Send a crow: HBO's “House of the Dragon” series has finally been confirmed for how many seasons.
During a press conference on Monday to discuss the season two finale of “House of the Dragon,” executive producer and co-creator Ryan Condal revealed that the “Game of Thrones” prequel will include two more seasons, concluding with season four.
Condal also confirmed that season three is currently in writing, with production set to begin in “early 2025.” When asked if season three would also be eight episodes long, as was the case with its second season, Condal said, “I haven't had discussions with HBO about that. I just expect the pacing of the show, from a narrative perspective, to continue in the same vein from season two onward.”
“A Song of Ice and Fire” author George R.R. Martin, who co-created “House of the Dragon,” said on his personal blog that he believes it will take four seasons of 10 episodes each to tell the story of “A Dance of the Dragons” from his book “Fire and Blood.” But so far, HBO has not confirmed how many seasons “House of the Dragon” will have.
HBO's adaptation of Martin's “Game of Thrones” novels — based on the unfinished “A Song of Ice and Fire” series — ran for eight seasons from 2011 to 2019. The premium cable channel is currently producing another “Game of Thrones” series, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” which is based on Martin's “The Tales of Dunc and Egg” and takes place 100 years before the events of “Game of Thrones.”
Elsewhere during Monday's press conference, Condal addressed why the Season 2 finale, which aired Aug. 4, didn't include the Battle of the Pharynx, an iconic “Fire and Blood” storyline that is the next logical point in the “House of the Dragon” plot.
“We were trying to give The Gullet, which is arguably the most anticipated — well, I would say probably the second most anticipated — event in ‘Fire & Blood,’ trying to give it the time and space it deserves,” Cundall said. “Obviously, as anyone who’s seen the finale, we’re gearing up for that event. It’s going to happen very soon in terms of telling the story of ‘House of the Dragon.’”
“Based on what we know now, this should be our biggest accomplishment yet,” Cundall said. “We just wanted to have the time and space to do it at a level that would excite and satisfy the fans and in the way we deserve.”
The “House of the Dragon” boss says the team “also wanted to build some anticipation for it,” further explaining why Season 2 didn't end with a esophageal battle.
“I know everyone wants this movie to come out every summer,” Condal said. “But the show is so complex that we have to do multiple feature films every season. So I apologize for the wait, but I’ll just say if Rook’s Rest and Red Sowing are any indication, we’re going to have a big Battle the Gullet movie in the future.”
Condal also teased why Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) — the king's former aide and Alicent's father — briefly appeared in the final frame in the final episode of season two, appearing to be imprisoned — a departure from “Fire and Blood.” Condal declined to elaborate on what that glimpse of the character meant, saying those answers would have to wait until season three, adding, “We were happy to have Rhys back in the story, and I'll just say that Otto Hightower's story is far from over.”
