of that."

In season 3, Rhaenyra star Emma D'Arcy has teased that their character will be more "active" in the new episodes. Teasing her arc in the third season, Condal pointed to where we began back in season one. "We've seen her be raised by Viserys, who was a flawed king who chose her over her uncle to succeed him, and then kept her his successor, even though he had a son afterwards, which caused a whole bunch of conflict," he explained.

"Viserys made a lot of mistakes, but he did invest entirely with Rhaenyra, and I think beyond his death, she takes that really and tries to rule as she learned from Viserys in season two. She's trying to rule by consensus."

Now in the third season, "there's a point where she has to make a moral compromise for her family, for herself, for her claim. And then this idea of predestination, and all these big ideas that we play with in epic fantasy. "

House of the Dragon season 3 begins on HBO Max on June 21 in the US and June 22 on HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK. For more, check out our guide to all the new TV shows coming in 2026 and beyond.

House of the Dragon season 2 left viewers on the brink of a huge battle before delaying the action until season 3. Showrunner Ryan Condal has been candid in the past about the challenges leading to this decision, but he's now opened up about why he thinks it will be a great way to start the show's upcoming third season.

The Battle of the Gullet – one of the biggest naval battles in Game of Thrones history – opens the third season. And as you might expect from such a huge moment, it was a challenge to bring it to the screen.

"There were just challenges, logistical challenges like resources, and how are we going to do this, and how are we going to do justice to the challenge of the biggest naval battle ever waged in the history of Westeros, which is not a small challenge to rise to," Condal said at a recent press conference attended by GamesRadar+. "In terms of the rhythm of the seasons, I think it's very fun. People have become accustomed to Game of Thrones seasons having a slow build, and then there's an explosion midway through and certainly near the end."

He added that he thinks switching this up will "put people back on their heels in a good way". Condal continued: "It just comes out so heavy and unexpectedly, but it also sets the tone for where we're going with the story. We're not spending our entire budget, even though it might feel that way. There is lots of escalation to come from here, so I think it certainly changes the tone of the storytelling of House of the Dragon."

The showrunner added an ominous tease too, continuing: "It's like, 'Oh we are really playing for keeps now, you know?' I don't think anyone or anything is safe from here forward."

House of the Dragon season 3 begins on HBO Max on June 21 in the US and June 22 on HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK. For more, check out our guide to all the new TV shows coming in 2026 and beyond.

House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal says we can expect season 3 to get even darker, as the show is staying pretty faithful to the Fire and Blood saga.

"I mean, I don't know. Do you, do we really expect happy endings in Westeros? I think this show goes to extremely dark places, places we've been, places we're yet to go," Condal said at a press conference attended by GamesRadar+. "But I will say, one of the big challenges of adapting Fire and Blood is not making this an aimless, bleak death march, just because of the nature of the history. It's based on The Anarchy, which is this very dark period. This one family that tears itself apart over whether a woman should sit on the throne. That's this great period in British history and the islands acting on either side."

It's wild to think that the show could get any darker given that House of the Dragon season 2 adapted the Blood and Cheese arc and gave us a brutal decapitation... but this is the world of Game of Thrones, after all. It can truly only get worse from here (and those of us who've read the books know that it absolutely does).

"I will say, you know, even, even the slimmest glimmers of light in the rain of the darkest storm, the single light through the cloud seems that much brighter," Condal continued. "Yeah, I think you know, we're crafting a very faithful adaptation of Fire and Blood and the history of Westeros at this point, but I acknowledge trying to leave people with some sense of, you know, hope and humanity, launching the Targaryens off into their next sort of chapter."

"And how much did they learn anything from this incredibly bleak and self-destructive part of their history? I don't think happy endings are on the menu, but I would say leaving the audience with something to hang their hat on at the end is something I'm taking very to heart, as we're now writing season four."

The series is set to end after season 4... and no spoilers, but, uh, it isn't going to be a good time for the Greens nor the Blacks. Luckily, the much more lighthearted Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is likely to continue on for a few more seasons... so at least we get to giggle in the face of tragedy. Plus, a feature-length movie and a stage play are also on the way, the latter set to debut on the West End at the end of this year.

House of the Dragon season 3 arrives on HBO Max this June 21 in the US, and June 22 on HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK.

In the meantime, check out our guide to the most exciting upcoming TV shows to fill out your watchlist.

House of the Dragon season 2 had its fair share of fire and blood, but persistent fan criticisms surrounded the second installment in the Dance of the Dragons – especially Rhaenyra's perceived passivity and the slow pace of the war between the Greens and the Blacks, culminating in a finale that felt more like set-up than a fitting conclusion.

According to showrunner Ryan Condal, the complaints didn't affect season 3, however. "No, I mean, we continued on with – we had a plan from the outset, and the show has always been, 'We have a plan, we're not going to stop and listen to the noise in between,'" he said at a press conference attended by GamesRadar+, answering a question about the divided reactions to the end of season 2.

"I will say with a four season show, you have to wait two years in between each chapter, but, ultimately, this is one story," he continued. "I mean, to get upset about something midway, [it's like] the act in the middle of a play that you don't like. You know, you don't like the turn that the story took in the middle of the play because, you know, there's a whole other two acts coming.

"I get the frustration, it's a long time, down time, between seasons. It just takes time shooting [the] show. This is after scripts are written, it takes a year, and then it takes seven months to make dragons, so do the math. It's not possible to come out every year. I'm very sorry, but you had to be fans of the show called House of the Dragon."

