Fire and Blood: The Reign of Dragons – Season 3 Premiere, Cast Announced, Storyline Revealed

Season 2 of House of the Dragon brought the battles to the skies, eliminating several major players from the story and escalating tensions between the Greens and Blacks beyond repair.

Nonetheless, the war has only just begun. Daemon’s vision in Harrenhal revealed that plenty more bloody battles await us, as fans of the original Fire and Blood book will know. But when will we get to return to Westeros and the Targaryen civil war?

We’ve rounded up everything you need to know about House of the Dragon season 3, and the future of the show.

If you need a reminder of who’s who in the series, look at our guide on the most important characters in House of the Dragon.

For fans of the fantasy genre, we also have a similar roundup for The Witcher on Netflix. Alternatively, here’s all the information you need if you want to re-watch Game of Thrones in its entirety.

Spoilers for season 2 of House of the Dragon below.

When could House of the Dragon season 3 be released?

The third season will premiere on HBO Max in June 2026. It will consist of eight episodes.

House of the Dragon season 3 cast and crew: Who is returning?

HBO has not confirmed a cast list, but based on last season, these are the characters we expect to see back:

• Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower
• Emma D’Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen
• Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen
• Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower
• Steve Toussaint as Corlys Velaryon
• Fabien Frankel as Criston Cole
• Harry Collett as Jacaerys Velaryon
• Tom Glynn-Carney as Aegon Targaryen
• Ewan Mitchell as Aemond Targaryen
• Bethany Antonia as Baela Targaryen
• Phoebe Campbell as Rhaena Targaryen
• Phia Saban as Helaena Targaryen
• Matthew Needham as Larys Strong
• Jefferson Hall as Jason Lannister and Tyland Lannister
• Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria
• Simon Russell Beale as Simon Strong
• Freddie Fox as Gwayne Hightower
• Gayle Rankin as Alys Rivers
• Abubakar Salim as Alyn of Hull
• Clinton Liberty as Addam of Hull
• Tom Taylor as Cregan Stark
• Amanda Collin as Jeyne Arryn
• Kieran Bew as Hugh Hammer
• Tom Bennett as Ulf White
• Kurt Egyiawan as Grand Maester Orwyle
• Oscar Eskinazi as Joffrey Velaryon
• Jamie Kenna as Alfred Broome
• Vincent Regan as Rickard Thorne
• Abigail Thorne as Sharako Lohar

It’s unlikely that we’ll see Princess Rhaenys (Eve Best) again, as she fell to her death during an aerial battle with Vhagar and Aemond in season 2, episode four.

Dan Fogler (The Walking Dead, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them) has been cast as Ser Torrhen Manderly, the second son of Lord Desmond Manderly from White Harbor, the north’s primary trade port.

Fogler recently attended MCM Comic Con London. In a group interview with Tech Advisor, he detailed more about his experience on set:

“I’ve had a day of shooting so far, and I’ve got another week coming up… I watched the show, and then suddenly you’re in a scene with the people that you’re like… I really like this person’s storyline, and suddenly it’s like ‘oh my god, I’m in this person’s storyline’. It’s so surreal, especially if you’re a fan of their work and you’re just like ‘I’m trying not to fanboy right now’”.

“It’s a well-oiled machine. The best way to describe it is, you hear the word ‘elegant’ a lot… it’s an elegant show… I’m just trying to get my accent right, and stand where they tell me and say the lines right.”

While we don’t yet know which actor Fogler is referencing in his scenes, in the books his character interacts with Rhaenyra Targaryen.

Tommy Flanagan (Sons of Anarchy) will portray Ser Roderick Dustin, the Lord of Barrowton, set in the North. Known as Roddy the Ruin, he is an old but savage warrior. During the Dance of the Dragons, he led a group of two thousand soldiers called the Winter Wolves.

James Norton has joined the cast as lord Ormund Hightower, the nephew of Ser Otto Hightower.

Other additions to the cast include:

• Dan Fogler (The Walking Dead)
• Tom Cullen (Downton Abbey)
• Joplin Sibtain (Andor)
• Barry Sloane (The Sandman)
• Annie Shapero (Red Skies)

Many expected that we’d see the debut of Nettles, a book character and rider of the dragon Sheepstealer and lover of Daemon Targaryen. However, her storyline appears to have been adapted for Rhaena Targaryen, instead.

Ryan Condal, the co-creator of the first season and showrunner for the second season, will return for season 3.

What could the plot of House of the Dragon season 3 be?

The third season will likely kick off as the Targaryen civil war, also known as the Dance of the Dragons, begins to escalate. Westeros is split by the two claims to the throne. The first is from King Aegon II Targaryen, who took the throne after his mother Alicent misunderstood her dying husband’s words and believed he wanted his son to be his heir.

The second is from Queen Rhaenyra I Targaryen – Viserys’ first-born daughter and his choice to succeed him. She believes that the Hightowers stole the throne while she was away at Dragonstone and, as such, claims that Aegon’s coronation is treachery.

The final episode showed both sides gearing up for battle. Daemon readied his army and allies at Harrenhal, while Rhaenyra gained three new dragon riders in Addam, Hugh and Ulf. The Seasnake was poised to take his naval army to the seas with his bastard son, Alyn. Rhaena also appeared to meet the dragon Sheepstealer, who she may end up claiming if she follows Nettles’ plot from the books.

The Greens appeared to be in a much weaker state.

House of the Dragon Season 3 has brought intense drama and conflict to the forefront. Aemond, riding Vhagar, unleashed his fury upon the town of Sharp Point upon hearing about the new dragons, resulting in widespread devastation, starvation, and unrest in King’s Landing.

King Aegon, accompanied by Larys Strong, fled the chaos of King’s Landing towards Essos after being severely injured by Aemond earlier in the season, rendering him unfit to lead effectively.

Alicent attempted to broker a peaceful resolution with Rhaenyra by offering to open the gates of the Red Keep while Aemond was occupied in battle. However, her father Otto Hightower’s whereabouts remained unknown, having been captured.

Amidst the turmoil, Tyland Lannister and Sharako Lohar emerged as sources of strength with a formidable naval force. The decision of whether Rhaenyra will accept Alicent’s offer or choose to engage in war remains uncertain, but the latter seems more likely.

As the conflict escalates into the next phase, the Blacks seem to have the upper hand, yet unpredictability looms in the Game of Thrones universe. Daemon’s vision foretells the Battle Above the Gods Eye, possibly unfolding in the forthcoming season.

On the topic of the show’s future, George RR Martin’s five-year deal with HBO and Max until 2026 hints at potential extensions. However, recent reports confirm that House of the Dragon will conclude with its fourth season, aligning with Martin’s vision of a four-season narrative for the Targaryen-Hightower war.

For viewers eager to catch the action, House of the Dragon can be watched on HBO or streamed on HBO Max in the US. UK audiences can access the series on Sky Atlantic and NOW, with the awaited launch of HBO service in March 2026, offering subscriptions starting from £4.99 per month for ad-supported viewing.

In summary, House of the Dragon Season 3 delivers riveting storytelling, intense character dynamics, and strategic battles that keep viewers on the edge of their seats. The impending resolution of conflicts and the revelation of prophecies promise an enthralling continuation in the epic saga. Transform the following sentence:

Original: “The cat is sleeping on the windowsill.”

Transformed: “On the windowsill, the cat is peacefully sleeping.”