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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.
