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Matt Smith recently provided one of the clearest updates about the filming progress of the upcoming season of House of the Dragon. Speaking on the TODAY Show while promoting his film Caught Stealing, the actor revealed that season three is now in the sixth month of an eight-month shoot, and around 35 days of filming remain. His words were simple but very telling. Things are hectic, he added, and the story is moving into the part he referred to as the real core of the season.
"We are in the middle of it. We're in month six of eight, and so, we're about to get to the real meat of, you know, the end of the series, really."
That short statement was enough to outline the situation. The team is working at full speed, closing in on the most important material before cameras stop rolling. Smith, as Daemon Targaryen, is right at the center of this. He pointed out that production is on track and that the heavy days of the schedule are taking place at this time.
A defined ending for the series
Showrunner Ryan Condal had already confirmed something important: House of the Dragon is not open-ended and is set to conclude with its fourth season. This information is crucial context for Smith’s recent comments. While season three is being filmed, the creative team is already working with the knowledge that only one season remains after. It narrows the path. The Dance of the Dragons is meant to be told across a clear number of episodes, no more.
The work of adapting Fire & Blood
Condal explained in an interview with Entertainment Weekly how different this adaptation is compared with the original Game of Thrones. The source book, Fire & Blood, is not a finished narrative. It reads like a history, with gaps and contradictions. For television, that means making choices, connecting the dots, adding details, and sometimes changing emphasis. Condal stated that he tried for years to involve George R. R. Martin closely in that process. At some point, though, disagreements surfaced.
He described Martin as a personal hero and a literary icon. At the same time, Condal underlined that being a showrunner requires him to wear two hats at once: writer and producer. He spoke of how hundreds of people depend on the decisions taken, so scripts and practical matters must move forward together.
New faces in the third season
Season three of House of the Dragon is not only about continuing old rivalries. It is also about introducing new players. James Norton will appear as Ormund Hightower, the cousin of Alicent. Tommy Flanagan has joined as Ser Roderick Dustin, and Dan Fogler plays Ser Torrhen Manderly.
Tom Cullen is portraying Ser Luthor Largent. Joplin Sibtain portrays Ser/Bold Jon Roxton, Barry Sloane is Ser Adrian Redfort, and Annie Shapero becomes Alysanne Blackwood, also called Black Aly.
These additions are directly tied to names present in Martin’s work. They expand the number of houses and lineages represented, adding more of the political map of Westeros into the televised version.
Where does House of the Dragon filming stand as of now?
As per Smith’s own words, the production has entered its busiest point. The main body of the season is being captured, with roughly five weeks of shooting left. Reports from outlets covering the show confirm the same count: filming started in March 2025 and was announced to end in early autumn. Studios in Watford remain the base of operations, as in earlier seasons, with location work spread across the United Kingdom.
The tone from Smith points out that the cast and crew are in the final push. Everything already filmed over the past months has led up to this period. It is the material that will define how the season lands.
Timeline and release expectations
HBO has not announced a release date for the upcoming season of House of the Dragon as of yet. What is known is that production is set to wrap by October 2025, and after that, the long stretch of post-production is set to begin. Given the timeline, season three is expected to reach screens in 2026.
Looking back, Season One aired in 2022 and Season Two in 2024. A two-year cycle has been the pattern. Large productions like this depend heavily on complex effects, heavy editing, and sound work. All of that is a labor of love and patience, which requires a lot of time. The polished episodes make up for the long wait.
Closing thoughts
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Smith’s update shows where House of the Dragon stands: Season Three is almost complete, and Season Four is already marked as the end. Cast members, new and old, are carrying the story through its final phases of shooting.
There lies a defined destination for the conclusion of the series. Filming is nearly done for this chapter, and the next steps depend on HBO’s schedule. Until then, the progress reports from Smith and others keep interest alive, while the countdown to 2026 slowly ticks away.
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