The Mother of Dragons may be no more. A change from George R.R. Martin's book in House of the Dragon season 3 might have a pretty brutal butterfly effect that would in theory prevent Daenerys Targaryen from ever being born.

In the season 3 premiere, the bloody Battle of the Gullet rages, which results in the death of Jacaerys Velaryon. While the manner of his death is very accurate to Martin's source material Fire and Blood, the show removes Rhaenyra's two youngest sons, Aegon and Viserys, from the battle.

In the book, Aegon and Viserys are on their way to Essos to be fostered, but their ship is taken captive by the Triarchy. Aegon escapes with his dragon (which dies soon after), but Viserys is kidnapped and is lost to the Targaryens for years.

He ultimately ends up in Lys with a magister named Bambarro Bazanne. After Bazanne dies, Viserys, still a captive, is passed to the powerful banker Lysandro Rogare. When Lysandro discovers who Viserys is, he marries her to his daughter Larra. Daenerys is a direct descendant of Viserys and Larra – she is their great-great-great-great-great-granddaughter.

This would actually also delete Jon Snow from canon, too, since he is the son of Rhaegar Targaryen, Daenerys's older brother. Oops…

"The fact that Ryan [Condal] accidentally made Daenerys Targaryen not exist by omitting Aegon and Viserys from the gullet lmao," points out one fan on Twitter.

However, it is of course most likely that the show will bring Viserys and Larra together in some other way, meaning Daenerys and Jon are safe. In the show's timeline, Viserys is still a toddler, too, while he's slightly older in the book. And, Aegon and Viserys are indeed on their way to Pentos in Essos to be fostered in the show, just like they are in the book – so there's still plenty of time for Viserys to be kidnapped, though it will have to play out differently compared to Fire and Blood, since he hasn't been separated from Aegon.

"That was just one of the many challenges of making the show and telling a story that involves so many children," showrunner Condal has shared of the change. "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."

It all comes down to Aegon and Viserys's new age. "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."

Changes to the source material are a particularly hot topic, however, after Martin took to his Not a Blog page to rail against "toxic butterflies" caused by diverging from his work, then later told The Hollywood Reporter that his relationship with Condal is "abysmal."

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 season 3 showrunner Ryan Condal has addressed one of the biggest changes the show makes to George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood book.

In the book, there is another dragonseed alongside Addam of Hull, Hugh Hammer, and Ulf. This dragonseed is a lowborn girl named Nettles, who ultimately claims Sheepstealer. In the show, however, Sheepstealer is claimed by Rhaena, and Nettles does not appear to exist.

"It just felt to us that because again, this story is told in point of view, that it felt more apt as this is a family story to where we had the opportunity to involve one of the family members in the storyline," Condal told IGN of the change.

"And because Rhaena has been set up since season 1 as the member of this family who doesn't have a dragon and basically her sole identity is the Targaryen kid who doesn't have a dragon, it felt like that was a character that we had already set this long runway for that it could be very satisfying for the TV audience that didn't have an experience with the book at all to see that character claim a dragon and then in a very, I think, Game of Thrones and Westerosian kind of way, to reap the consequences of having her wish come true," he added. "It's a very monkey's paw kind of moment for Rhaena. She gets her great wish and it becomes her greatest nightmare."

Rhaena succeeds in claiming Sheepstealer in the show, but she is unable to control the wild dragon during the Battle of the Gullet. Tragically, this results in the death of Jacaerys Velaryon, who flies too low on his dragon Vermax after Sheepstealer gives chase. After Vermax is killed with a harpoon blow that drags the dragon underwater, Jace is shot dead with arrows.

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 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 back – and after the Battle of the Gullet kicked things off to a massive start, it looks like things are only going to get bloodier as the season continues.

A brand new trailer dropped after the premiere, teasing everything else that's still to come in season 3. Spoilers for episode 1 follow…

In the Battle of the Gullet, Rhaenyra's oldest son and heir, Jacaerys Velaryon, was tragically killed. In the trailer, which you can watch below, we see the fallout of his untimely death, with Rhaenyra mourning her son and accusing her allies of betraying her.

We also see more of James Norton's Ormund Hightower, and it sounds like he's not a fan of Rhaenyra. Then, there are flashes of more battles to come, more dragonfire, and Rhaenyra in the Red Keep.

At the end of House of the Dragon season 2, Alicent Hightower and Rhaenyra struck a deal: Alicent would allow Rhaenyra to take King's Landing to end the war, though Aegon would have to die. However, Aegon has fled with Larys Strong, which could cause issues for a grieving Rhaenyra…

As for the Battle of the Gullet, that particular clash made some major changes from the book, including the absence of Rhaenyra's youngest sons, Aegon and Viserys. How the rest of their story plays out remains to be seen, since they are currently absent – along with Joffrey Velaryon, the new heir.

