The first teaser trailer for House of the Dragon Season 3 has debuted, giving the best taste yet of what to expect when the Game of Thrones prequel returns. Season 2 of the show received some backlash, not least for ending on a cliffhanger after weeks of setup. The show’s major sea conflict, the Battle of the Gullet, was pushed back to the third season, meaning fans were left waiting for the Targaryen civil war to kick into an even higher gear, while Rhaenyra Targaryen was also poised to finally make her move on King’s Landing.
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Those plot threads continue in the first footage from the upcoming third season, which was revealed to members of the press at HBO Max’s Upfront event in Brazil [via Omelete on X]. The teaser reportedly builds up the Dance of the Dragons, showing Westeros is now firmly split between those loyal to Rhaenyra and those to Aemond Targaryen, who is ruling as Prince Regent after the injuries to his brother, Aegon. There are also glimpses of several other characters, including a visibly scarred Aegon, as well as Otto Hightower, Criston Cole, and Daemon Targaryen (who is preparing for battle). There’s also Alicent Hightower, who is seen hugging Aemond.
What To Expect From House Of The Dragon Season 3 (& When Will The Trailer Release?)
The footage description doesn’t give too much away, meaning this will very much just be a teaser for what’s in store. It’s clear the show will still be leaning into the Team Black vs. Team Green aspect for its marketing, and with Aegon having fled King’s Landing alongside Larys Strong, there’ll be a greater onus on Aemond and his dragon, Vhagar, to dominate the war effort for the Greens. Given he’s proven himself to be one of the most capable and dangerous characters in the show, who is willing to do just about anything, that’s not a bad thing for them.
Without getting into spoilers from George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, there will be some big twists and turns in the battle for the Iron Throne, though it’s also making some departures from the book as well. Season 2’s ending had Alicent agreeing to essentially hand King’s Landing over to Rhaenyra, which isn’t from the source material, so it’ll be interesting to see how that goes down, and just how Aemond – who Alicent saw as a lost cause who had to be dealt with – factors in to that story.
Marketing materials from Brazil also show that Emma D’Arcy is being granted their wish for Rhaenyra: a weapon. While she doesn’t wield one in the book, she does have one in a poster being shown at the event [via Westerosies on X]. This fits with her character arc, as she’s wanted to be a more active participant in the civil war, whereas book Rhaenyra is more on the passive side, so this should be seen as a positive change that is in keeping with the rest of the series.
With the House of the Dragon Season 3 teaser trailer being shown, it’s possible it will make its way online sooner rather than later. HBO has marketed the two previous seasons on a similar timeframe: the first Season 1 teaser released in October 2021, ahead of its August 2022 release date; the first Season 2 trailer dropped in December 2023, before the show returned in June 2024. With Season 3 expected to air sometime in summer 2026, then we are due a first look. The only wrinkle is that this time HBO has two Game of Thrones shows to promote, as A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms begins in January, so that could impact the marketing strategy, but otherwise, we will hopefully get to see this footage before the end of the year.
House of the Dragon Seasons 1 and 2 are available to stream on HBO Max.
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Courtesy of Netflix
