'House of the Dragon' Season 3: By the Numbers

If you’re burning with anticipation for the new season of House of the Dragon on HBO and HBO Max, fear not: Season 3 is coming in hot. Premiering Sunday, June 21 at 9pm ET, House of the Dragon season 3 kicks off with a battle that fans have been waiting to see for two years. The Battle of the Gullet is not only one of the biggest battles across all Game of Thrones series, the premiere is the longest season premiere of the show thus far. 

The length of the season 3 opener isn’t the only impressive number surrounding the new season of House of the Dragon. Here’s a closer look at House of the Dragon Season 3: By the Numbers. To watch the new season and revisit all Game of Thrones series, follow this link to add HBO and HBO Max to your DISH subscription. Not a DISH subscriber? Follow this link to find the best offer and subscribe to DISH today!

The Battle of the Gullet

• 72 Minutes: The exact runtime of the Season 3 premiere, officially making it the longest season premiere in the show's history.

• 25 Minutes: The significant chunk of the premiere episode entirely dedicated to the massive "Battle of the Gullet" sequence.

• 27 Days: The length of time required strictly to photograph the complex, multi-layered naval battle sequence, which had to be shot in five separate sections.

• 3 Million Liters: The astonishing volume of water utilized by the special effects crew to bring that same naval battle to life.

House of the Dragon Season 3 Cast

• 26 Starring Cast Members: The total number of confirmed starring actors attached to the main roster for the third season.

• 20 Stunt Performers: The number of guys set on fire simultaneously for a single "big burn" sequence—a stunt so large that adding just three more people would have broken a world record.

• 8 New Roles: The count of fresh faces explicitly announced for the new cast, bringing major book figures to life like Lord Roderick Dustin (Tommy Flanagan), Ser Torrhen Manderly (Dan Fogler), and Lord Ormund Hightower (James Norton).

The Dragons of ‘House of the Dragon’

• 9 Dragons: The number of dragons with riders as season 3 begins:

  • House Black (Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen):

  • Caraxes: Ridden by Prince Daemon Targaryen

  • Syrax: Ridden by Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen

  • Moondancer: Ridden by Lady Baela Targaryen

  • Vermax: Ridden by Prince Jacaerys Velaryon

  • Seasmoke: Recently claimed and ridden by Addam of Hull

  • Vermithor: Recently claimed and ridden by Hugh Hammer

  • Silverwing: Recently claimed and ridden by Ulf White

• House Green (King Aegon II Targaryen)

  • Vhagar: Ridden by Prince Aemond Targaryen

  • Tessarion: Ridden by Prince Daeron Targaryen. She is a young dragon that has just recently taken to the wing to join the Hightower army's march

• Unknown and unclaimed dragons

  • Sunfyre: King Aegon II's dragon is grounded and unable to fly after being severely burned and injured at the Battle at Rook's Rest. Additionally, Aegon is incapacitated and has fled King's Landing.

  • Dreamfyre: She is bonded to Queen Helaena Targaryen, but Helaena rarely rides her and explicitly refuses Aemond's demand to ride her into battle. 

  • Sheepstealer: A wild, unclaimed dragon that Lady Rhaena Targaryen has just tracked down in the Vale.

  • Tyraxes and Stormcloud: Both are dragon hatchlings bonded to Prince Joffrey Velaryon and Prince Aegon "the Younger", respectively. They were sent away for protection and are far too small to be ridden.

Final Figures

• 314 Days: The massive total number of days the cast and crew spent filming the third season on the backlot.

• 200 Tons: The total weight of steel used by the special effects department to construct the epic set pieces for Season 3.

• 8 Episodes: The total episode count for Season 3, matching the compressed, fast-paced structure of Season 2.