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 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 has returned to our screens, and, naturally, it's brought with it a bloody battle and serious heartbreak.

Spoilers for House of the Dragon season 3, episode 1 follow. Turn back now if you're not up to date!

In the Battle of the Gullet, Rhaenyra's oldest son, Jacaerys Velaryon, is killed – along with his dragon, Vermax. While there are many changes from George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood, the biggest is that Rhaenyra's two youngest sons, Aegon and Viserys, are absent from the battle.

In the book, Aegon and Viserys are on their way to being fostered in Pentos when the Triarchy takes their ship captive. Aegon escapes on his dragon – which dies soon after – while Viserys is kidnapped. Jacaerys and the dragonseeds then take to the skies, which results in the death of Jace and his dragon.

"Removing Aegon III & Viserys II was certainly… a choice," says one fan on Reddit.

"I'm confused as to who is looking after them here. Are they still in the Eyrie? Will someone lose their allowance for abandoning their siblings/cousins to chase Sheepstealer?" says someone else – Rhaena was meant to be watching over Aegon and Viserys, but she abandoned her charges to claim the wild dragon Sheepstealer, instead.

"Yeah I am sooo confused to wtf they are going to do now, like when reading the books Aegon & Viserys were the main thrust of this battle?? And who was watching them? Where are they now??? Unless they include that aspect later in the series but It just feels like a massive change for basically no reason? I did enjoy the episode but this was a weird change," says another fan.

"What are they gonna do with little Aegon and Viserys now" questions another fan, while another says: "Yeah I kept waiting for that to happen and it just never did???? Idk some parts of the episode I really loved and I think they nailed, others I'm disappointed by and this is one of them. I'm curious if they are going to try and fit that in somewhere else or if that plotline is completely being ignored.

"Idk I was looking forward to Rhaenyra believing that she had lost 2 children in one day and I wanted to see Aegon barely escape on his tiny dragon," they continue. "I understand not including all the dragons involved in the books due to the massive CGI cost but I think the situation with Aegon should have been included. Maybe that will happen in the beginning of episode 2?"

"So where the fuck is Aegon the Younger?" asks someone else, with another fan suggesting: "Probably safe on a boat to Essos. It was always obvious that the youngest wouldn't be included, they're too young. Works in the book but not a TV show"

What fate lies in store for Aegon and Viserys remains to be seen, though we'll likely find out more about the young princes as the season goes on.

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 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.

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 back with a bang, but along with giving us a seriously dramatic battle, the premiere also proves one George R.R. Martin character won't be adapted to the screen.

The first episode revolves around the Battle of the Gullet, the bloodiest naval battle in Westerosi history. It plays out pretty differently in the book, however, and one of the biggest changes is that the show leaves out a character named Nettles.

Below, we've broken down who Nettles is and her role in the story, explaining why it's a big deal that she's not making it to the screen in House of the Dragon season 3. That naturally means there are some book spoilers ahead, so turn back now if you don't want to know what might be coming up in the show. Otherwise, head to the below to get up to speed on this missing dragonseed.

House of the Dragon season 3, episode 1 proves Nettles won't be adapted

In the House of the Dragon season 3 premiere, Rhaena, the daughter of Daemon Targaryen and the late Laena Velaryon, successfully claims the wild dragon Sheepstealer. It was hinted that this would happen in the season 2 finale, but the latest episode finally shows us the outcome of Rhaena's attempt.

After claiming Sheepstealer, Rhaena and her new dragon fly to war and join the Battle of the Gullet. Unfortunately, Sheepstealer can't tell friend from foe, and starts indiscriminately attacking ships – and even Rhaena's own sister, Baela. Rhaena is also, tragically, unable to save Jacaerys Velaryon and his dragon Vermax from brutally perishing.

But, in George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood, Sheepstealer is claimed by a dragonseed named Nettles (also sometimes called Netty). Nettles fights in the Battle of the Gullet, though she is not involved in Jacaerys's death.

In the book, Daemon and Nettles also form a unique relationship, with one of the historical sources – Fire and Blood is pieced together from multiple unreliable narrators' accounts – suggesting Daemon takes Nettles as his paramour, while another says they were more like father and daughter. The exact nature of their relationship is unclear, but what is clear is that they are extremely close as they search for Aemond Targaryen together.

In King's Landing, this leads to Rhaenyra, at Mysaria's urging (the White Worm tells the queen that Daemon and Nettles are sleeping together), declaring Nettles a traitor and demanding her head, which drives a wedge between Rhaenyra and Daemon. Nettles flees on Sheepstealer, and she survives the Dance of the Dragons, though her ultimate fate is ambiguous. Daemon, meanwhile, does not return to Rhaenyra, and his story leads straight to the Gods Eye.

With Nettles confirmed not to exist in the show, it's unclear how House of the Dragon season 3 will adapt this part of the story, if it does at all. And, Nettles may still exist in some form as the season goes on, just without the Sheepstealer or dragonseeds plotline. We'll just have to wait and see.

