House of the Dragon season 3 premiere's 'epic' runtime confirmed
The runtime for House of the Dragon season three has been confirmed as the record-breaking HBO premiere sets a new benchmark for television.
Fantasy enthusiasts have a spectacular treat in store next week.
The runtime of House of the Dragon's bumper season three premiere has been unveiled, with the episode set to shatter a world record in the process.
HBO's epic Game of Thrones prequel returns on Sunday, 21st June and is poised to depict the Battle of the Gullet, one of the most pivotal moments in Targaryen history drawn from George RR Martin's original novels.
Season three promises to be the most explosive instalment of the series to date, pitting the warring factions of Westeros against one another in a ferocious battle at sea — widely regarded as the deadliest naval conflict in the history of the continent.
"These sequences, I will confidently say, are unlike anything that's ever been done on television before," showrunner Ryan Condal promised, per TV Insider.
"The amount of construction that [the crew] did for just the one episode is kind of crazy and frankly irresponsible.
"But it was necessary to tell the story, and this is such a seminal moment for the show."
Condal compared the ambitious naval sequence to The Lord of the Rings' legendary battle at Helm's Deep, though the undertaking was arguably even greater, owing to the use of two fully interactive ship sets constructed in the same tank and operating on separate gimbals.
"No one has practically produced anything like this before," Condal added, before teasing: "This is by far our most action-packed season. The Gullet is huge... but it is only the beginning."
Beyond the two ship sets, the production demanded the use of a wet tank, a dry tank, an underwater tank, four boat sets, and three million litres of water, alongside weeks of stunt choreography training for the cast.
Furthermore, House of the Dragon's latest teaser confirmed that the third series involved a stunt crowd of 15,000, 3,500 props, and 25 tons of propane during filming, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The new series also breaks records, with one action sequence featuring 23 stunt performers being set on fire — the highest number ever recorded in film or television history. The previous record was held by flagship series Game of Thrones, which set 20 stunt performers ablaze during its seventh series.
With House of the Dragon series three shaping up to be the most ambitious and exhilarating instalment of the hit prequel to date, viewers should brace themselves for a bumper opening episode to launch the summer run.
HBO's official TV schedule lists the premiere as airing from 9pm to 10:12pm Eastern Time, giving the episode a total runtime of 72 minutes. It ranks among the longest episodes the show has produced, beaten only by the second series' 73-minute finale.
The episode will broadcast live on HBO on Sunday, 21st June in the United States before becoming available on HBO Max the following Monday morning.
Series three will comprise eight episodes, airing every Sunday through to the finale on 9th August.
House of the Dragon season 3 premieres Monday, 22nd June on HBO Max, Sky and NOW.
