‘House of the Dragon’ season 3 has officially begun filming — what it could mean for the potential release window

It has been nearly nine months since that fiery season 2 finale of "House of the Dragon" roared its way onto screens and set up the next phase of the big Targaryen civil war. (Though, admittedly, the finale was a bit light on beastly battles for more action-minded "HOTD" viewers.)

And after that lengthy gestational period, we finally have some development out of Westeros.

According to the Watson Observer, the hit HBO series — a prequel of the fantasy behemoth "Game of Thrones" — has begun principal photography for its upcoming third season at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden in Watford, Hertfordshire.

The location certainly isn't a surprise, as the first two seasons of "House of the Dragon" were largely filmed in the Leavesden studios. The digs have also played home to other high-profile fantasy properties, including the "Harry Potter" film franchise, as well as Hollywood blockbusters including Margot Robbie's "Barbie" and the Timothée Chalamet-led "Wonka."

For "House of the Dragon," elaborate sets have reportedly been constructed for the upcoming season and a casting call-out was placed looking for "rugged men" who could serve as extras for battle scenes. Per the Observer, filming will take place in both Hertfordshire and North Wales between March and October of this year.

The amped-up production seems in line with what showrunner Ryan Condal has previously teased about the new episodes.

"Season 2 is huge. Season 3 is huger, in many ways," he told Gold Derby . "There are, by my quick count on stage, four major events from the book that we get to adapt and realize in three dimensions in this season. That's really exciting on a scope-and-scale perspective, and I think it's the thing the show does really well."

What does that mean for the 'House of the Dragon' season 3 release date?

Though official word on when "House of the Dragon" season 3 will air has not yet been formally announced by HBO, knowing details about the production schedule actually gives fans some clues as to when they'll be able to see Emma D'Arcy (as Rhaenyra Targaryen), Matt Smith (as Daemon Targaryen), Olivia Cooke (as Alicent Hightower) and the rest of the not-so-merry Targaryen bunch back on their screens.

HBO greenlit "House of the Dragon" season 3 on June 13, 2024, just a few days ahead of the season 2 premiere. The March start of filming aligns with earlier reports that posited that season 3 would enter production in early 2025. With cameras rolling through October — and an extensive post-production phase to take place thereafter — that timeframe supports the speculation that HBO is planning to drop the new episodes in summer 2026.

It would also nicely mimic the production timeline for "House of the Dragon" season 2, which saw filming kick off in April 2023 and episodes begin airing in June 2024. So, we'll have our eyes peeled for a potential summertime 2026 drop.

Condal also revealed to Gold Derby that writing "House of the Dragon" season 3 was easier than on previous installments, which may have helped speed up things production-wise.

"As the actors embody the characters, it actually becomes much easier to write in a more interesting way, because you get to know everybody really well," he said.

"For Season 3, there's much more shape and depth to it right out of the gate, because you're writing for people you know. There are some major new characters this season, but 85 percent of them, we already knew who they were, and it just makes it much more rewarding to write."

Tom's Guide will keep you posted on all things related to "House of the Dragon" season 3. In the meantime, if you need to find another show to fill the "HOTD" void, check out our round-up of the best Max shows you should be streaming right now.

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