House of the Dragon returns this June for its highly anticipated third season on HBO. While it’s still unclear how much of George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood the new season will adapt, showrunner Ryan Condal has hinted at several major developments.
During a press conference following the Season 2 finale, Condal confirmed that the long-awaited Battle of the Gullet will take place in Season 3. According to him, the battle is expected to be the most ambitious sequence the series has attempted so far.
“It should be the biggest thing to date that we’ve pulled off,” Condal said, explaining that the team wanted enough time and space to deliver the battle on a scale that would truly excite and satisfy fans.
The reveal isn’t entirely surprising, since the Season 2 finale clearly laid the groundwork for the massive conflict ahead. Brief glimpses of the battle can already be seen in the teaser trailer.
However, behind the scenes, the series hasn’t been without controversy. In January 2026, George R.R. Martin told The Hollywood Reporter that his relationship with House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal had deteriorated significantly. Martin described their working dynamic as “abysmal,” claiming Condal eventually stopped responding to his feedback on the show’s scripts.
Martin explained that during the first season the collaboration felt much more productive. He would review early drafts, offer notes, and Condal would sometimes incorporate those suggestions. According to Martin, that process seemed to work well at the time.
But he said things changed once production moved into Season 2. Martin claimed his feedback was increasingly ignored, with some suggestions dismissed or acknowledged without any follow-through. Eventually, he said HBO asked him to send his notes directly to the network instead, which would then pass along combined feedback to the showrunner.
Condal has also spoken about the challenges of adapting Martin’s work. In a previous interview with Entertainment Weekly, he said he made a genuine effort to involve the author in the adaptation process, but felt that at times Martin struggled to accept the practical limitations of bringing the story to television.
Based on the events set up in the Season 2 finale, Season 3 will likely dive deeper into the escalating civil war between the rival Targaryen factions. The conflict between the Blacks and the Greens is expected to intensify as alliances shift, major characters take on larger roles in the fighting, and the war spreads across both land and sea. With more dragons entering the battlefield and the stakes continuing to rise, viewers can expect a season filled with large-scale battles, political maneuvering, and major turning points in the Dance of the Dragons.
