The story of House Targaryen now has a confirmed endpoint. Ryan Condal, the showrunner for House of the Dragon, has officially stated that the show’s fourth season will be its last. Condal shared this news during a recent appearance on the Escape Hatch podcast, bringing clarity to fans about the series’ future. With the writing process for the final season already started, the creative team is focused on crafting a complete and satisfying conclusion to the Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons.
What Ryan Condal Said About the Series Ending
Ryan Condal made the announcement while discussing the completion of House of the Dragon Season 3, which finished filming in October 2025 and is now in post-production. He explained that knowing the finish line is in sight has changed the team’s approach. “It really feels like we’ve turned a big page here,” Condal said on the podcast. “Knowing there’s only one more season left, it feels like we can leave it all out on the field. We’ve started the writing process for Season 4, which will be the last one”. This statement confirms long-standing plans for a four-season story arc, which George R. R. Martin, the series’ co-creator, had suggested in the past. Condal also noted that despite the physical demands of making the show, his spirits are high. “In many ways, it was the happiest season I’ve had on the show,” he said about Season 3.
The Upcoming Road to the Finale: Season 3 and Season 4 Plans
The journey to the finale will continue with Season 3, scheduled to premiere in the summer of 2026. Early material from this season has been shown to HBO, and the network’s executives have reacted positively. This season is expected to feature some of the saga’s largest battles, continuing the war between the factions of Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) and Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney). Following that, Season 4 is predicted to debut in 2028. The writing team is already making “great progress” on the scripts for this final season. The decision to end with Season 4 aligns with the original narrative blueprint to cover the major events of the Dance of the Dragons as told in Martin’s book, Fire & Blood, without extending the story unnecessarily.
How HBO Is Handling the Game of Thrones Universe
The confirmation that House of the Dragon is ending follows HBO’s official renewal of the show for a fourth season in late 2025. At that time, HBO CEO Casey Bloys indicated that the network typically leaves final season decisions to the show’s creators. Bloys stated, “For all of our shows, we generally try to leave it to the creators to make that decision… I don’t have updates for you on any of that. But when we do, I’ll let you know”. This approach allowed Condal and his team to determine the natural ending point for their story. HBO is simultaneously expanding the Game of Thrones universe with other projects.
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The next spinoff, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight, is set to premiere on January 18, 2026. That series has already been renewed for a second season, scheduled for 2027. Francesca Orsi, HBO’s Head of Drama, expressed enthusiasm for the ongoing franchise: “We are thrilled to be able to deliver new seasons of these two series for the next three years, for the legion of fans of the ‘Game of Thrones’ universe”.
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