In line with reports that production had been pushed back due to weather concerns, HBO has officially confirmed today that Game of Thrones season 7 will air in the summer of next year with a shorter, seven-episode run.
That’s slightly later than the show’s traditional March/April release window, though production will get underway in Northern Ireland in the coming weeks, with other filming locations spanning Iceland, Spain, Sevilla, Caceres, Almodovar del Rio, Santiponce, Zumaia and Bermeo.
Here’s the official word from HBO’s president of programming, Casey Bloys.
“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 Bloys. “Instead of the show’s traditional spring debut, we’re moving the debut to summer to accommodate the shooting schedule.”
Mark Mylod, Jeremy Podeswa, Matt Shakman and Alan Taylor are among the directors on board for Game of Thrones season 7 as HBO preps for the series’ grand finale. Should David Benioff and D.B. Weiss stick to their guns, season 8 will comprise eight episodes in total when it bows in 2018.
Game of Thrones will make its return in summer of 2017 with a shorter, seven-episode run – down from the series norm of 10 installments. All signs point to it becoming the penultimate season of HBO’s fantasy flagship, after producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss teased that GoT will cap off its triumphant run the following year with an eighth and final season.