By the sounds of things, Condal thinks season 3 is going to satisfy fans, too. "We stuck with our plan, and I think everybody's patience will be rewarded in a couple of weeks," he said.

Rhaenyra actor Emma D'Arcy has also previously addressed fan frustration. "Rhaenyra has primarily been in a reactionary position," they shared recently. "She spent a lot of time in season 1 and season 2 backed into a corner, treading water to an extent, trying to preserve a very tenuous position. I have shared with an audience a desire for her to move into a more active, front-footed position. I wanted to see what happens when that character stops having to apologize."

And, we know that season 3 will open with the long-awaited Battle of the Gullet, a bloody naval battle that Condal has already hyped up as the show's version of Helm's Deep.

House of the Dragon season 3 arrives on HBO Max this June 21 in the US, and June 22 on HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK.

In the meantime, check out our guide to the most exciting upcoming TV shows to fill out your watchlist.

House of the Dragon season 3 just raised the temperature at SXSW London. During an hour-long panel diving into the imminent third season, behind-the-scenes footage and a previously unreleased clip from the opening episode were shown, teasing the much-anticipated Battle of the Gullet.

The footage, according to showrunner and HotD co-creator Ryan Condal, was from the "early moments" of the sequence, and featured Lord Corlys (Steve Toussaint) and his illegitimate son, Alyn (Abubakar Salim), on the deck of the Queen Who Never Was, before hell is unleashed. "This sequence, I will confidently say, is unlike anything ever been done on television before," Condal claimed, after noting that the idea of bringing the Battle of the Gullet to screen had been "haunting" him and production designer Jim Clay for "the better part" of four years. "Certainly the amount of construction that you guys did for just for one episode is kind of crazy and frankly irresponsible, but it was necessary to tell the story."

One of the bloodiest battles in all of Westeros history, the Battle of the Gullet is a major inflection point in the Dance of the Dragons, aka the civil war between Team Green and Team Black. "Even within the bloody, awful history of the Dance of the Dragons," Condal said. "The Gullet stands out even to those historians as one of the worst things that happened in that history. We had to dramatize it, we had to show it." Only recently, Condal described the multi-terrain battle as "arguably the craziest episode of television ever made."

Alongside Toussaint and Salim, also in attendance were several cast members who have a fateful part to play in the Gullet: Harry Collett (Prince Jacaerys), Jefferson Hall (Ser Tyland Lannister) and Abigail Thorn (Sharako Lohar). "That first clash, the energy was almost like a mosh pit, and it was frightening," Salim recalled. "Because it wasn't about picking sides, it was about surviving, and you could feel that."

Four ship sets, two massive tanks (one dry, one wet), and 3 million liters of water were used to bring the bloody battle to the screen – an enormous undertaking for a single episode of television. "We needed to do three straight hours of just chamber drama to be able to pay for the first episode," quipped Condal. Unlike most Thrones season openers, which tend to slowly and methodically set the stage for the fireworks to come, The Battle of the Gullet gets season 3 off to an explosive start that will hardly let up all season.

"Really, the season does have a feeling of relentlessness to it," Condal said. "There is a feeling that this episode in particular, the event set in motion at the end of season two, does flick the boulder that starts to roll down the hill, and there is the sense of inexorability. At points in the story up to here, it felt like, 'Oh, maybe we can claw this all back from the abyss, maybe there is a chance.' The reasonable, responsible adults in the story… seeing that armageddon is a possibility for one of the endpoints of this. But this season feels like it just starts moving at speed and never stops. And look, it's going to have a lot of the rhythms of previous seasons of the show. But this is the biggest season we have made by a huge margin."

House of the Dragon season 3 premieres on HBO Max on June 21 in the US and June 22 in the UK. For more, see our list of the best shows on HBO Max, or keep up with other upcoming TV shows heading your way.

With a new month comes a whole heap of new releases on streaming services to enjoy – and June is no exception. This first week brings with it several returning series as well as the release of a new Netflix original movie. Probably the most exciting pick of this weekend's options is Cape Fear, which adapts John D. MacDonald's The Executioners once again for the screen, this time starring Javier Bardem and Amy Adams.

That's by no means all there is to watch on the TV front either. On Prime Video, animated show The Legend of Vox Machina returns for its fourth season, which is now officially the penultimate season of the Critical Role adaptation. Then on AMC Plus, Interview With a Vampire returns with a new season titled The Vampire Lestat, which sees the titular vampire become a rockstar.

Films are equally as exciting this week as two major releases make their way onto streaming – and they couldn't be more different. Pixar movie Hoppers is now streaming on Disney Plus if you're after a family-friendly watch that's great fun, meanwhile Alexander Skarsgård's R-rated motorcycle romance is available on HBO Max. Finally, the queen of romantic comedies Jennifer Lopez is back for a new Netflix film written and starring Ted Lasso's Brett Goldstein.

Cape Fear

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Apple TV+

"Let me ask you a question, what is your worst fear?" Javier Bardem's chilling Max Cady asks in the new Apple TV Plus series Cape Fear. Based on John D. MacDonald's The Executioners, it follows Tom and Anna Bowden (played by Patrick Wilson and Amy Adams here) as they deal with Cady returning to their lives when he's released from prison. Vicious and unpredictable, he is after revenge from the pair who represented him 17 years ago.

If it sounds familiar, there's a reason. This book has actually been adapted twice before, by J. Lee Thompson in 1962 and by none other than Martin Scorsese in 1991. Scorsese is a producer on this version too alongside Steven Spielberg. And with such impressive talent on and behind the camera, it's no surprise that the show has been landing rave reviews already, with lots of praise for the performances from Bardem and Adams. The first two episodes are available to stream now with the rest of the limited series airing weekly.

