What We Know About the New Movie and What Happens After House of the Dragon
Winter isn’t just coming. It’s getting a theatrical release.
For over a decade, fans have dreamed of seeing Westeros on the big screen. Now it’s official. Warner Bros. has confirmed that “Game of Thrones: Aegon’s Conquest” — the first-ever feature film set in George R.R. Martin’s universe — will hit theaters on June 6, 2029. But with House of the Dragon approaching its end and HBO’s spinoff slate thinning, what does the future of the franchise actually look like? Here’s everything we know.
The Movie: Aegon’s Conquest
What It’s About
The film will adapt material from Martin’s Fire & Blood, the in-universe Targaryen history that also serves as the source material for House of the Dragon. Set roughly 300 years before the events of the original Game of Thrones, it will chronicle the conquest of Westeros by Aegon I Targaryen — better known as Aegon the Conqueror — and the establishment of the Targaryen dynasty.
At this point in history, there is no Iron Throne, no King’s Landing, and no unified Seven Kingdoms. Westeros is divided among independent rulers: the Starks in the North, the Lannisters in the Westerlands, the Gardeners in the Reach, the Durrandons in the Stormlands, and House Hoare controlling the Iron Islands and Riverlands.
Aegon, aided by his sister-wives Visenya and Rhaenys, sets out to unite the realm under his rule. All three siblings ride dragons: Aegon on Balerion the Black Dread, Visenya on Vhagar, and Rhaenys on Meraxes. The campaign is one of the bloodiest in Westerosi history, with Aegon responsible for countless deaths in his quest to become sole ruler.
Who’s Making It
The film has assembled a creative team with serious pedigree:
Director: Owen Harris — Known for his work on A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, as well as acclaimed episodes of Black Mirror including “San Junipero” and “Be Right Back”.
Screenwriter: Beau Willimon — The creator and showrunner of House of Cards and a writer on Andor.
Producer: Warner Bros. Discovery — The film is part of the studio’s slate beyond 2027, alongside a new Matrix film, the next Batman installment, and a live-action Jetsons movie.
Who’s Starring?
No casting has been announced. Aegon I has never appeared in any live-action production, so whoever takes the role will be the first actor to portray the Conqueror on screen. The same goes for Visenya and Rhaenys.
Expect announcements to start trickling out as production ramps up. With a release date nearly three years away, there’s plenty of time — and plenty of speculation.
What Happens After House of the Dragon?
House of the Dragon has been HBO’s flagship Thrones spinoff since 2022. But its days are numbered.
The End of the Dance
Season 3 premiered on June 21, 2026, picking up where Season 2 left off with the all-out war known as the Dance of the Dragons and the Battle of the Gullet. The eight-episode season ran weekly through August 9.
But the story isn’t over. Season 4 has been confirmed as the final chapter, set to wrap up the Targaryen civil war. According to reporting, House of the Dragon will conclude with its fourth season in 2028.
What’s Left on TV?
HBO’s Thrones universe is narrowing. According to HBO Chairman and CEO Casey Bloys, there are currently no additional spinoffs in development beyond the two already in production.
That leaves:
House of the Dragon — concluding with Season 4 in 2028.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms — the Dunk and Egg series, which has already aired its first season to strong reviews. Season 2 is expected in the first half of 2027.
Bloys was blunt when asked about other projects: “Besides that, no, nothing else”.
That means the long-rumoured Jon Snow sequel, the Arya Stark spinoff, and other pitched projects like Nine Voyages and 10,000 Ships are effectively dead — at least for now. Maisie Williams recently addressed the Arya rumours, saying she didn’t see a path for the character’s return, noting that “what people loved about Arya is that she was always a child doing things that were quite grown-up”.
The Movie as the Future
With the TV slate shrinking, the Aegon’s Conquest film becomes the franchise’s primary expansion vehicle. It’s a strategic pivot: instead of spreading Westeros across multiple ongoing series, Warner Bros. is betting on a theatrical event film to carry the brand forward after House of the Dragon ends.
It’s a gamble. But it’s also a return to scale. The Conquest is one of the most epic stories in Martin’s lore — a war of dragons, kingdoms, and fire that reshaped the entire continent. If any story deserves the big screen, it’s this one.
Game of Thrones:
Aegon’s Conquest arrives in theaters on June 6, 2029. It will tell the story of how the Targaryens conquered Westeros, with Owen Harris directing from a script by Beau Willimon.
On television, House of the Dragon will wrap with Season 4 in 2028, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms returns for Season 2 in 2027, and HBO has no other spinoffs in development. The future of the franchise, after the Dance of the Dragons ends, rests on the shoulders of a Conqueror who hasn’t been cast yet.
Winter is coming — to a theater near you. And for the first time in the history of the franchise, you’ll need to buy a ticket to see it.