You can keep up to date with our House of the Dragon release schedule. 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.

In House of the Dragon season 3, episode 1, we see a mysterious blue dragon in a brief shot midway through the episode.

But who is this dragon, and what is its connection to a missing Targaryen prince? Below, we explain all, including this dragon's identity and its rider. Now, a warning that the following contains light spoilers for George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood, so turn back now if you don't want to know what might be coming up in the HBO adaptation.

So, for all you need to know about the blue dragon and its rider in House of the Dragon season 3, head to the below. For more, check out our guide to all the House of the Dragon dragons listed and explained.

Who is the blue dragon in House of the Dragon season 3, episode 1? Tessarion and Daeron Targaryen explained

In the first episode of the new season, we briefly glimpse a majestic – if a tad small – blue dragon hanging out in the green camp, which is led by James Norton's Ormund Hightower. We saw this same dragon quickly at the end of House of the Dragon season 2, but it wasn't identified then, either.

Thankfully, we have George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood to tell us exactly who this blue dragon is, as well as the identity of her rider. The dragon is none other than Tessarion, who is bonded with young prince Daeron Targaryen (not to be confused with the drunken dreamer Daeron introduced in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms).

Daeron is the son of Alicent Hightower and Viserys Targaryen, and he has been entirely absent from the show so far, even though all of Alicent's other children play major roles in the Dance of the Dragons.

Judging by Tessarion's appearance, though, we can assume that Daeron might be making an appearance soon. Just when this missing Targaryen prince might arrive – and what impact he might have on the ongoing war between Team Black vs. Team Green – remains to be seen.

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

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.

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.

The Battle of the Gullet was always going to be bloody. House of the Dragon maestro Ryan Condal hyped up the naval clash as the Game of Thrones show's version of Helm's Deep, and, as a fan familiar with George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood, I knew we were in for a harrowing time at sea. Spoilers for season 3, episode 1 follow.

But before House of the Dragon season 3 was even close to airing, Martin took to his Not a Blog page to lambast changes Condal had made to his source material – then elaborated in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that their relationship is "abysmal." And, indeed, the show's Battle of the Gullet is extremely different to its book counterpart.

In the book, Rhaenyra's youngest sons – Aegon and Viserys – are taken captive by the Triarchy. Aegon escapes to Dragonstone with his dragon, leaving poor Viserys behind. The dragonseeds and Rhaenyra's eldest son, Jacaerys Velaryon, then take to the skies. In the show, Aegon, Viserys, and the dragonseeds are all MIA. What is the same, however, is the clash's gut-wrenching major death: Jacaerys himself.

Into the drink

In the House of the Dragon season 3 premiere, Jace convinces a Queensguard stationed outside Rhaenyra's room to lock his mother away, allowing him to ride into battle unimpeded. While Rhaenyra rages inside, her son – and her heir to the Iron Throne – enlists the help of his betrothed Baela and her dragon Moondancer. Together, they fly to take on the Triarchy.

The battle is smoky, frantic, and visceral. While Team Black greets the sight of dragons with cheers, the tide threatens to turn very quickly when Jace's dragon Vermax is almost brought down by a harpoon bolt attached to an anchor. Luckily, Baela is able to break the rope, and Vermax flies free. All is well.

Book readers, however, most likely watched this scene with growing dread. In Martin's Fire and Blood, Vermax is brought low into the ocean – how exactly this happens is disputed in the text – and perishes beneath the surface, which leaves her rider Jace vulnerable. Moments later, he is shot dead by arrows from a nearby ship, mirroring his fate in the show.

But while the manner of Jace's death plays out almost identically in both versions, the changes made in House of the Dragon only heighten the tragedy. In the book, the young prince's death can be considered heroic. His reasons for joining the battle are not spelled out, but it's reasonable to assume he hoped to rescue his baby brother from the Triarchy. Fire and Blood is a fairly sparse, pseudo-historical narrative, and no doubt if the show chose to follow this route, it would have filled in the gaps with a rousing rescue mission for the youngest of Rhaenyra's sons. Book Jacaerys is also backed by the dragonseeds, making his flight to war seem less of a doomed endeavour from the beginning, and there is no mention of Rhaenyra forbidding him from entering the fray.

In the show, however, his quest is reckless from the start. He flies only with Baela and Moondancer for aid – until Rhaena and a disobedient Sheepstealer unexpectedly arrive, though wild Sheepstealer begins attacking both sides indiscriminately – and he openly disobeys his mother. Jace is attempting to protect her from what he fears is Green treachery, but he's also trying to prove himself: a hopeless effort, since the first time we see Jace fight is also the last.