Our list of the best Apple TV shows is packed with quality entertainment.

The Legend of Vox Machina season 4

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Prime Video

Based on Dungeons & Dragons web series Critical Role, The Legend of Vox Machina has won a lot of fans over its first three seasons for its fun, irreverent take on this beloved world. Now the show is back with a fourth outing, balancing comedy and adventure across 12 new episodes. This time, we pick up with Vox Machina, a year after they separated following the Chroma Conclave. Adventure, and a new evil rising, bring them back together once again to face an epic enemy.

Most of the voice cast are back for the penultimate season of the animated show, including the return of fan-favorite character Taryon Darrington (voiced by Wayne Brady). There's also a surprise introduction of Lord of the Rings star Andy Serkis too, who is voicing a mystery role in the new season, which you won't want to miss. The first three episodes are available now on Prime Video with new triple episode drops continuing until June 24.

For what else to watch, check out our guide to the best Prime Video shows.

The Vampire Lestat

Available: US
Where to watch: AMC+

Now before you start wondering if there's another new spin-off series arriving in the Anne Rice AMC universe, The Vampire Lestat is actually a continuation of the show that kicked this whole franchise off. This is Interview With the Vampire season 3, with a slight twist. Instead of continuing to tell this story from the point of view of Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson), the new episodes shift the perspective to Sam Reid's Lestat de Lioncourt after he wakes up in the modern world and becomes a rock star.

The change-up in format has definitely worked too as the series has debuted to a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes, with a lot of thanks due to Reid's magnetic performance as Lestat. This time around he uncovers new sides to his deeply flawed and interesting character and after all of the twists and turns in season 2, his relationship with Louis is still a key part of this story too and will unfurl in interesting ways across these seven episodes. The first episode arrives on June 7, with subsequent outings airing each Sunday on AMC Plus.

Office Romance

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Netflix

Rom-com queen Jennifer Lopez is back for a new Netflix movie written and starring Ted Lasso's Brett Goldstein. Office Romance sees Lopez play Jackie, the CEO of a fictional company called Air Cruz. Part of her iron fist rule of the company is an extremely rigid anti-fraternization policy for all her employees, which gets tested when lawyer Daniel (Goldstein) starts working for her and sparks fly.

It's pretty much exactly what you're asking for if you're in the mood for an easy, light-hearted watch. Goldstein's dialogue, co-scribed by Joe Kelly, adds an extra witty kick to this world too, making it an enjoyable watch. It's Lopez who is the real star here though, bringing back her goofball charm as a leading lady, well honed from movies like The Wedding Planner and Maid in Manhattan. You can watch Office Romance on Netflix now.

Check out our guide to the best Netflix movies for more great viewing.

Hoppers

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Disney+

Pixar's latest Hoppers is now available to watch on Disney Plus. The charming new animated movie imagines what might happen if scientists had discovered a way to transform human consciousness into robotic animals. Using the technology, our protagonist Mabel (voiced brilliantly by Piper Curda) "hops" into a robotic beaver to experience life as the animals live it. It's a great premise and one that Jesse Andrews' script handles deftly with humor, heart, and a lot of adventure.

The voice cast is pretty impressive too with Jon Hamm, Dave Franco, and Meryl Streep all starring in the movie. Widely called a return to form for Pixar, Hoppers received great reviews during its cinematic run so it's a bit of a no brainer to add it to your weekend streaming list too. The movie is available to watch right now as well, so what are you waiting for?

Check out our picks of the best Disney Plus movies for what else to watch.

Pillion

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: HBO Max

If you're looking for a darker romance that Netflix's new rom-com, then Pillion is another streaming option for you this weekend. The Alexander Skarsgård and Harry Melling-led film that won over critics at film festivals is now finally heading to HBO Max. It stars Melling as a timid gay man named Colin who's world is broadened by Skarsgård's Ray, an enigmatic biker. The pair start a BDSM relationship, which causes Colin to change in unexpected ways.

Written and directed by Harry Lighton, the film is based on the 2020 novel Box Hill by Adam Mars-Jones. Brilliant writing and absorbing performances really elevate this one, which you can stream on HBO Max now.

We've got a list of the best HBO Max movies you can watch right now too.

For more, check out our round up of the best Hulu movies and the best Prime Video movies you can also watch now.

The final House of the Dragon season 3 trailer has arrived, and it gives a surprising amount away.

In the new footage, which you can watch above, dragons descend on King's Landing, and Rhaenyra successfully takes the city. But, all is clearly not well, as Team Green works to undermine her rule, Alicent confronts her former friend, and Rhaenyra demands Aegon be brought to her.

We also get glimpses at the long-awaited Battle of the Gullet, a naval clash that promises to be huge.

"To try to tell this story without doing the Gullet would be trying to film Lord of the Rings without doing the Battle of Helm's Deep," showrunner Ryan Condal has previously teased. "If we were gonna do it, we had to do it right. And that meant dragons and ships and multiple theaters of conflict." Expect fireworks...

We can also expect Rhaenyra to take more of an active role this time around, as hinted at in the trailer. "Rhaenyra has primarily been in a reactionary position," Emma D'Arcy has shared. "She spent a lot of time in season 1 and season 2 backed into a corner, treading water to an extent, trying to preserve a very tenuous position. I have shared with an audience a desire for her to move into a more active, front-footed position. I wanted to see what happens when that character stops having to apologize."

House of the Dragon season 3 arrives this June 21 on HBO in the US and June 22 on HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK.

