House Of The Dragon, The Last Of Us, White Lotus, and more eye their returns

Despite delays due to the actors and writers strikes, supporters of Rhaenyra Targaryen won’t have to wait too long to watch her exact her revenge. At a press conference this morning, Max announced that House Of The Dragon is done shooting for the season and eyeing a premiere in “early summer” 2024. This season will only have eight episodes, two less than season one.

This quick-ish turnaround is likely due to the fact that most of HOTD’s actors are covered by a U.K.-based union called Equity, and therefore weren’t affected by the strike. The show has been filming throughout Hollywood’s long pause.

Other fandoms will have to wait a bit longer. The White Lotus season 3 (set in Thailand this time around), Welcome To Derry, a prequel to Stephen King’s It, and Euphoria have all been pushed to 2025. CEO Casey Bloys also gave an update about The Last Of Us season 2, which is set to begin production in spring 2024 (assuming the actors strike ends before that date). Previously, co-creators Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin said they had mapped out the entire story for the season and were “raring to go” whenever the strikes resolved, so expect more mushroom-based devastation very soon.

Also on the slate is yet another Game Of Thrones prequel, titled A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight, which is aiming to begin shooting in the spring. Set after the events of House Of The Dragon and based on George R.R. Martin’s Tales Of Dunk And Egg novellas, the show will follow the exploits of Sir Duncan the Tall and his squire, Egg, the future King Aegon V Targaryen. Per a press release, “great destinies, powerful foes and dangerous exploits all await these improbable and incomparable friends.” If your alarm bells are ringing about HBO’s potential over-reliance on Westerosi lore, Bloys is at least aware of the potential for franchise fatigue. “I don’t have a plan where I go, ‘Okay, I need three Game Of Thrones on the schedule by this time.’ I’ve always said, we’re gonna do the shows that we think are good,” he said at today’s event. It’s promising, then, that The Hedge Knight was chosen.