House of the Dragon season 3 is happening (but will it be the show's last?)

Just as House of the Dragon is about to unleash its sophomore season, another one is on the way! But just how long can the Game of Thrones spinoff last?

It’s no surprise HBO would want to continue its Game of Thrones universe given the series’ massive popularity and Golden Globe-winning success. House of the Dragon is based on George R.R. Martin's book Fire & Blood and is set nearly 200 years before the events of GoT. The show focuses on “The Dance of the Dragons,” a civil war that shaped Westeros.

Season 1 was a huge hit in 2022 and season 2 is set to premiere on HBO and Max June 16. Now, just as folks were wondering if a third season would be on the way, it’s been confirmed. Francesca Orsi, Executive Vice President, HBO Programming, Head of HBO Drama Series and Films, broke the news:

"George [R.R. Martin], Ryan [Condal], and the rest of our incredible executive producers, cast, and crew, have reached new heights with the phenomenal second season of HOUSE OF THE DRAGON. We are in awe of the dragon-sized effort the entire team has put into the creation of a spectacular season two, with a scope and scale that is only rivaled by its heart. We could not be more thrilled to continue the story of House Targaryen and watch this team burn bright again for season three."

While it’s confirmed House of the Dragon is getting another season, it leaves a bigger question: Just how long can the show last?

How long House of the Dragon might run

The question of how long House of the Dragon goes on is a big one. We can assume HBO would want it to continue as GOT did, but there are issues there. Chief among them is the massively high budget for the series which might be a reason the second season's episode count is low. We also have to take into consideration what the creatives behind the show want to do.

Deadline says the House of the Dragon team always envisioned the series lasting three to four seasons. Showrunner Ryan Condal has reportedly been working with Martin on how to properly break up Fire & Blood into seasons to maintain the storyline.

That includes how the third season is being mapped out, including moving some plot points from the second season to the third. It's said Condal and Martin are debating how best to proceed; Martin already talked of hopes each season would have 10 episodes and the show would run for four seasons in a blog post from October 2022:

"It is going to take four full seasons of 10 episodes each to do justice to the Dance of the Dragons, from start to finish."

- Martin

That episode count may be a factor in how long House of the Dragon continues. Could that mean having a fourth season to properly bring the story to a conclusion, or even extend it to a fifth season? It seems possible.

At the same time, fans may be wary of the show going on too long and HBO trying to keep some cash cow going rather than tell a worthy storyline. Too many shows have suffered such a fate as it might be better for HotD to end on its own terms rather than drag to a weak finish. 

For now, the showrunners know they have at least one more year to plan out House of the Dragon’s tales as fans are hopeful that the GoT spinoff lands the ending much better than its predecessor did. Considering what happens in the book and Martin's hopes, four seasons is looking likely. But we don't know for sure.

House of the Dragon season 2 premieres this Sunday, June 16 at 9/8c on HBO and Max.