In the meantime, check out our guide to all the other most exciting upcoming shows to fill out your watchlist.

We've reached the end of May and while several of the month's major releases have already come out, there's still a few more exciting launches happening this week. Probably the most exciting pick is Nicolas Cage's first TV role, as he stars in new Prime Video Spider-Man series, Spider-Noir.

That's not the only exciting release in our list of the best new shows and movies to stream this week, either. There's also a new spin-off to Apple TV Plus' beloved series For All Mankind, which turns the focus to the Soviet Union. Netflix's runaway hit comedy The Four Seasons is also back for a hilarious second outing as well.

On the movie side, there's an under-the-radar horror movie landing on Hulu and Disney Plus, as well as an Oscar-winning drama. Then, just in case you missed it in theaters, Maggie Gyllenhaal's The Bride! is also now out on streaming, starring newly minted Oscar winner Jessie Buckley.

This is all just scratching the surface of what's available on streaming this week. For more of what to watch (and what you might have missed this month), read our guides on everything new on Netflix in May 2026, everything new on Disney Plus in May 2026, and everything new on Prime Video in May 2026.

Spider-Noir

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Prime Video

Nicolas Cage swings onto the small screen in new Spider-Man show, Spider-Noir. He stars as an aging private investigator and former superhero called Ben Reilly. When a new case lands on his desk, he must grapple with his past and decide whether he wants to become The Spider once again. It's set in an alternate universe to the rest of Sony's Spider-Man movies, but Cage did first play the role in the Spider-Verse films. However, this new show is based more on the comics, adapted by Oren Uziel to introduce a new version of this character in a slick, genre-driven drama.

One of the most fun parts about this release is that you can watch it in both black and white or color (read how to do that here). It's also landed some pretty positive reviews, with praise mostly falling at Cage's feet for his authentic performance. Our own Spider-Noir review gave it 3.5 stars with our reviewer calling it "a delightfully camp, low-stakes romp through 1930s New York City that proves Nicolas Cage is still cooler than all of us." You can stream all episodes of the 8-part show on Prime Video now.

See what else we recommend with our guide to the best TV shows on Prime Video.

The Four Seasons season 2

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Netflix

The Four Seasons was a breakout hit for Netflix when its first season arrived back in May 2025. It's all-star cast got viewers hooked with Tina Fey, Steve Carell, Colman Domingo, and Will Forte all appearing in lead roles. However, it was the deft balance of all-out laughs and more tender emotion that was what made the show so popular with viewers and critics alike.

Now the show is returning with a second season, which follows in the wake of season 1's shock death. This time around, the group of friends navigate three new vacations with more baggage and a baby in tow. All eight episodes are available to stream now.

See what else we recommend with our guide to the best shows on Netflix.

Star City

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Apple TV

For All Mankind is undoubtedly one of Apple TV's best shows currently airing, telling an alternate history where the USSR was the first nation to reach the moon. In the original show, this kicked off a more intense space race that has been told from the American perspective so far. Well, now, new spin-off Star City is changing the narrative, telling the story from the perspective of the Soviet space agency.

It's an intriguing premise that will likely appeal to fans of the original show as well as newcomers to this sci-fi universe. What's more, it's got a seriously stacked cast of dramatic talent. Rhys Ifans plays the chief designer of the program, while Anna Maxwell Martin is the head of the KGB surveillance department at Star City. Early reviews have been very positive for the new show, which has opened to a perfect Rotten Tomatoes score. The first two episodes arrive on May 29, airing weekly thereafter.

Our list of the best Apple TV shows is packed with quality entertainment.

The Bride!

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: HBO Max

Based on Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein and the 1935 movie Bride of Frankenstein, The Bride! tells a new story set in a very familiar world. After impressing with her directorial debut, The Lost Daughter, The Dark Knight star Maggie Gyllenhaal is in both the writing and directing chair for this one. It stars Christian Bale as 'Frank', the monster created by Dr. Frankenstein, opposite Jessie Buckley as the titular Bride, a woman who is brought back from the dead to be his companion.

Buckley's performance as a radical rebel drives much of the movie, which split critics between fervent admirers and confused observers. Called a sci-fi fantasy version of Sid and Nancy and Natural Born Killers, it seems destined to become a cult classic. It's well worth your streaming time this weekend to make up your own mind on the 2026 release. The movie is available to watch now on HBO Max in the UK and the US.

Check out our guide to the best HBO Max movies for more essential viewing.

Descendent

Available: US
Where to watch: Hulu/Disney Plus

This pacy horror likely flew under your radar when it was first released in 2025. Produced by Marvel filmmaking duo Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead (who worked on Moon Knight and Daredevil: Born Again), this sci-fi thriller tells the story of a school security guard in Los Angeles who struggles to navigate his childhood trauma as he prepares for the birth of his first child.

However, things start to get pretty weird when he ends up seeing a mysterious beam of light one night on his shift. He wakes up after this odd encounter with images of aliens and desert landscapes plaguing his mind. The Walking Dead actor Ross Marquand stars in the lead role of this twisty and tense horror with a very decent 88% on Rotten Tomatoes. You can stream the movie on Hulu right now.

Our guide to the best Hulu movies is full of cinematic gems.

The Theory of Everything

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Netflix (US)/Prime Video (UK)

Awards darling The Theory of Everything is now available to stream on Netflix. The biographical drama tells the love story of physicist Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne) and his wife, Jane Wilde Hawking (Felicity Jones). The pair navigate his advancing illness and rising fame across three decades of their lives, beginning with their first meeting at Cambridge University.

