House Of The Dragon Gets Shorter Season Two, Season Three Circles Greenlight

The second season of House Of The Dragon will run a touch shorter than the first season, with a third season already being discussed. Deadline reports that the hit HBO prequel series to Game of Thrones will run eight episodes for its second season, two shorter than the 10-episode first season.

The report notes that the initial plan was apparently for a 10-episode second season, but that changed and script rewrites have been done. A spokesperson for HBO has said that the lower episode count is a story-driven decision as opposed to a cost-cutting one.

Season three is reportedly mapped out, with HBO “seriously considering” giving the green light to go ahead with scripts, casting and a schedule for production. The report notes that the network is seeking to think of things in a long-term capacity as opposed to a season-to-season one.

Showrunner Ryan Condal and George R.R. Martin are said to be going back and forth about whether the series will run three seasons or four in order to most effectively tell the full story.