The action-packed trailer for season three of HBO’s House Of The Dragon has dropped ahead of its release later this year.
With the Game Of Thrones prequel set to end after its fourth season, season three is expected to cover some of the most dramatic events from the novel Fire & Blood. The book tells the history of the Targaryen dynasty, and if the trailer is to go by, there’s set to be plenty of drama.
The season three premiere is thought to focus on the Battle of the Gullet, part of the Dance of the Dragons conflict which sees two factions of House Targaryen pitted against each other. It was first planned to be included in the previous season before the number of episodes were cut. Carrying the tagline ‘From Fire Comes Darkness’, it feels as though season three could be the most dramatic to date.
In the trailer, it’s clear that something is going to explode between the Greens and the Blacks, both sides preparing for battle with dragons soaring and swords being drawn, indicating conflict on the horizon – check it out here.
It begins with Rhaenyra Targaryen, played by Emma D’Arcy, as she expects the surrender of Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke). However, Rhaenyra’s son, Harry Collett’s Jacaerys, urges his mother not to trust her. Likewise, Alicent’s son, Prince Aemond (Ewan Mitchell), isn’t happy with his mother, prompting her to warn him that “it will be the end” if Rhaenyra is to send her new dragon in their direction. She’s then seen with tears in her eyes as Daemon (Matt Smith) tells her: “This is the moment you become queen”.
There’s a glimpse of James Norton in the clip, too, after the Happy Valley actor was announced to play Lord Ormund Hightower. Cousin of Alicent, he appears to lead an army.
Season three of House Of The Dragon is set to air new episodes in June, though the exact release date has not been revealed. Earlier this year, showrunner Ryan Condal confirmed that the third season will be the penultimate one, with the fourth bringing the show to a close.
He revealed on the Escape Hatch podcast that the writing process for season four is underway and said that it would “be the last one”, adding that there is “only one more left to go” when talking about the physical and mental endurance that the show demands of him.
NME gave the first season four stars, writing: “What is reassuring is that House Of The Dragon feels as though it is walking on solid ground: the bubbling rivalries, the jostling for power, the eruptions of violence; six episodes in, it is all coming together to create a rich stew. Some of the acting is wooden, and not up to the standard of vintage Thrones – perhaps because the main series used up literally all of the actors in Britain – but it is a relief to see a prequel that seems to know what it’s doing. A decent watch for fans and neutrals alike.”
Another Game Of Thrones prequel, A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms, premiered last month and has already been renewed for a second season. Based on the Tales Of Dunk And Egg series of novellas, it concerns the adventures of hedge knight Dunk and his squire, Egg.