If you missed this one when it was released back in 2014, it's well worth a watch now for its tender and emotional retelling of Hawking's life. Nominated for five Oscars and winning the Academy Award for Redmayne, it's easy to see why this movie is so well-loved. It's on Prime Video in the UK for four days before it heads to Netflix in the US on May 31.

For more streaming inspiration, you can check out our breakdown of the best Netflix movies.

If you're still in need of inspiration, check out our guides to the best movies on Prime Video and the best shows on Disney Plus.

House of the Dragon season 3 looks to get off to an absolutely massive start, with the long-awaited Battle of the Gullet opening the season.

But, even though Rhaenyra isn't involved in this fight, it still sounds like she'll have a more active role in this season than previously. A common complaint about season 2 from fans was that Rhaenyra didn't really do much to kick off the Dance of the Dragons, instead trying to cool tensions from Dragonstone.

"Rhaenyra has primarily been in a reactionary position," Rhaenyra actor Emma D'Arcy told Entertainment Weekly. "She spent a lot of time in season 1 and season 2 backed into a corner, treading water to an extent, trying to preserve a very tenuous position. I have shared with an audience a desire for her to move into a more active, front-footed position. I wanted to see what happens when that character stops having to apologize."

Ominously, though, D'Arcy explained that they and showrunner Ryan Condal were interested in exploring "a movement towards tyranny," adding, "but in particular making that journey legible."

By the sounds of things, it's going to be the Song of Ice and Fire prophecy, AKA the prophecy of the Prince that was Promised, that sets Rhaenyra down a dark path. "I think in Rhaenyra's case," D'Arcy said, "it's a kind of religious fanaticism, actually, that starts to radicalize her position."

The Battle of the Gullet, meanwhile, is set to be huge. According to Condal, the season 3 premiere is "arguably the craziest episode of television ever made." Watch this space…

House of the Dragon season 3 arrives this June 21 in the US and June 22 in the UK. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the most exciting upcoming TV shows for everything else that's on the way.

House of the Dragon season 3 is less than a month away, and it's set to open with an all-timer Game of Thrones episode in The Battle of the Gullet, if showrunner Ryan Condal is to be believed.

Speaking the Entertainment Weekly, the House of the Dragon showrunner didn't hold back when describing the season 3 premiere noting that, in terms of execution, it's "arguably the craziest episode of television ever made." For an extended universe that has previously brought the likes of the Battle of the Bastards, Hardhome and The Watchers on the Wall to the screen, that's fighting talk!

Following a truncated second season caused by the 2023 writers' strike, House of the Dragon season 3 is set to open with a battle that's been building since the show's inception. "The series this time around starts at 60 miles an hour," says Emma D'Arcy, who plays Rhaenyra Targaryen. "We're finally watching a war that has been building for two seasons." It's a sentiment echoed by Aemond actor Ewan Mitchell. "It's all-out war… It's just a blitz straight out of the gate."

As book readers already know, The Battle of the Gullet is set to be a major turning point in the civil war between Team Green and Team Black. An all-out battle at sea, that means "dragons and ships and multiple theaters of conflict," says Condal. The Battle of the Gullet is so central to the history of Westeros, in fact, that Condal claims "to try to tell this story without doing the Gullet would be trying to film Lord of the Rings without doing the Battle of Helm's Deep."

Some potentially war-ending moves are about to be made in House of the Dragon season 3, as glimpsed in the moody House of the Dragon season 3 trailer. For starters, Rhaenyra has her sights set on King's Landing after her covert meeting with Alicent in season 2, while Aemond and his monstrous dragon Vhagar have caught wind that Damon is at Harenhaal. It would seem that the deck is stacked in favor of Team Green after Rhaenyra's dragonseeds bore fruit in season 2, but everyone knows that the tide of war can turn in an instant in Westeros.

House of the Dragon season 3 arrives on HBO on June 21. In the meantime, check out our guide to the rest of the best new TV shows on the way in 2026 and beyond.

In most actors' careers, there's always that one defining role that they will probably always be known for. For Emilia Clarke its Daenerys Targaryen in HBO's Game of Thrones, and she's completely fine with that.

"I think I went through a phase of being like, oh, trying to want to be known for more than just Game of Thrones," said Clarke on Virgin Radio UK. "But now I'm just like, it was phenomenal."

The show ran for eight years and eight seasons, quickly becoming one of HBO's most popular shows. However, the final season left a sour taste in a lot of fans' mouths due to it feeling rushed as the source material had not been written at the time, and still hasn't now. Game of Thrones season 8 sits at 55% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is a pretty steep drop as seasons 1-7 all sit above 90%.

However, this isn't why Clarke wanted to be known for something else rather than being in Game of Thrones. "I never didn't think it was great," added Clarke. "But I was always like, 'but I can do all these other things, and I swear to God, I'm an actor.' Now I'm just deeply grateful it happened. And I'll probably always be that dragon girl. And maybe that's okay."

Clarke was just 24 years old when the first season came out, and due to the show's annual release strategy, she would spend the next almost decade of her life working on that one project. Earlier in the interview, Clarke recalls when she first took on the role, which included learning the Dothraki language, only to find out that Game of Thrones writer George R.R. Martin, "the man who came up with the language," didn't approve. "I'm like, 'Bro, it's not been said out loud.' And I do it on camera, and he's like in an interview, 'She didn't do it very well.' I started it!"

Although the Game of Thrones main series came to an end in 2011, the universe lives on in multiple spin-offs. House of the Dragon, which is set about 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, hit HBO in 2022, with House of the Dragon season 3 premiering this summer. Then, this year, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms started, and has already been renewed for season 2.

