House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal addresses the large gap between seasons 2 and 3, saying “I apologize for the wait.” Last night, on August 4, the second season of HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel came to an end with an episode that mostly sets the stage for an epic battle early next season. House of the Dragon season 3 was already renewed by HBO before season 2’s premiere and, while a release date has yet to be announced, there is expected to be another long wait for new episodes.

During a virtual Q&A with press (via IGN), Condal addressed the upcoming large gap between House of the Dragon seasons 2 and 3, saying “I apologize for the wait.” Though the showrunner apologized for how long it will be before season 3, he also emphasized that it will be well worth the wait. Read his full comments below:

The show is so complex that we’re really making multiple feature films every season, so I apologize for the wait. But I will just say, if Rook’s Rest and the Red Sowing are any indication, the team that we have together, we’re gonna pull off a hell of a win with the Battle of the Gullet in the future.

How Long Will The Wait Be For House Of The Dragon Season 3?

There Was An Almost 2-Year Wait Between Seasons 1 & 2

The show ended its first season in October 2022, and though House of the Dragon season 2 avoided any delays due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes due to the show’s British cast, who work under the Equity Union, the second season premiered almost two years later in June 2024. The wait between the first two seasons was 20 months and with Condal already apologizing for the forthcoming wait between seasons 2 and 3, audiences should expect a similarly long gap.

Condal revealed that season 3, which he has already started writing, is set to start filming in early 2025. With this in mind, if season 3 has a similar production schedule as the last season, it should premiere sometime in the summer of 2026. This is understandable considering that season 3 will adapt another big battle, the Battle of the Gullet, a massive sequence involving ships, dragons, and land armies. Condal certainly doesn’t owe anyone an apology, but it’s nice to see that he sympathizes with audiences having to endure another long wait.

However, unlike the first two seasons, the wait between seasons 2 and 3 will be assuaged by another Game of Thrones prequel series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which will premiere sometime in 2025. Based on the Martin’s Dunk and Egg novellas, the upcoming series will follow Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire Egg’s adventures throughout Westeros, offering a more lighthearted alternative compared to the comprehensive conflict covered by House of the Dragon. The spinoff should help make the wait more bearable and when season 3 returns, the Battle of the Gullet should absolutely deliver.