Warning: This post contains spoilers for the sixth season of Game of Thrones.
“Battle of the Bastards,” the ninth episode of Game of Thrones‘ sixth season, promises to include the “biggest”action sequence in the HBO drama’s history — a feat that required a staggering amount of resources to pull off. In fact, the face-off between Jon Snow and Ramsay Bolton took 600 crew members, 500 extras, 70 horses, and more than $10 million to film over a period of 25 days, according to Entertainment Weekly.
“Every battle on Thrones is unique,” director Miguel Sapochnik — who also helmed season five’s “Hardhome” — told EW. “I think that’s why [showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss] keep doing them. In the case of ‘Battle of the Bastards’ — or ‘BOB’ as we affectionately called it in production — David and Dan wanted to do a thing of spectacle, a strategic pitchfield battle they hadn’t had the resources to do back in season one or two. I was particularly interested in depicting both the horror of war and the roll of luck in battle.”
“Battle of the Bastards will air Sunday at 9 p.m. E.T. on HBO.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- Jane Fonda Champions Climate Action for Every Generation
- Biden’s Campaign Is In Trouble. Will the Turnaround Plan Work?
- Why We're Spending So Much Money Now
- The Financial Influencers Women Actually Want to Listen To
- Breaker Sunny Choi Is Heading to Paris
- Why TV Can’t Stop Making Silly Shows About Lady Journalists
- The Case for Wearing Shoes in the House
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Write to Megan McCluskey at megan.mccluskey@time.com