House of the Dragon season 3 hits HBO and HBO Max on June 21, 2026. For more, check out our House of the Dragon timeline and our breakdown of the Targaryen family tree.

Game of Thrones star Kit Harington stands by the hit fantasy show's extremely divisive final season.

"The season eight thing, guys, I feel very protective of it still," Harington said during a panel at Motor City Comic Con (via NME). "And the reason is, cause I mean, I guess you all saw it from the outside, whereas I saw it from the inside. So I knew, I know how much care and how much love and how much work and how much life went into making it, and the conversations that would have happened and the arguments around the table about what way to go, and what thing to do."

"It's not a small process. It's an incredibly complex and lengthy and intricate process. And I feel that the best people to be able to do that were the people who gave us the first seven seasons, that brought it to TV, that brought George's thing and brought it to TV. And so my feeling about it is, there may have been mistakes, as we can all decide whether we liked it or not, and what we liked about it, what we didn't."

Game of Thrones season 8 has a 55% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and an even lower 30% audience score. It's a pretty dramatic drop-off, especially given that season 7 sits at a 93%. The general consensus seems to be that the season attempted to pack too much into just six episodes, abandoned character arcs, completely diverted from the source material, and was largely boring. Fans seemed especially upset with Daenerys' total descent into madness (I personally think the writers were trying to emulate the novels and encapsulate the various 'Mad' rulers throughout Targaryen history, even though Dany herself didn't necessarily go 'mad' in the books).

Added Harington: "There's no doubt in my head that what they did was the right thing because they're the people who brought it to us. And I kind of stand by that. Like, I feel very defensive of it as a show and as a season. And I think I always will, actually."

Jon Snow (spoiler alert) becomes King. A spin-off show centering on Snow was announced back in 2022, but Harington also recently confirmed that the series was on the back burner for now.

Next up for Game of Thrones is House of the Dragon season 3, which arrives on HBO this June 21 in the US and June 22 in the UK. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 2 is currently filming.

For more, check out our roundup of all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and shows for everything else the world of Westeros has in store.

HBO's Harry Potter series hasn't even released its first season yet, but the project has already recast a major Hogwarts student ahead of season 2 filming.

Ginny Weasley star Gracie Cochrane will not return to play Ron Weasky's little sister in Harry Potter season 2, despite playing the character in season 1, which has just wrapped filming, as reported by Deadline. It is not clear at this point why exactly the character has been recast, but it sounds as though it was the young actor's decision.

In a statement, Cochrane's family said, “Due to unforeseen circumstances, Gracie has made the challenging decision to step away from her role as Ginny Weasley in the HBO Harry Potter series after season one. Her time as part of the Harry Potter world has been truly wonderful, and she is deeply grateful to Lucy Bevan and the entire production team for creating such an unforgettable experience."

HBO has also spoken on the matter, adding, "We support Gracie Cochrane and her family’s decision not to return for the next season of HBO’s Harry Potter series, and we are grateful for her work on season one of the show."

Ginny plays a much smaller role in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the first Harry Potter book, which is being adapted for the first season of the HBO project. In the first Harry Potter movie, Ginny makes only a brief cameo to wave off her brother Ron as he sets off to Hogwarts. However, as the Harry Potter series continues, Ginny will play a more central role, eventually becoming the love interest of the titular character.

The Harry Potter series is a huge undertaking for any actor, as it is set to adapt all seven Harry Potter books over the next decade. HBO has already made it clear that they will not be releasing one season per year. The first season, written and executive produced by showrunner Francesca Gardiner, has finished production, with season 2 set to start filming this fall.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone will premiere on December 25 on HBO and HBO Max. In the meantime, get up to speed with our guide to the other new TV shows on the way in 2026.

Game of Thrones star Kit Harington, who played Jon Snow in all eight seasons, has talked about his proposed spin-off.

The Jon Snow show was originally revealed in 2022, but was thought canceled until a new report in early 2026 revealed it might still be in the works.

"It's open knowledge that we tried to make a Jon Snow show for a little while, and just couldn't," Harington said candidly during Motor City Comic Con.

"My main thing is not wanting to go there and sort of do an injustice by the character. As I've just said, I think he ended well. I think that he went where he was meant to. So, if you pick him up again, it needs to be for the right reasons.

"But I did feel there was something left to say, and I did think the idea of exploring something kind of entirely around him, or a lot around him, would be interesting. Because remember in Game of Thrones, you're part of a huge ensemble, and it would be quite interesting to look at a character dive more focused on [him]. And that's why I was intrigued, but we couldn't find the right thing, and so we put it down for the moment."

The Hollywood Reporter revealed earlier this year that the show might be back in development, and it might be bringing back Arya Stark. Judging by Harington's latest update, though, it sounds like that might not be the case.

Next up for Game of Thrones is House of the Dragon season 3, which arrives on HBO this June 21 in the US and June 22 in the UK.

Check out our roundup of all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and shows for everything else the world of Westeros has in store.

Lanterns will have two timelines, one of which is set 10 years in the past – which means the TV show will be the first story on the new DCU timeline.

The 2016 timeline looks to be the main story. It involves a shooting in Nebraska, which Hal Jordan is investigating with new recruit John Stewart. This is the plot line teased in the show's trailers and promotional material, but it looks like the action will also cut to 10 years later "to something else" happening in 2026.

"That becomes a second mystery that we know is down the road for us," showrunner Chris Mundy cryptically told Entertainment Weekly. "So eventually two different mysteries get worked out over the course of the show."