In fact, in the show, the battle is already over when Jacaerys Velaryon is killed. Sharako Lohar is dead and the fleets of both sides are in flames. It's an anonymous ship that takes down Vermax, who, this time, cannot be saved. The dragon's slow, gruesome descent into the water is uncomfortable viewing, and Jace's ensuing death is entirely anticlimactic.

One arrow pierces him with no fanfare, then another, and another, until the young prince begins to sink beneath the waves. The scene plays out in total silence, without Ramin Djawadi's breathtaking score. Before the first arrow, there is no hint that Jace is on borrowed time: he seems safe, clinging to a piece of driftwood (at the premiere, a gasp ran around the packed theater at the opening blow). It's a shocking, futile death for a character who seemed to have such a weighty destiny.

The dying of the dragons

At first, my instinct was to be frustrated. All of those changes had rendered Jace's death pointless: there was no need for him to be at the Battle of the Gullet at all, considering the Sea Snake had the situation pretty well in hand, and neither of Jace's younger brothers were in danger. Baela and Moondancer were also close enough to save Jacaerys, though they failed. And it's only because Jace pursued Rhaena and Sheepstealer, initially wrongly believing them to be enemies thanks to Sheepstealer's erratic behavior, that he flew within range of the harpoon when the wild dragon then gave chase. Rhaena even witnesses the blow that leads to Jace's death and is powerless to help on her untamed dragon. But, when the arrows struck in total silence, I realized this was the point.

House of the Dragon has never been subtle about its central theme. When the dragons go to war, only death and suffering follow. That was made abundantly clear from the final episode of season 1, in which Aemond Targaryen accidentally killed Lucerys Velaryon when Vhagar went rogue. The parallel with Rhaena and Sheepstealer is so obvious it feels deliberate: Valyrian blood may help a rider bond with a dragon, but it does not mean the rider has complete control over the dragon. "The dragons dance, and men are like dust under their feet," Criston Cole says in season 2. "We march now towards our annihilation."

The bleak, senseless manner of Jace's death only underscores the bitter tragedy of the Dance of the Dragons. This is a war that pits family against family and dragon against dragon, and, Martin strongly implies, is the beginning of the end for House Targaryen. Misogyny and treason stole Rhaenyra's throne out from under her, and I believe she is absolutely right to try and seize it back. The real injustice was that it ever came to this in the first place, a cascade of mini-betrayals and mistakes that culminates in brutal, bloody disaster.

Jacaerys Velaryon became one of my favorite characters in House of the Dragon in season 2 thanks to his spiky attitude, poignant bond with Rhaenyra, and spirited impatience to fight for his mother's birthright. I'll certainly miss Harry Collett's take on the heir as the season continues, but, in a strange way, I'm not sorry he died, even if it was so very different from what I was expecting. Jace's death is a tragedy, and it's one that encapsulates everything House of the Dragon is trying to do. Goodnight, sweet prince…

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 more, check out our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and shows, or the most exciting new TV shows.

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

With House of the Dragon season 3 soon back on our screens, fans of the Game of Thrones prequel have reopened the debate on one of the show's biggest changes to George R.R. Martin's source material.

On Reddit, one fan asked how people feel about the change to the relationship between Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower. In the book, Alicent is Rhaenyra's older stepmother, but, in the show, the duo are the same age and childhood best friends.

While fans are generally positive on the change, they all mostly agree on one thing – the friendship should be over by now.

"It should've been buried after Alicent wore the green dress to Laenor's and Rhaenyra's wedding. It's now goddamn annoying," says one person.

"I think it was a good change. (I would've preferred Alicent have an older sister relationship tho). My problem with Alicent and Rhaenyra's relationship is the u turn the writers took with them in S1E8, and they've only doubled down on it every episode since," says someone else.

"They should not have made them friends and kept the same age gap. In fact, aging up Rhaenyra was the worst decision they've made. People say the stepmom trope is more boring but it's also 10x more consistently written. If you ask me, they should've made more emphasis on Aegon II and Rhaenyra's relationship rather than Alicent and Rhaenyra. Make you actually care about these two siblings and how they view each other before the war starts," is another person's thoughts.

"The problem isn't that they changed their relationship, the problem is they didn't commit to the tragedy of it," says another person. "Alicent and Rhaenyra in the books get along just fine until Viserys refuses to name Aegon heir, too. They weren't always at each others' throats. Anyone who thinks the problem is Alicent and Rhaenyra being friends at first is missing the entire point."

"Personally no, but it still would've worked really well if they actually became enemies later and settled into their book roles," says someone else. "Nobody would've praised this if they knew they would just be friends the whole time."

"It was a great addition but it really should've ended in s1, I think it really reinforced the point of Fire and Blood that the Targs really completely fucked themselves over due to pride during the Dance," is another person's thoughts.

"It remains the most dramatically interesting adaptational choice of the show, and it's a shame that as things have progressed, they've been walking back the thing that *made* it dramatically interesting," says another person. "These two are at their most compelling when they're using their history together to try and get under each other's skins. Using their old love for each other as the fuel for their current hatreds works really well, and is great to watch.

