Since season three of House of the Dragon concluded earlier this year, fans have been eagerly awaiting the fourth and final season of the dragon-filled series. Now, speaking to The Direct, series star Gayle Rankin (GLOW, Bad Things) is updating fans about when the season will enter production.
Rankin teased that she “will be [involved]” with the production of season four, and further stated that production will begin “early next year.” Rankin was reticent to reveal too much information about her character, Alys Rivers, only teasing that her character was “still alive”, meaning her character had more story to tell.
Rankin’s character revealed a bit about herself last season on the show, when she began to shack up with Aemond Targaryen, played by Ewan Mitchell (Wuthering Heights, Saltburn). According to Alys, she was a lover (and possible Queen) of the notorious Black Harren, the man who built Harrenhal. When Aegon the Conqueror attacked Harrenhal with his dragonmount, Balerion the Black Dread, Alys’s son was caught in the fire.
Attempting to cure her son with various magics, Alys was unsuccessful, and further found herself cursed to live forever as a servant of whoever became the master of Harrenhal. Now, she wishes to escape the curse and rule Harrenhal in her own right.
Season 3 concluded with Aemond and Alys as lovers, and the series will likely explore this dynamic when it returns. Alys did run afoul of Dowager Queen Alicent, played by Olivia Cooke (Slow Horses, Ready Player One), who decided to poison her son, Aemond. Alys saved Aemond’s life, but called him a fool for trusting his mother when Alys had informed him that that was a bad idea. In the books, Alys has quite a bit more to do in the narrative, so fans will definitely be seeing more of Rankin and her mysterious agenda in the upcoming fourth season.