When the show's first trailer hit the internet earlier this year, fans weren't happy with its beige tone and lack of superpowers on display, but Mundy has doubled down on his desire to keep the show grounded.

"We wanted to tell an on-the-ground story, and that has a couple of different mysteries inside of it," he added. "What we have going for us is that it's a Green Lantern story. They can conjure anything from the ring. They do go off the planet. There's all these other powers that they have. We wanna use everything that's great about the mythology of the Green Lanterns, but at the same time, we wanted it to feel like an upscale mystery, a very emotionally tangible story about these people that are in it.”

Lanterns arrives on HBO on August 16. In the meantime, get up to speed with the rest of the DCU Chapter One with our guide to all the other upcoming DC movies and shows.

Marvel star Paul Bettany has denied rumors that he'll be playing Voldemort in the upcoming Harry Potter TV show.

Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Bettany said: "I've heard nothing about that through any official channels at all. No, that's just a rumor."

Another actor linked to the role, Cillian Murphy, also recently denied he'd be playing the villain: "I'm categorically not," he said. "Can you make that the headline?"

The Harry Potter TV show is a completely new adaptation of the fantasy novels, with one season per book. It's planned to run for 10 years. Nothing has been revealed about the Voldemort casting just yet, but the cast includes the likes of Paapa Esseidu as Snape, Nick Frost as Hagrid, John Lithgow as Dumbledore, and Janet McTeer as McGonagall.

The show has already been renewed for season 2: season 1 will cover Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (released as Sorcerer's Stone in the US) and the second season will cover Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

"The idea is not to turn it into a DC or a Marvel," HBO boss Casey Bloys has previously said. "The idea is to go in and do the books."

But, that doesn't mean the show will be just like the films. "There will be things in the show that were not in the movie… but are not off-canon," he added. "The opportunity is to spend more time with the books."

The Harry Potter TV show arrives this December 25. While you wait, check out our guide to all the most exciting upcoming TV shows.

House of the Dragon season 3's opening battle is going to be "huge", according to one of the show's stars.

"Again, this battle was an absolute mad one to film," Abubakar Salim wrote on Twitter. "The training done for it all and the choreography was intense. It's going to be huge." Salim plays Alyn of Hull, the bastard son of Lord Corlys Velaryon (who's Rhaenyra's uncle) (and ex-father-in-law…).

Both Alyn and Corlys will be involved in the battle, which is set to be an epic showdown between Team Green vs Team Black. In George R.R. Martin's book, it sees the Triarchy – AKA an alliance of troops from the Free Cities fighting on behalf of the Greens – and House Velayron do battle in the waters, while their dragons fight it out in the skies.

The Battle of the Gullet was originally meant to conclude House of the Dragon season 2, but it was cut down from 10 to eight episodes and now it's kicking off season 3 instead. According to HBO boss Francesca Orsi, it will be "worth the wait," though. "I don't think we had the time at that point to do what it is that we've achieved now this season," she said. "It's just so massive, we needed the time to build it."

Set 200 years before the original Game of Thrones series, House of the Dragon chronicles the bitter civil war between branches of House Targaryen in what became known as the Dance of the Dragons. Emma D'Arcy and Olivia Cooke play the heads of the two warring families, Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower.

House of the Dragon season 3 arrives on HBO on June 21. In the meantime, check out our guide to the rest of the best new TV shows on the way in 2026 and beyond.

Game of Thrones fans have noticed a fun detail when you Google 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.'

"Ser, did you mean: A Knight of the Nine Kingdoms?" read the search engine's suggestion at the top of the page, which is a reference to the season 1 finale.

The A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms ending saw hedge knight Dunk and his young Targaryen squire Egg venture off into Westeros together, but the duo had a slight disagreement before their journey had even begun: just how many kingdoms are there for them to explore?

Egg insists that there are nine, even though there are, famously, seven: the full title of the person who sits on the Iron Throne is the King or Queen of "the Andals and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm."

However, Egg may just be a little too clever for his own good, as there are actually nine regions in Westeros: the North, the Vale, the Riverlands, the Iron Islands, the Westerlands, the Reach, the Stormlands, the Crownlands, and Dorne.

Regardless of how many kingdoms are in Westeros, it's a nice nod to the season 1 finale, and only makes us more excited for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 2. Filming is currently underway, and the second installment of the spin-off is set to air in 2027.

All episodes of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms are now streaming on HBO Max. For more on what to watch, check out our guide to the best new TV shows still to come in 2026.

It sounds like broomsticks, spellbooks, and other props are a hot commodity on the set of HBO's upcoming Harry Potter series, and the studio has had to microchip props in order to keep track of them.

Following a string of suspected thefts on the set of Harry Potter season 1, HBO has had to warn cast members of the disappearing items and microchip items such as pumpkins and wands.

The Sun has released a shot of a poster from the site, which looks pretty whimsical but warns those on set that "For inventory and security purposes, props are being tracked daily and movement of props will be logged." The text continues, "If you need to take any prop off-set or away from its designated area, please seek approval from the Props Department first."

Props from the Harry Potter film series have gone for hefty sums online. In 2024, The Marauder's Map from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was sold at auction for just under $300,000, making it the most expensive Harry Potter prop as per Barnebys.

A source told the UK newspaper, "It’s easy to suspect the dozens of support actors on set, but truthfully no one knows who is responsible," adding, "Production bosses said they will be scouring eBay to make sure nothing is found for sale online." No props have been found up for sale just yet, but "anyone caught doing so will be punished and fired."