"The show's reluctance to allow its primary characters to come off as unlikable is its greatest weakness, and it affects everything that once made the series compelling, this included."

In the House of the Dragon season 2 ending, Alicent and Rhaenyra struck a deal, where Alicent would help Rhaenyra take King's Landing – but she must accept the death of her son Aegon.

Since we already know House of the Dragon season 3 is set to open with the fearsome Battle of the Gullet, it seems unlikely this deal will hold…

House of the Dragon season 3 returns this June 21 in the US and June 22 in the UK. For more, check out our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and shows, or our roundup of the most exciting new TV 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.

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.

The Witcher's original Geralt actor Doug Cockle has weighed in on Liam Hemsworth's performance as the White Wolf in Netflix's adaptation. The actor, who voiced the character in CD Projekt Red's video games, shared that he was a big fan of Henry Cavill's replacement.

"It's tough to do what [Hemsworth] did. Really, really tough, especially with a character in a show that so many people adore," Cockle told Polygon. "To be the actor replacing someone else who originated a character in the same series is so difficult."

The actor added that he thinks Cavill "did a fabulous job" but he was also a big fan of Hemsworth's take on the monster slayer. "I find that Henry's performance has a little bit more weight to it and Liam's is a little bit more energized and actually kind of youthful, but in a fun way."

Hemsworth took over the role in The Witcher season 4, following on from Cavill's exit. While the former Superman star has never revealed his exact reasons for departing, his exit did cause disruption among the cast with Ciri actor Freya Allan admitting she almost left as well.

Luckily, she stayed the course as reviews for Hemsworth's take on Geralt have been very positive. The actor will be returning to the role for the final season on Netflix too.

With Cockle, Hemsworth and Cavill all playing the role at different times, the game actor also compared the part to Hamlet, adding that everyone brings something unique to it.

"What I always say about these kinds of things is that every actor has to make a role their own," Cockle added to Polygon. "There have been thousands of people who've played Hamlet, and each Hamlet is different. Every individual brings their own quirks, emotional life, experiences, and ideas to the table and interprets the character through all of that."

The Witcher season 5 will be released at some point in 2026. In the meantime, check out our guides to new TV shows on the way.

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.

House of the Dragon season 3 promises to open with the brutal and bloody Battle of the Gullet, but there's one other showdown fans are dying to see.

In George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood, Daemon faces off against Aemond above a lake in Westeros named the Gods Eye, and it's safe to say it's epic.

Considering House of the Dragon season 4 will bring the show to an end, SFX magazine asked Matt Smith, who plays Daemon, if he's had conversations about his character's ultimate fate (which we won't spoil here).

"Kind of. They don’t really tell you what elements they're going to write about," Smith said. "Sometimes I thought maybe they would follow this line of the book, and they chose not to, so you just don't really know. Whether I agree with that or not, it's above my pay grade, really. I just get the scripts, hopefully as early as you can, and then try and influence them creatively through the character and as an actor in the most interesting way. But I still don't know. But there are big bookmarks."

When asked specifically about fan hopes of seeing the Gods Eye brought to life, Smith shared: "One assumes they're headed there, but you never know. It's quite present in the story, isn't it? Even in the book, it's been illustrated. It's surely got to head there, but I'm not privy to the details of it until the script. But I'm going to cross my fingers too."

We'll just have to wait and see how Gods Eye turns out in the show. For now, House of the Dragon season 3 arrives this June 21 in the US on HBO, and June 22 in the UK on HBO Max, Sky, and NOW.

You can keep up to date on everything else on the way with our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and shows.

Avatar: The Last Airbender – Netflix's live-action adaptation of the beloved animated show – returns for season 2 this month, and in a new interview, one of the show's executive producers has explained why we're only getting seven episodes instead of eight.

Speaking in the latest issue of SFX magazine (which features House of the Dragon season 3 on the cover), executive producer Christine Boylan revealed that, like season 1 of Netflix's The Last Airbender, the second season was originally envisioned as eight episodes, but a fully completed script was cut before filming.

“Netflix gives very little real estate when it comes to episodes,” Boylan admitted to SFX from the set. “We have seven episodes this time round, and while we wrote eight, cutting that down forced us to focus in on key themes. So while we knew we couldn’t include everything, fans can certainly expect to see elements of the fan-favourite episode ‘The Tales Of Ba Sing Se’ throughout the series.”

The second season of the original animated show (aka Book Two: Earth) is 18 episodes long, and features numerous fan-favorite episodes – Zuko Alone and Appa's Lost Days among them. Episodes of the animated show only run 24 minutes, however, whereas episodes of the live action show have clocked in anywhere from 45 minutes to over an hour, meaning there could still be little difference in total time dedicated to telling Book Two in live action.

