Matt Smith seemingly just revealed when House of the Dragon will be back. The prequel to the landmark fantasy series Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon season 2 ended in August 2024, and would need a long hiatus to produce the next season, given the scale of the story. The series depicts House Targaryen at the height of its power, with many living dragons.
Now, in a recent interview with This Morning, Matt Smith revealed that he thinks House of the Dragon will premiere its third season in August 2026. "That comes out in…I think in August next year," Smith said specifically. Smith portrays Prince Daemon Targaryen, once an aspiring heir to the Iron Throne himself, who last season fully dedicated himself to Rhaenyra's (Emma D'Arcy) accession.
A slow burn that has sometimes frustrated audiences, House of the Dragon season 3 is expected to finally start showing the major battles of the war known as the Dance of Dragons in George R. R. Martin's lore. Set almost 200 years before Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon follows the crisis of succession when King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine) names his daughter his heir.
When Viserys remarries and has multiple sons, Rhaenyra's succession is challenged following her father's death, with many favoring her brother Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) to rule. Earning several Golden Globe and Emmy nominations across its two seasons, House of the Dragon has overall proven to be a success following Game of Thrones' disappointing final season.
House of the Dragon's first season aired in 2022, with the sophomore season coming a little less than two years later. August 2026 is approximately the time we would expect the show to return, with maybe some additional time in post-production because of more battle sequences. House of the Dragon is already renewed for season 4, as well as A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms for season 2.
With additional powerhouse performances from Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans, and more, the next season will continue to show how the Westerosi nobles ultimately commit to the civil war they acted as though they were trying to prevent. House of the Dragon season 3's release date may not be set, but Matt Smith gives the most tangible update yet.
