Game of Thrones might have ended in 2019, but the franchise shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, in 2026, we’re going to see House of the Dragon help make history for the franchise!
So just how will history be made in the new year? Well, 2026 will be the first year in HBO’s history that fans will get to enjoy two Game of Thrones series released in the same calendar year. Not only will fans get the new series A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, but fans will also be treated to a new season of House of the Dragon.
There was some concern among fans that House of the Dragon could be delayed to 2027 after HBO decided to push A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms back from a Fall 2025 release to an Early 2026 release. Fortunately, HBO boss Casey Bloys has confirmed that both shows will be released in 2026 with A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms arriving in January 2026 and House of the Dragon season 3 dropping sometime after May.
This means that fans will be getting two Game of Thrones shows in the same calendar year for the very first time in the history of the franchise, and it’s a brilliant move.
House of the Dragon releasing in 2026 is the smartest move HBO has made in years
While some might argue that releasing two Game of Thrones shows in the same year is overkill and could lessen fan interest. After all, this is something that Marvel fans have witnessed with Marvel Studios flooding the market with too many projects leading to a decline in fan interest. However, HBO’s decision to release two Game of Thrones shows in the same year, rather than delaying House of the Dragon until 2027 to avoid overlap, is a brilliant strategic move.
The success of House of the Dragon demonstrated that the world of Westeros still holds significant cultural weight. By releasing another show in the same year, HBO is ensuring that the buzz around Game of Thrones remains fresh and ongoing. It also prevents House of the Dragon from losing momentum by holding the season back simply to avoid releasing two shows in one calendar year.
Delaying House of the Dragon to 2027 would have risked losing momentum, something the show really can’t afford after its polarizing season 2 finale. And there’s no reason to hold the show back just because A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is being released earlier in the year. If anything, its release can actually build more anticipation for House of the Dragon.
Having two Game of Thrones shows airing in one year increases HBO's content offerings and gives it two high-profile projects for two key periods in the year. They get to kick off 2026 with A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and then get to captivate audiences during the summer with the release of House of the Dragon season 3.
When you have more projects in the mix, the conversation remains more active which can lead to bigger ratings and stronger fan engagement. We’ll see just how much bigger the ratings and engagement end up being for HBO when A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and House of the Dragon make history by giving fans the biggest year in Game of Thrones history!