Despite this, fans have been understandably concerned about the prospect of crucial plotlines not making the leap to live action, ever since it was revealed that season 2 would be just seven episodes long. But fellow executive producer and director Jabbar Raisani confirms at least one all-time-classic episode will be rendered in live action.

“There are certain episodes we knew we couldn’t cut,” Raisani said. “Zuko Alone, for example, we knew had to be in there, and it was such an honour to be able to direct that episode too. The thing is there’s never enough time to do everything one-to-one, but we try and draw as much inspiration as possible from every aspect of Avatar: The Last Airbender, be it the comics, novels or the show, and we hope that this live-action version can drum up excitement for these other aspects of ATLA and newcomers to the series will go off and explore them.”

One fan-favorite character we know is making the leap to live action intact is Earthbender Toph, who features prominently in the Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 trailer. The new season is heading to a major new location – the Earth Kingdom capital, Ba Sing Se. War may be brewing, but as any ATLA fan knows, there's no war in Ba Sing Se…

Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 releases on Netflix on June 25, 2026. For more, check out the best Netflix shows and best anime on Netflix to add to your watchlist right now.

After being in the works for 15 years, fans think George R.R. Martin's highly anticipated Game of Thrones book, Winds of Winter, may be on the way thanks to a new cryptic post.

On Thursday, June 11, Folio Society released another look at the limited edition leatherbound version of Martin's first Game of Thrones book on Instagram, set to release on July 14 in celebration of the novel's 30th anniversary. However, the post's mysterious caption has fans wondering if a bigger announcement is on the way. "But one secret remains," concludes the post, "Keep your eyes on the skies… another message is on its way." Check out the post below.

"Really trying not to go completely delusional over that last part," said one fan on Twitter, adding, "Maybe Winds, maybe something else. We will have to see." Another replied, "Announce in the summer. Release in the winter. I saw it in the flames."

However, other fans are finding it hard to believe that Martin would announce the completion of Winds of Winter in this way. The author started writing the penultimate novel back in 2011, but has had trouble finishing it ever since. Earlier this year, Martin confirmed that rumors stating that the book would be released this fall were false. But the writer is eager to finish it, telling The Hollywood Reporter that "It would feel like a total failure to me. I want to finish."

But Folio Society is definitely teasing something. In an earlier post, the company teased, "more details still waiting in the shadows." If the looming announcement is anything to do with Winds of Winter, perhaps the limited edition book will contain an excerpt from Martin's draft, or even a special letter from the author giving an update on his progress.

Martin has a lot of pressure to finish the story, as Game of Thrones fans were largely not happy with how the show ended. But after Winds of Winter, the author still has the final Game of Thrones book to write. It's going to be a long winter for Martin, that's for sure. Alas, the universe's big screen ventures are in full swing, with House of the Dragon season 3 on the way this summer, and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 2 in the works.

For more, check out our guide to upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows

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 may only just be arriving on HBO this month, but work on season 4 is already well underway. The fantasy show will be coming to a close with the fourth season and showrunner Ryan Condal says they can't wait to tell this story.

"We're actually starting to show HBO," Condal said about season 4's scripts at a recent press conference attended by GamesRadar+. "This is our early iteration, I don't put the script down and take it away from me in production and we have many months ahead of that. But we're as far ahead at this point in crafting a new season while we're still posting the old one."

The showrunner added of their excitement to be bringing this tale to a close: "The machine is up and running and on its feet, then the fourth season, the end, the final act is a story we've been waiting for so we're all really excited about doing it."

Based on George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood, the series so far, has shown the decline of House Targaryen in the bloodthirsty war of succession known as the Dance of the Dragons. The final season will conclude this story, and Condal has been open that he's not sure a "happy ending" is in the cards.

Speaking at the same press conference, he added: "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. But I will say, one of the big challenges of adapting Fire and Blood is not making this an aimless, bleak death march." I guess there may still be some hope then?

House of the Dragon season 3 kicks off with the much-anticipated Battle of the Gullet as the war for King's Landing heads to the seas. You can watch the new series when it begins on HBO Max on June 21 in the US and June 22 on HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK.

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.

The full cast for upcoming Game of Thrones play The Mad King has been unveiled, and it reveals that a lot of our favorite A Song of Ice and Fire characters are returning.

The play revolves around the Tourney of Harrenhal, so, if you're a George R.R. Martin lore expert, you probably already had a good idea who would be popping up onstage (and Martin himself already confirmed the involvement of the Starks, Robert Baratheon, and more on his Not a Blog page).

But, if you're not up to speed, you'll probably be happy to hear that the likes of Ned Stark, Jaime Lannister, Cersei Lannister, Oberyn Martell, and more will all be gracing the stage this summer in the UK's Stratford-Upon-Avon. Check out the full list below.

