We already knew that we'd have to wait a little longer for Game Of Thrones in 2017, much as we did this year. But what we didn't know was quite how long or how many episodes we might get when the Westeros gang do return to our screens. Turns out we now face a wait until next summer for the show and that Season 7's name is fitting for more than one reason.
The reason? With the coming of winter, the team behind the show needs chillier weather to shoot and is therefore shifting its production schedule. “Now that winter has arrived on Game Of Thrones, executive producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss felt that the storylines of the next season would be better served by starting production a little later than usual, when the weather is changing,” said HBO's Casey Bloys in a statement carried by Deadline. “Instead of the show’s traditional spring debut, we’re moving the debut to summer to accommodate the shooting schedule.”
The show will film in Belfast as usual, plus Spain and a return to Iceland for more work from directors that will include Mark Mylod, Jeremy Podeswa and Alan Taylor. The shift in schedule means the show will not qualify for the Emmys that year, which opens up some categories to other contenders. And if the producers are to be believed, the series will wrap up with Season 8, which could also be shortened. Booooo!