Game of Thrones fans know exactly what it means to endure a “long night.” In George R. R. Martin’s universe, it’s an excruciating winter that seems endless, leaving everyone in suspense and uncertainty. And that’s precisely the feeling HBO has been imposing on its audience: a cold, slow, indefinite wait.

Take House of the Dragon, for instance. Season 3 is still far from reaching the screen. As Olivia Cooke recently revealed, filming won’t wrap until October 2025. If we follow the same timeline as season 2 — which finished shooting in September 2023 but didn’t air until June 2024 — it’s realistic to expect the new episodes only between October and November 2026. That’s a full two-year gap. A stark contrast to the early days of Game of Thrones, which delivered ten episodes a year without fail, at least until the final stretch.

Meanwhile, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms — the adaptation of the Dunk & Egg stories, one of Martin’s personal favorites — remains tightly under wraps. No teaser, barely any images, and plenty of secrecy. And here lies the unease: the series has allegedly been finished for over a year, originally slated for early 2025, but pushed back to 2026. All signs suggest HBO is deliberately holding it back to bridge the long gap left by House of the Dragon. The problem? Rumors of reshoots are also circulating — and as every TV fan knows, that’s never a good sign.

Even so, reports say the show already has two seasons ordered before its debut, giving it the strength to serve as a bridge across House of the Dragon’s increasingly stretched hiatuses.

The truth is, HBO’s programming strategy is (almost) clear: alternating shows between even and odd years, blending new launches with established franchises. In 2025, for example, we saw The Gilded Age, The White Lotus, and And Just Like That anchoring the schedule with loyal audiences, awards, and critical acclaim.

But balance is fragile: And Just Like That was canceled in its fourth season, precisely when it stopped performing. That means by 2027, HBO will need something new to fill that slot. The Gilded Age and The White Lotus each have one more season confirmed (with The White Lotus likely concluding), but both are expected to begin filming only in 2026 — meaning premieres won’t come before mid-2027. Until then, the gap will be filled with new debuts and, of course, the long-awaited return to Westeros.

The truth is that “the long wait” has become not just a logistical side effect but part of the strategy itself. Stretching the intervals prolongs the saga’s lifespan, keeps anticipation alive, and cements the “Game of Thrones universe” as one of Warner Bros.’ billion-dollar pillars, alongside Harry Potter and DC. The risk, however, is that ice can be treacherous: the longer it stretches, the greater the danger of enthusiasm freezing over.

I’d venture to say HBO’s equation is clear: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms in June 2026, and House of the Dragon by the end of that same year. Until then, fans can only do what Westeros itself taught them — endure the winters, wait for spring, and hope the reward is worth the cold journey.