Summary

House of the Dragon Season 3 starts shooting with a focus on the brutal "Battle of the Gullet."
New cast members join, including Tommy Flanagan, and a surprise Targaryen prince may be introduced.
Season 3 aims to address unanswered questions from Season 2 and deliver the action-packed gore fans crave.

Eight months after the end of the second season, House of the Dragon Season 3 is already knee-deep in business as it officially begins shooting. And the developments are rapid.

House of the Dragon Season 2’s closing stages left a lot of fans disappointed for failing to make good on its promises of a grand battle between both factions of the Targaryen Civil War (dubbed the “Dance of the Dragons” in the source material, George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood novel). The backlash was enough to cost the epic fantasy show a slot among the Emmys’ Outstanding Drama Series nominees of 2024. House of the Dragon Season 3, confirmed to have the same episode count as the previous season, aims to remedy the agonizing wait by beginning with one of the bloodiest battles in the Targaryen Civil War: the naval “Battle of the Gullet.”

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By Henry-Damian Justice

Showrunner Ryan Condal had earlier said that production would start in the “first quarter of 2025" and various sources previously claimed that House of the Dragon Season 3 had begun filming as early as March 17. However, news of the recent development came from the horse's mouth. HBO on X, via a ten-second clip, announced that House of the Dragon Season 3 officially commenced filming on March 31. Redanian Intelligence, a trusted source on all things Westeros, revealed that the location is London’s Leavesden Studios — the same one where House of the Dragon star Milly Alcock currently shoots Supergirl.

Shooting On House of the Dragon's Third Season Has Officially Begun

A lot had happened in the few days leading up to the shooting. A now-deleted Instagram post by Steve Touissant, who plays Lord Corlys Velaryon (dubbed the “Sea Snake” in these parts), of a cast index from the season’s character read accidentally revealed a surprise introduction of a missing Targaryen prince. Meanwhile, fresh set photos show the construction of a new town and the Sea Snake’s ship — visual proof that House of the Dragon Season 3 will indeed open shop with the infamous “Battle of the Gullet.” New faces have also joined the cast, including Tommy Flanagan as Roddy the Ruin (as reported by Deadline), Peter Polycarpou as Lord Gaunt, and Dan Fogler as Ser Torrhen Manderly.

Much has been said about House of the Dragon’s position as a prequel to the successful juggernaut of Game of Thrones. The sum of the words leans slightly south (less positive) compared to its predecessor. Creator George R.R. Martin routinely shares his positive feelings about some aspects, such as Paddy Considine’s Viserys Targaryen, but not so much as about others.

Thankfully for fans, a lot of questions left unanswered in Season 2 — chief of which are Otto, Alicent, and King Aegon’s status — will be redeemed in the upcoming season. Those longing for the gore of the Dance of the Dragons will likely have their fill of it as set photos and rumors increasingly betray the showrunners' choice to go full action. A little patience is required, though. With an expected release in Summer 2026, fans will have to make do with another Game of Thrones prequel: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

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