While fans have to wait until 2019 to see how the final charge for the coveted Iron Throne plays out, they’re excitedly sharing details of massive new plot hints.
Game Of Thrones fan site Watchers On The Wall has revealed that bosses of the ratings juggernaut have put out a casting call for a whopping eight new characters, a number of whom appear to have small but pivotal roles in the storyline.
Among the characters being added to the fresh influx is an ‘authoritative, fit, cool and charismatic’ mercenary, likely linked to the menacing Euron Greyjoy (Pilou Asbaek), who went to fetch the Golden Company for Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey).
New characters: Game Of Thrones fan site Watchers On The Wall has revealed that bosses of the show have put out a casting call for a eight new characters for the show’s final season
Another telling casting is the search for a ‘rough-and-ready’ sailor with a ‘strong presence’ – a strong hint that the spotlight will return to the Ironborn, amid Theon Greyhjoy’s (Alfie Allen) efforts to rescue his kidnapped sister Yara (Gemma Whelan).
Many of the new faces coming to the hit fantasy show will be Northern, with casting directors searching for a ‘straightforward’ farmer, a ‘sassy and attractive’ girl for a single but memorable scene and a sentry to play opposite the leading cast.
There are also two new guards coming into the fold, with shooting expected to take place in Spain for many of the leading characters from November.
Winter of contentment: Viewership of the show has steadily increased ever since its first season culminating in the Season 7 finale, which became the show’s most-watched episode
The casting news comes after it was revealed that bosses at HBO are making sure viewers remain on the edge of their seats for the final instalment of the show to ensure ‘nobody really knows what happens’.
The Morning Call reported that HBO’s president of programming Casey Bloys, 45, spoke to college students in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and told them that Game of Thrones producers are ‘going to shoot multiple versions [of the show’s ending]’.
Talking to Monrovian College students, Bloys told them that in showbusiness, there are no secrets.
Tall order: He told students ‘when you’re shooting something, people know. So they’re going to shoot multiple endings so that there’s no real definitive answer until the end’
He explained: ‘Because when you’re shooting something, people know. So they’re going to shoot multiple endings so that there’s no real definitive answer until the end.
Filming for the TV show has now overtaken the plot in George R. R. Martin’s series of fantasy novels, on which Game Of Thrones is based.
Viewership of the show has steadily increased ever since its first season culminating in the Season 7 finale, which became the show’s most-watched episode.
One key scene, fans were shocked to see Daenarys Targaryen and Jon Snow – portrayed by Emilia Clarke and Kit Harington – engage in incestuous sex.
Twist: The fantasy epic’s tactic of hiding the final reveal amongst multiple false endings is not a new strategy for TV networks
The pair, whose romantic relationship had been built up throughout the penultimate season, finally gave into their passion as they sailed north from Dragonstone as they prepare to face off against the dreaded White Walker threat.
Jon sneaked to her quarters and hopefully chapped the door as they were bobbing along, and his queen was only too quick to invite him inside – and not to talk battlefield tactics.
Fans were treated to a lingering view of hunk Kit Harington’s buns of steel as the star, whose father is Sir David Richard Harington, 15th Baronet, portrayed a lovemaking session on the high seas.
In a rather creepy turn, Daenerys’ trusted adviser Tyrion Lannister was shown lingering outside in the shadows and waiting outside as they enjoyed their passionate liaison.
No worries: For the cast of the high-rating cable series, it seems like spoilers concerns are the farthest thing from their minds
The fantasy epic’s tactic of hiding the final reveal among multiple false endings is not a new strategy for TV networks.
Going all the way back to 1980, Dallas producers shot multiple resolutions to their landmark Who Shot J.R? episode.
More recently, the diversionary tactic has been used for shows like The Sopranos, Breaking Bad and even The Simpsons in order to hide certain plot outcomes and which characters will or won’t die.
But for the cast of the high-rating cable series, it seems like spoilers concerns are the farthest thing from their minds.
Chill: Sophie Turner was photographed at Knik Glacier in Alaska, a helicopter in the background as she enjoyed her filming hiatus from the show
Fan favourites Emilia Clarke (who plays dragon queen Daenerys Targaryen) and Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark) have taken to Instagram in recent days to post snaps from their shooting hiatus.
Turner was photographed at Knik Glacier in Alaska, a helicopter in the background. The pic is simply captioned: ‘Chillin”.
Meanwhile, Clarke was on set for a promo shoot as the new face of Dolce & Gabbana’s fragrance The One.
She made a nod to the show that made her a household name with the caption: ‘the very fabulous folks at @dgbeauty decided to take me off a dragon and into their family’.
Beauty: Emilia Clarke was on set for a promo shoot as the new face of Dolce & Gabbana’s fragrance The One during her break from Game Of Thrones