Season 3

Season 3 of Game of Thrones was commissioned on 10 April 2012, following a major increase in audience figures between the first two seasons. It consists of ten episodes and began filming on 10 July 2012. . It concluded filming on 24 November 2012. David Benioff and D.B. Weiss will return as executive producers and show runners.

The season premiered on 31 March, 2013.

Season 3 is based on A Storm of Swords, the third novel in the A Song of Ice and Fire books by George R.R. Martin. However, whilst the first two seasons roughly corresponded to the first two books, the sheer length of the third novel (almost half again the length of the first by word count) makes this impossible. As a result, the events of the novel will be split between third season and the upcoming fourth season. Some events from the third novel were also moved into the final episodes of the second season to help facilitate this.

Plot
Season 3 spans several months on a world where the seasons can last for years at a time. Autumn has fallen across the world, with winter not far behind. The people should be preparing for years of snow and ice, but the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros instead remain gripped by civil war. Would-be king Renly Baratheon has been assassinated, altering the alliances in the war. The cruel boy-king Joffrey Baratheon has won a great victory by securing an alliance with House Tyrell, with his supporters defeating his uncle Stannis in an epic battle. Joffrey now commands the largest armies in the realm and his triumph appears inevitable.

King Robb Stark remains in the field, however his homeland, the North, is partially under ironborn occupation. Robb needs to decide on a course of action to win an overall victory. He must also win back the allegiance of House Frey, whom he has offended by breaking his marriage pact to them. King Robb has won every battle he has fought, but as with old King Robert, the Starks will have to see if good soldiers make good kings.

Stannis Baratheon may be defeated and most of his army destroyed or scattered, but he is not out of the fight yet. Having retreated to his headquarters on Dragonstone island with his handful of surviving soldiers, Stannis' status as the last legitimate heir to his older brother Robert still casts a shadow over Joffrey's claim to the throne. With the priestess Melisandre at his side, Stannis can still influence the course of the war by striking where least expected.

The lives of many others still hang in the balance. Bran Stark and his protectors must cross the frozen wastelands of the North to reach the Wall, whilst Arya must brave the war-torn Riverlands in search of her mother and brother. Brienne also has the thankless task of taking the captive Jaime Lannister home across hundreds of miles of battlefields and carnage. Theon Greyjoy must face the consequences of his actions at Winterfell. And in King's Landing both Tyrion Lannister and Sansa Stark must brave the currents of a much more dangerous court in order to survive.

On the eastern continent, Daenerys Targaryen has fled the political viper-pit of Qarth. Her dragons are growing and her fame is spreading, but to take the Iron Throne she will need supporters and an army. Both may be found in the corrupt cities of Slaver's Bay... for a price.

Beyond the Wall, the White Walkers are on the move, threatening both the Seven Kingdoms and the lands of the Free Folk. While the Night's Watch faces the threat of the White Walkers in the field, Jon Snow must infiltrate the wildling army of Mance Rayder and discover the King-Beyond-the-Wall's plans.

Production
The series has again been filmed primarily in Northern Ireland, and has also returned to Iceland and Croatia. The production also added Morocco to the locations roster. A couple of scenes, involving a trained bear, were shot in Los Angeles for safety and legal reasons. The production expanded to three production units, adding a new "Raven" unit to the existing "Dragon" and "Wolf" units.

Production in Croatia continued to use the walled medieval city of Dubrovnik to film external scenes for King's Landing, and Iceland was again used to film scenes set in the frozen lands that Jon Snow and the Night's Watch encounter Beyond the Wall. Production in the new location of Morocco filmed Daenerys Targaryen's new storyline in Slaver's Bay as well as some King's Landing exterior shots. The Los Angeles scenes are, in the book, set in Harrenhal.

Cast

 * Main article: Season 3 cast

Starring cast
 * Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister (9 episodes)
 * Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Ser Jaime Lannister (7 episodes)
 * Lena Headey as Queen Cersei Lannister (8 episodes)
 * Emilia Clarke as Queen Daenerys Targaryen (8 episodes)
 * Kit Harington as Jon Snow (8 episodes)
 * Richard Madden as King Robb Stark (7 episodes)
 * Iain Glen as Ser Jorah Mormont (8 episodes)
 * Michelle Fairley as Lady Catelyn Stark (8 episodes)
 * Aidan Gillen as Lord Petyr Baelish (4 episodes)
 * Charles Dance as Lord Tywin Lannister (8 episodes)
 * Liam Cunningham as Ser Davos Seaworth (4 episodes)
 * Stephen Dillane as King Stannis Baratheon (5 episodes)
 * Carice van Houten as Lady Melisandre (6 episodes)
 * Natalie Dormer as Lady Margaery Tyrell (6 episodes)
 * Isaac Hempstead-Wright as Prince Bran Stark (6 episodes)
 * Sophie Turner as Princess Sansa Stark (8 episodes)
 * Maisie Williams as Princess Arya Stark (9 episodes)
 * Alfie Allen as Prince Theon Greyjoy (6 episodes)
 * John Bradley as Samwell Tarly (8 episodes)
 * Oona Chaplin as Queen Talisa Stark (6 episodes)
 * Joe Dempsie as Gendry (8 episodes)
 * Jack Gleeson as King Joffrey Baratheon (7 episodes)
 * Rose Leslie as Ygritte (8 episodes)
 * James Cosmo as Lord Commander Jeor Mormont (4 episodes)
 * Jerome Flynn as Ser Bronn (4 episodes)
 * Conleth Hill as Lord Varys (5 episodes)
 * Sibel Kekilli as Shae (6 episodes)
 * Rory McCann as Sandor Clegane (8 episodes)