• Michael Abubakar – Eddard Stark
• Luke Brady – Brandon Stark
• Marty Breen – Catelyn Stark
• Alexander Newland – Lord Rickard Stark
• Harmony Rose-Bremner – Lyanna Stark
• Miles Barrow – Benjen Stark
• Maxim Ays – Ser Jaime Lannister
• Daisy Franks – Cersei Lannister
• Marcello Walton – Ser Jonothor Darry / Lord Tywin Lannister
• Noah Ritter – Prince Rhaegar Targaryen
• Michael Shaeffer – King Aerys II Targaryen
• Mariah Gale – Queen Rhaella Targaryen / Lady Shella Whent
• Callum Woodhouse – Lord Robert Baratheon
• Elizabeth Ayodele – Princess Elia Martell
• Adrian Christopher – Prince Lewyn Martell / Ensemble
• Edem-Ita Duke – Oberyn Martell
• Kel Matsena – Ser Arthur Dayne
• Tanisha Spring – Ashara Dayne
• Islam Bouakkaz – Howland Reed
• Richard Hansell – Grand Maester Pycelle
• Daniel Hawksford – Ser Barristan Selmy
• Hughie O'Donnell – Lord Varys
• Sebastian Charles – Owen Merryweather / Ensemble
• Fred Davis – Qarlton Chelsted / Ensemble
• Shaun Yusuf McKee – Ser Gerold Hightower / Ensemble
• Huw Parmenter – Ser Oswell Whent
• Tom Larkin – Lord Whent / Wisdom Rossart/Ensemble
• Ronan Cullen – Ensemble/Swing
• Simi Egbejumi-David – Ensemble
• Lewis Howard – Ensemble
• April Nerissa Hudson – Ensemble
• Chelsea Marie – Ensemble
• Kate Rowsell – Ensemble/Swing
• Tom Stacy – Ensemble/Swing
• Matt Tait – Ensemble
• Tzarina-Nassor – Ensemble

"I love this cast – they bring all the strengths, flaws and intricacies within these characters that drive this important chapter of Westerosi history," said Martin in a statement. "They have a fire in them, and I can't wait to see them bring that fire to the stage."

Also confirmed are the behind the scenes talent, which might give us some clues about what to expect from the show. Among the creative team are puppetry and movement directors Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell (Lume), intimacy director Ingrid Mackinnon, period dance consultant Francesca Roche, fight director Bethan Clark, and dialect coach Hazel Holder. So, we can guess we'll see fights, intimate scenes, a dance (most likely at the great feast held on the first night of the tourney), regional accents, and impressive puppetry (Barnes and Caldwell won a prestigious Olivier Award for their work on London's Life of Pi show, which features a tiger puppet).

The tourney at Harrenhal is a pivotal moment in Westerosi history, which saw Rhaegar Targaryen crown Lyanna Stark the queen of love and beauty. Rhaegar absconding with Lyanna, along with Aerys II Targaryen's tyranny, is what sparked Robert's Rebellion.

The show is adapted from Martin's work by Duncan Macmillan and directed by Dominic Cooke, and it debuts at Stratford-Upon-Avon's Royal Shakespeare Theatre this July 20, with opening night set for August 8.

Next up for Westeros is House of the Dragon season 3, which arrives in the US this June 21 in the US and June 22 in the UK. It's final trailer has arrived, and it looks absolutely huge.

While you wait, check out our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows for everything else that's on the way.

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 in the US and June 22 in the UK.

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

Ahead of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 3 hitting Prime Video in November, season 4 is in development – though it hasn't been officially greenlit yet.

The news comes courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter, which says the plan is to begin pre-production on season 4 this fall, and for cameras to start rolling in early 2027.

But the fourth season hasn't been confirmed, with a greenlight still to come. It does seem very unlikely that the fourth chapter in the epic Lord of the Rings show won't happen; however, the show has always been devised as five seasons long. Season 1 had a record-breaking debut for the streamer and became its most-watched original, too, though season 2 dipped in views by 60%.

Season 3 will land this November 11, and the first look at the show is an ominous one indeed: it shows Sauron wearing Morgoth's Iron Crown with dark hair, no longer in his Annatar guise.

This isn't the only Middle-earth story coming to the screen. Andy Serkis is directing The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, while Stephen Colbert is co-writing another film, which will be set after The Return of the King. But, these movies exist separately from the show, though they of course all draw from J.R.R. Tolkien's works.

Elijah Wood will return as Frodo in the Serkis film, along with Ian McKellen as Gandalf. The role of Aragorn, meanwhile, will be played by Jamie Dornan.

"I'm going back to do more Gandalf. Who would have thought there was more?" joked McKellen at an event attended by GamesRadar+. "The person who thought there was more was Andy Serkis, and he's going to be directing Gollum's early life."

While you wait for The Rings of Power season 3, check out our guide to all the upcoming TV shows worth getting excited about.

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.

