House of the Dragon’s expected release month sets up a massive year for HBO; potentially its biggest yet. The cable network is best known for its prestige shows, from dramas like The Sopranos to The Wire to comedies like Sex and the City and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Throughout the 2010s, the network’s identity shifted as streaming elevated the potential resources television could access, allowing for Game of Thrones to take shape and become the cultural phenomenon it was. This laid the foundation for the TV landscape we have in the 2020s.
House of the Dragon season 2 was divisive, splitting both book readers and TV fans into a Dance of Dragons of their own. That leaves House of the Dragon season 3 with heavy expectations, and everything about the production indicates that HBO will be rising to the occasion, responding to critiques about the anticlimactic sophomore run with an action-packed set of episodes. Production began earlier in 2025 and recently wrapped filming in October. The series will now enter post-production in preparation for a June 2026 release.
‘House of the Dragon’ and ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Both Release in 2026
It may be frustrating to hear that audiences will have to wait until June of next year for more House of the Dragon. This means yet another nearly two-year wait between seasons, continuing the frustrating trend of extended release gaps that’s plagued the 2020s in television. On the bright side, however, audiences have A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms to look forward to. The new Game of Thrones prequel will be released in January; there’s already a trailer out, and the source material story is fantastic.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will be shorter than House of the Dragon, but not every story in the franchise needs to be epic. This series might not have the hour-long battle episodes as the original, but it will have the characters and action that made people fall in love with Westeros in the first place. Not to mention, this will be the first time audiences are treated to not one but two Game of Thrones shows in a given year, setting the stage for a massive HBO year.
HBO Has Other Blockbusters Arriving in 2026
HBO not only has the two Game of Thrones spinoffs, but some other major titles are also expected to land in 2026. The Last of Us is taking a year off, but franchise IP fans can look forward to Lanterns, the HBO Green Lantern series that builds off of Peacemaker, Superman, and the rest of James Gunn’s new DCU. The show will be led by Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler as the two titular superheroes. This title is expected in early 2026, possibly around late Winter/early Spring.
Next up is Dune: Prophecy, a title that began production shortly after House of the Dragon season 3, and will likely drop on HBO in late 2026. The Dune prequel series saw mixed reviews for its first season, but given the timing with Dune 3 expected in December 2026, HBO could benefit from the release synergy.
The final blockbuster is Euphoria, which may not have started as a blockbuster, but has certainly become one as its stars have been launched into fame. Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, Jacob Elordi, Hunter Schafer, and Austin Abrams leading a cast means more now than it did in 2019, and the excitement surrounding the star-studded ensemble will almost make up for the four-year delay between seasons.
2026’s Schedule Signifies HBO’s Changes Under WBD Leadership
While the complete schedule for HBO’s 2026 slate hasn’t been revealed yet, the shows that have been announced signify change for the network. The company, which was once known for pushing the TV medium forward with groundbreaking titles, has become the destination for many of Warner Bros. Discovery’s franchise IP projects in recent years. Since David Zaslav took the reins as CEO in 2022, his initiative has been to focus on more franchise-based titles, utilizing Warner Bros.’ immense catalog of IP to increase profit.
This is the reason for the new Harry Potter TV series, the upcoming Lord of the Rings film, and more, as WBD hopes to capitalize on its biggest titles. However, this has also led to issues with quality, as cost cuts have impacted titles like House of the Dragon. The show notably had two episodes cut due to budget constraints, which was the reason behind season 2’s cliffhanger ending. The title was originally planned to have ten episodes, but was limited to eight after scripts were written.
That said, prestige TV isn’t dead at HBO. The Rehearsal and The Chair Company are proof in 2025 that the network still intends to pursue innovative material. New seasons of the Emmy-winning series The Pitt and the criminally underrated Industry will be out in 2026, suggesting high-quality television to balance out the big-budget blockbusters.
HBO seems to still be searching for its next Game of Thrones when the focus should be on a new Succession or The White Lotus, but for now, at least, there are still high-quality productions in development. House of the Dragon season 3’s action-heavy promise could be a return to form for the franchise, and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will offer a much-needed tone shift ahead of its release.
- Release Date
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August 21, 2022
- Network
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HBO
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Fabien Frankel
Ser Criston Cole
