House of the Dragon season 3 will arrive earlier than expected for a select group of viewers. Before the fantasy drama officially returns on HBO later this month, the premiere episode is set to receive a special advance screening at Italy’s Taormina Film Festival. Several cast members are also expected to attend the special event in Sicily.
House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 1 to premiere at Taormina Film Festival
According to Variety, House of the Dragon season 3 will receive an early international screening before its official television debut. The opening episode of the new season has been selected to launch this year’s Taormina Film Festival in Italy, allowing festival attendees to watch the premiere nearly two weeks ahead of its streaming release.
The event is scheduled to take place during the festival’s June 10-14 edition in Taormina, Sicily. Cast members Steve Toussaint, Harry Collett, Bethany Antonia, and Phoebe Campbell are expected to attend the screening, which will be held inside the city’s historic Greek amphitheater.
The upcoming season of the Game of Thrones prequel is officially set to premiere in the United States on June 21 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max. Italian audiences will receive the season one day later, on June 22. The new installment consists of eight episodes that will continue releasing weekly until the finale arrives on August 9.
Based on Fire & Blood by George R. R. Martin, the series explores the Targaryen civil war known throughout Westeros as the Dance of the Dragons. The story takes place centuries before the events of Game of Thrones and follows the growing conflict between rival branches of House Targaryen.
The second season concluded with the war between the Greens and the Blacks moving closer toward full-scale destruction, while several powerful houses across Westeros began declaring their loyalties. Season 3 is expected to continue building toward some of the franchise’s largest battles.