Based on the first Harry Potter book, the first season of the HBO show, officially titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, will follow Dominic McLaughlin as Potter as he is accepted to Hogwarts and begins his education as a wizard. Arabella Stanton and Alistair Stout are joining him as his best friends, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. Whilst season 1 is currently filming, Harry Potter season 2 is already in the works, and is ready to start shooting this Fall.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone will premiere on December 25 on HBO and HBO Max. In the meantime, get up to speed with our guide to the other new TV shows on the way in 2026.

Wands at the ready! Although we're yet to see the first season of HBO's Harry Potter TV show, the studio has already renewed the series for season 2.

HBO has officially greenlit a second season of its Harry Potter show (H/T Variety), which will start filming this Autumn 2026. The news comes over seven months before the first season is due to premiere this Christmas.

The second season will adapt the second Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, which follows Harry's return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry after summer break. But the students get more than they bargained for when they start their second year, only to find that the Heir of Salazar Slytherin opens the Chamber of Secrets, unleashing a terrifying monster onto the school.

The second book, which was adapted into a movie in 2002, serves as a sequel to Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, which serves as inspiration for HBO's first season. The series will follow the same chronological order as both the book and film series, which kicks off with Potter receiving his acceptance letter to Hogwarts, where he meets new friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.

HBO already moving forward with the second season is great news, as fans were initially worried about the show's seven-season plan. The company is taking on the monumental task of adapting all seven books into seven seasons over the course of 10 years. Fans were worried about the actors aging out of their roles before the series ended, after HBO chief Casey Bloys said they would not release one season per year. However, filming is able to wrap early 2027, we could possibly see season 2 around a year after season 1. The only obstacle is that season 1 is not yet out of production.

To speed up the process, season 2 will be led by two showrunners rather than one. Harry Potter season 1's current lead, Francesca Gardiner, will serve as co-showrunner on season 2 alongside season 1 writer Jon Brown. In a statement, Gardiner said, "As we have laid out our plans for the overlapping production schedules to finish Season 1 by Christmas and to return to production for Season 2 this autumn, it has become clear that bringing on a co-showrunner is the key to maintaining our momentum."

Harry Potter season 1 will hit HBO and HBO Max on December 25. Harry Potter season 2 does not yet have a release date. In the meantime, keep up to date with our guide to all the most exciting upcoming TV shows.

A brand new House of the Dragon season 3 trailer is here, and it's a dark and brooding trip to Westeros.

The new trailer, which you can watch above, follows on the heels of the explosive first trailer, which teased the Battle of the Gullet.

In the trailer, the cost of fighting for the throne becomes clear. Rhaenyra is shown walking with bloodied footsteps, while a skull is seen burning in a fireplace. James Norton's Ormund Hightower is also shown boasting of his "holy purpose," and Aegon Targaryen warns he's going to kill his brother Aemond "or die in the attempt." Then, we see plenty of fighting, and, of course, dragons.

"Look to the sky. Doom and ruin surround us," warns Ser Criston Cole. "We will all become beasts before our end."

House of the Dragon adapts the bloody Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons, a struggle for power between the blacks and the greens. It's adapted from George R.R. Martin's Targaryen history book, Fire and Blood.

This is our second trip to Westeros this year, following on from A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 2 is confirmed for 2027). Rest assured, though, that this isn't the end of House of the Dragon: one more season is confirmed to bring the story to its end.

Martin has made waves talking about this particular spin-off, however, making a (since deleted) blog post about "toxic butterflies" surrounding proposed changes to the story, then later telling The Hollywood Reporter his relationship with showrunner Ryan Condal is "abysmal."

House of the Dragon season 3 arrives this June 22 in the UK and June 21 in the US. While you wait, check out our guide to all the other most exciting upcoming TV shows headed our way.

Even though the main series wrapped up seven years ago, Game of Thrones is still going strong in a range of spin-offs.

Earlier this year, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, the tale of hedge knight Dunk and his mysterious squire Egg, charmed audiences worldwide and secured a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score (read our own A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms review for our verdict), and this June will see the Targaryens return in House of the Dragon season 3. Then, in July, the Game of Thrones: The Mad King stageplay begins in the UK's Stratford-upon-Avon, focusing on the pivotal tourney at Harrenhal before Robert's Rebellion.

If all that wasn't enough, the first Game of Thrones movie, set to focus on Aegon the Conqueror, was recently announced.

"Game of Thrones is this incredible IP that seems in some ways infinite," Warner Bros's global chief marketing officer Shauna Spenley said at the Variety Entertainment Marketing Summit, when the film was mentioned. "And we saw just a couple of months ago with Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which is really lighter fare of that IP, just kind of go supernova all over the world. And so there's clearly a lot of demand. I think this theatrical endeavor will be no exception. House of the Dragon is coming later this summer.

"So, it feels now like it really has an audience that has long-term expectations. Again, habitual expectations," she continued. "They don't really want to wait a couple years for every installment."

It sounds like Westeros still has plenty more to offer, then. So far, not much is known about the Aegon's Conquest movie, though it has been confirmed that Andor writer Beau Willimon is penning the script. It was also previously being developed as a TV show with The Batman 2 co-writer Mattson Tomlin as writer. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 2, meanwhile, is confirmed for 2027.

Over in the books, meanwhile, the wait for The Winds of Winter is about to overtake the wait for all five books combined, and George R.R. Martin's publisher has denied a rumor that the long-awaited sixth book would release this fall.

House of the Dragon is coming this June, though there's no exact release date just yet. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows for everything else in the works.