Selected guest starring cast


 * Nathalie Emmanuel as Missandei (8 episodes)
 * Ian McElhinney as Ser Barristan Selmy (8 episodes)
 * Gwendoline Christie as Brienne of Tarth (7 episodes)
 * Kristofer Hivju as Tormund Giantsbane (7 episodes)
 * Michael McElhatton as Lord Roose Bolton (7 episodes)
 * Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Jojen Reed (6 episodes)
 * Mackenzie Crook as Orell (6 episodes)
 * Paul Kaye as Thoros of Myr (6 episodes)
 * Philip McGinley as Anguy (6 episodes)
 * Hannah Murray as Gilly (6 episodes)
 * Iwan Rheon as Ramsay Snow (6 episodes)
 * Jacob Anderson as Grey Worm (5 episodes)
 * Finn Jones as Ser Loras Tyrell (5 episodes)
 * Ellie Kendrick as Meera Reed (5 episodes)
 * Tobias Menzies as Lord Edmure Tully (5 episodes)
 * Kristian Nairn as Hodor (5 episodes)
 * Daniel Portman as Podrick Payne (5 episodes)
 * Diana Rigg as Lady Olenna Tyrell (5 episodes)
 * Clive Russell as Ser Brynden Tully (5 episodes)
 * Noah Taylor as Locke (5 episodes)
 * Luke Barnes as Rast (4 episodes)
 * Esmé Bianco as Ros (4 episodes)
 * Ben Crompton as Eddison Tollett (4 episodes)
 * Richard Dormer as Lord Beric Dondarrion (4 episodes)
 * Anton Lesser as Qyburn (4 episodes)
 * Art Parkinson as Prince Rickon Stark (4 episodes)
 * Ed Skrein as Daario Naharis (3 episodes)
 * Mark Stanley as Grenn (4 episodes)
 * Natalia Tena as Osha (4 episodes)
 * Julian Glover as Grand Maester Pycelle (3 episodes)
 * Dan Hildebrand as Kraznys mo Nakloz (3 episodes)
 * Ciarán Hinds as Mance Rayder (3 episodes)
 * John Stahl as Lord Rickard Karstark (3 episodes)
 * Ian Beattie as Ser Meryn Trant (2 episodes)
 * David Bradley as Lord Walder Frey (2 episodes)
 * Ben Hawkey as Hot Pie (2 episodes)
 * Robert Pugh as Craster (2 episodes)
 * Josef Altin as Pypar ("Mhysa")
 * Patrick Malahide as King Balon Greyjoy ("Mhysa")
 * Peter Vaughan as Maester Aemon ("Mhysa")
 * Gemma Whelan as Princess Yara Greyjoy ("Mhysa")

Crew
Director and producer Alan Taylor will not be returning due to his commitments on the film  Thor: The Dark World.

Producers

 * David Benioff: executive producer.
 * D.B. Weiss: executive producer.
 * Carolyn Strauss: executive producer.
 * Frank Doelger: executive producer.
 * Bernie Caufield: executive producer.
 * Guymon Casady: co-executive producer.
 * George R.R. Martin: co-executive producer.
 * Vince Geradis: co-executive producer.
 * Vanessa Taylor: co-executive producer.
 * Chris Newman: Producer
 * Greg Spence: Producer

Writers

 * David Benioff & D.B. Weiss: episode 1, 3-4, 6, 8-10.
 * Bryan Cogman: episodes 5.
 * Vanessa Taylor: episode 2.
 * George R.R. Martin: episode 7.

Directors

 * Daniel Minahan: episodes 1 and 2.
 * David Benioff: episode 3.
 * Alex Graves: episodes 4 and 5.
 * Alik Sakharov: episode 6.
 * Michelle MacLaren: episodes 7 and 8.
 * David Nutter: episodes 9 and 10.

Media release


Season 3 of Game of Thrones will be released on DVD and Blu-Ray in the United States on 18 February 2014. The set will include all ten episodes of the season and a number of extra features.

HBO announced the release date for the media release considerably earlier than normal. They offered fans a chance to vote for alternate packaging designs on their Facebook page. In addition to the standard edition, fans could choose between a repeat of the alternate packaging from Season 1, featuring the sigils of Houses Stark, Lannister and Targaryen; character-based images, featuring Tyrion Lannister, Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen; or a new set of house sigils, featuring House Baratheon (as led by King Stannis), House Tully or House Tyrell.

Image gallery
HBO have released a range of promotional images and posters to market the third season.