The first trailer for Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2, Netflix's live-action adaptation of the beloved Nickelodeon animated series, has arrived, giving us our best look yet at blind earthbender Toph, and Earth Kingdom capital Ba Sing Se, following a first look in March.

In the trailer, which you can see above, we get our first hint at the strange goings on in Ba Sing Se, where all is not as it seems. We also get plenty of bending action, including a fresh glimpse of Aang being trained by Toph, who's set to be a key figure for the series moving forward.

Arriving on screens some two years after season one, Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 is adapting the second season of the animated series (aka Book Two: Earth), which orbits around the Earth Kingdom, as Aang looks to level up his Earthbending abilities. Book Two, notably, features one of the show's most beloved episodes – Appa's Lost Days. No word yet whether we'll be spending an episode in the desert with Aang's best bud.

The Avatar: The Last Airbender season 1 ending saw Sozin's comet come into play, a celestial body of major importance to the Fire Nation in their quest to take over the world. Since then, Aang actor Gordon Cormier has had something of a growth spurt – the perils of casting child actors in the streaming era where seasons of TV take years to film.

It's been something of a rough year for Avatar: The Last Airbender fans, with animated movie The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender leaking in full online more than six months before its planned release on Paramount Plus. In the aftermath, Toph's original voice actor pleaded with fans to "Stop talking about it, and stop sharing things about it." But it wasn't enough to prevent the leaked movie being so widely viewed that it appeared in Letterboxd's popular this week list.

Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 releases on Netflix on June 25, 2026. For more, check out the best Netflix shows and best anime on Netflix to add to your watchlist right now.

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.

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.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 3 officially has a release date and a first look at Charlie Vickers' return as Sauron. The Prime Video show will be arriving back on our screens on November 11 as a new era begins for Middle-earth.

The first image released from the new season shows Sauron wearing Morgoth's Iron Crown in what looks like a cave. He's seemingly done away with his Annatar disguise too, returning to his darker roots and looking more similar to his Halbrand disguise back in season 1. "The Dark Lord returns," reads the caption.

The third season of Prime Video's epic fantasy show will feature a time jump from the events of season 2. According to the synopsis, it will take place at the height of the War of the Elves and Sauron. The Dark Lord will be looking to craft the One Ring, which will not only allow him to win the war but also finally allow him control over all of Middle-earth.

At the end of season 2, Sauron was in possession of all nine rings after besting Galadriel in a fight and the last we saw of him, he was holding Fëanor's hammer. Alongside the Dark Lord's plans, there were plenty of other key storylines left hanging, including the confirmation of The Stranger's identity as Gandalf, the Elves retreating to Rivendell, and Durin taking power after his father's death.

Stranger Things star Jamie Campbell-Bower will be joining the cast in the new season alongside Eddie Marsan and Andrew Richardson. It's not completely confirmed who they'll all be playing though with Campbell-Bower teasing fans about his character's possible identity.

They'll be joining the show's returning cast of Vickers as Sauron, Morfydd Clark as Galadriel, Robert Aramayo as Elrond, Daniel Weyman as Gandalf, Owain Arthur as Durin IV, Maxim Baldry as Isildur, and Ismael Cruz Córdova as Arondir. Ciarán Hinds will also be returning as the mysterious Dark Wizard, although it's not clear exactly who he is just yet.

Speaking to GamesRadar+, showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay confirmed who he isn't. "We can say definitively he is not Saruman. Definitively, 100% he is not," McKay said. "I think we can say we do know who he is," Payne said as McKay added: "But that's all we can say."

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 3 begins on November 11. Check out our list of all the new TV shows arriving in 2026 and beyond, as well as our round-up of the best shows on Prime Video right now.

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 new poster for House of the Dragon season 3 has an ominous parallel to George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood book... and it's not looking good for our girl Rhaenyra.

Warning: Major spoilers for the House of the Dragon source material ahead!

In the poster, which can be viewed below, Rhaenyra is sitting on the Iron Throne in a way that parallels artwork from Fire and Blood. Given that the Dance of Dragons is well underway and knowing what happens to Rhaenyera at the end of the book's civil war... It's making us a little nervous. She does eventually win King's Landing, but her reign only lasts for six months.

As there are no happy endings in Martin's world, Rhaenyra loses the throne and is eaten by a dragon at the hands of her brother Aegon II while her son, the future King Aegon III (not to be confused with Aegon V who we meet in a Knight of the Seven Kingdoms) is forced to watch. Aegon III goes on to be known as Aegon the Unlucky, Aegon the Unhappy, or simply, the Broken King, and the whole mom being burned and then eaten alive thing certainly doesn't help.

House of the Dragon is set to end with season 4, giving us a firm end to the Dance of the Dragons. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, however, which follows a different (and less corrupt, for now) Targaryen, is ongoing and expected to last for more than just a few seasons.

House of the Dragon returns 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 to fill out your watchlist.